Form Fill Seal (FFS) machines are packaging machines that form, fill and seal a package on the same machine. The main types are vertical form fill seal (VFFS) and horizontal form fill seal (HFFS) machines – a term often used to cover horizontal versions of flow-wrappers, sachet machines, blister pack machines, four side seal machines and thermoform fill and seal machines.
How does a form fill seal machine work?
In FFS machines, packaging material is fed off a roll, shaped, and sealed. The bags/packs are then filled, sealed and separated.
Many FFS systems are highly sophisticated and feature computer interfaces and control networks. Greater speed and versatility are the major benefits of FFS systems for user companies. For example, snack producers demand systems that have the versatility to provide fast changeover between many different packaging formats to meet growing demand for single serve packs. Vertical FFS machines are capable of creating virtually any size or shape. These range from standard pillow packs to bags sealed on all four sides.
Which products are packaged by FFS machines?
FFS machines employ a wide range of material types. They are used across numerous markets including food, drinks, cosmetics, electronics, stationery, tobacco, chemical, medical, and pharmaceuticals.
Products commonly packaged by form, fill, seal include:
Nuts, Sugar, Crisps, Rice, Pulses, Sweets & Confectionery, Sauces & Soups, Pet Foods, Grain, Jams & Preserves, Cakes, Bread, Biscuits, Teabags,Condiments, Capsules and Pills, Greetings Cards, Phone Cards
What are the types of Form Fill Seal machines?
Form fill seal machines are often divided into the types of packs they produce:
Bags and Pillow Packs: FFS machines used are flow-wrappers, lower reel flow-wrappers, vertical form fill seal, stickpack and mandrel form fill seal.
Bottles and vials: Blow fill seal machine.
Cartons: Vertical carton board form fill seal machine.
Pots, trays and blisters: Cold form fill seal, thermoform fill seal, or blister form fill seal machines.
Sachets and Envelopes: Edge seal, horizontal form fill seal, vertical sachet form fill seal machines.
Sacks and Bags: Tubular sack form fill seal or vertical form fill seal machines.
Common Terminology
- Horizontal product infeed mechanism
- Film unwind mechanism
- Film folding box
- Longitudinal seal mechanism
- Transverse seal mechanism
- Transverse cutting mechanism
- Discharge conveyor
- Film forming tube
- Automatic filling device
- Film transport mechanism
- Mandrel
- Mandrel bag forming mechanism
- Bag fold and seal
- Bag seal
- Multihead weigher
- Hopper
- Augur filler
- Bag
- Bag-in-Box
- Block bottom bag
- Deformable material
- Film reel
- Film web
- Flexible packaging material
- Lay flat tube
- Paper/foil laminate
- Pre-made bag
- Pre-made sack
- Sachet
- Pouch
- Side seam seal
- Thermoformable material
- Longitudinal seal
- Magazine
