Sachet Packing Machines

Where sachet packing fits

A sachet is a flat, single-portion pack, most often sealed on all four sides. Most configurations in this family are multi-lane machines that form, fill and seal several sachets per cycle. Tea bag machines that pack tea into inner and outer bags are also grouped here.

The 19 configurations cover ketchup, mustard and other sauces, shampoo, lotion, facial cream and hand sanitizer, energy gels, drink granules, protein and pharmaceutical powders, and tea. Reference models include the LV-350X for granules, the LV-450X for cosmetic lotion and the LV-400Y for ketchup.

• Sauces and condiments such as ketchup and mustard
• Shampoo, lotion, hand sanitizer and other liquids
• Drink granules, protein powders and supplement powders
• Tea packed into inner and outer bags

How a multi-lane sachet machine works

Depending on the design, film from one slit reel or from two reels is brought together face to face. Vertical sealers make the side seals for each lane, product is dosed into the open lanes, and horizontal jaws make the cross seal before a knife cuts the sachets apart or leaves them joined in strips.

Tea configurations work differently. Tea is dosed into an inner filter bag, usually with thread and tag, and the inner bag is then enclosed in an outer envelope. The filter material, thread, tag and outer envelope all need to be specified.

Define the sachet format

Specify the seal arrangement, usable fill area, opening feature and print registration. A sachet and a narrow stick pack are separate format decisions.

• Three-side or four-side seal requirement
• Finished sachet dimensions and product headspace
• Coding position, tear notch and perforation needs
• Single sachets or sachets left joined in strips
• Print registration and the position of the eye mark

Dosing liquids, pastes and powders

Liquids are the most common product in this family, and they are where most sealing problems start. The dosing system has to deliver the portion without drips, foam or splashes reaching the seal area.

• Piston pumps for sanitizer, shampoo, lotion and ketchup
• Rotary piston or lobe pumps and anti-clogging nozzles for sauces with particles, such as mustard
• Anti-foaming nozzles for shampoo and other foaming liquids
• Jacketed or temperature-controlled hoppers for gels whose viscosity changes with temperature
• Servo augers for protein and pharmaceutical powders, and volumetric cups for free-flowing granules

Review filling and film together

Share the product properties and film sample so dosing, product clearance from the seal and sealing conditions can be reviewed as one configuration.

Check that the product is compatible with the film's sealing layer, especially for alcohol, oils and fragrances. For alcohol-based sanitizer and other flammable liquids, state the hazardous-area requirements of your site; the electrical design has to be confirmed against them.

• Film laminate, foil or paper-based structure
• Product temperature and viscosity at the filling point
• Cleaning method and frequency for product-contact parts

Counting, cartoning and related routes

Sachets are usually counted into cartons, display boxes or outer bags. Plan how finished sachets leave the machine and whether counting and cartoning are part of the project.

If the product is a powder in a narrow pour-out format, compare the stick pack route. For sauces in rigid portion cups, see the filling family.

What to send for an evaluation

A useful first enquiry includes the product description and safety data where relevant, a finished sachet or drawing, the film specification, the dose volume or weight and the output you need. Agree the product and film quantities for any trial before shipping.

Questions buyers ask about sachet machines

Can one sachet machine run liquids and powders? Only if both dosing systems are included and changed over. Pumps and augers are different assemblies.

Why do liquid sachets leak at the seal? The usual causes are product or foam on the seal area, drips from the nozzle, a film that does not suit the product, or seal settings outside the film's window. A trial with your own product and film is the way to check.

How many lanes do I need? It follows from the sachet width, the film width the machine accepts and the output you need. Lane count and output are confirmed together for each configuration.

Can parts be cleaned in place? Some configurations are described as ready for cleaning in place. Define your cleaning procedure and ask which parts are cleaned in place and which are removed.