Machine Overview
| Machine type | Auger filler (auger screw filler), servo-driven |
| Doses | Powders and fine dry products: spices, flour, maize meal, milk and protein powders, coffee, cocoa, and detergent and chemical powders |
| Fill range | 1 g to 300 g on the tabletop filler; 10 g to 5 kg on the semi-automatic filler; 5 kg to 50 kg on the bag filler; 100 g to 25 kg across our automatic auger lines |
| Output | 15 to 25 pouches per minute rated on the semi-automatic filler; 1 to 1.5 bags a minute on the bag filler; automatic lines confirmed on trial |
| Accuracy | Within 2% on the semi-automatic filler; within 1% on the auger fill-seal machine for pre-made bags; within 10 g to 20 g on the bag filler |
| Pack types | Pre-made pouches and bags, jars, tubs, ready-made bags up to 50 kg, and bags formed on a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine |
| Feeding | An auger feeder (screw conveyor) keeps the hopper full |
| Contact parts | SUS304 stainless steel; SUS316 for products that contain salt |
Configurations
An auger filler doses powder with a turning screw inside a tube at the base of the hopper. Each fill is a set number of rotations, so the dose repeats from pack to pack. The same dosing head is supplied as a semi-automatic filler, as an auger doser for small doses, and as the filling station of an automatic packing machine. Not sure an auger suits your product? Our filling machines page compares every filler we supply.
01
The operator places a pre-made pouch under the filler, the auger doses the set weight, and the pouch moves to a band sealer. Interchangeable screws cover pouches from 10 g to 5 kg, rated at 15 to 25 pouches a minute and filling to within 2%. On a spice line we have supplied, 1 kg to 3 kg pouches run at up to 10 a minute with one or two operators.
Best for
•Spices and seasonings
•Pouches from 10 g to 5 kg
•Smaller and growing lines
Benefits
Interchangeable screws
Auger feeder keeps the hopper full
Band sealer closes each pouch
02
For small doses, the semi-automatic auger doser we have supplied fills 10 g to 50 g with a 35 mm servo-driven screw and a 30 L hopper. An auger feeder with a 200 L hopper keeps it supplied from floor level, so the operator never lifts powder into the hopper by hand. The tabletop auger filler we have supplied stands on a workbench and fills 1 g to 300 g from a 15 L hopper, with a servo-driven screw, a mixing motor that keeps the powder moving, and a foot pedal to start each fill.
Best for
•Doses from 1 g to 300 g
•Small pouches, jars and sachets
•Fine, dusty powders
Benefits
Servo-driven screw
Fits on a workbench
Foot pedal start
03
An auger filler doses protein powder and other powders into rigid tubs and jars. It runs as a standalone semi-automatic filler, with an operator placing each container, or inline on an automatic line that can then cap, induction-seal and label each tub. The same set-up fills spice jars and supplement bottles.
Best for
•Protein and supplement powders
•Spice jars
•Tubs and rigid containers
Benefits
Standalone or inline
Capping, sealing and labelling added on
One head for jars and tubs
04
On an automatic line, the auger filler sits on top of a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine, which forms the bag from roll film, doses the powder and seals the bag in the same cycle. A shut-off nozzle on the auger and dust extraction at the filling head keep powder out of the seal. Auger VFFS lines we have supplied bag spice powder from 500 g to 25 kg.
Best for
•Flour, spice, milk and detergent powders
•Bags formed from roll film
•Long production runs
Benefits
Forms, fills and seals in one cycle
Shut-off nozzle keeps seals clean
Screw conveyor feeds the hopper
05
An auger head on a fill-seal machine for pre-made bags opens each bag, fills it and seals it automatically. The machine we have supplied fills powdered juice into pre-made bags of 100 g to 800 g at 15 to 30 bags a minute, to within 1%, with zipper opening and a no-bag, no-fill check.
Best for
•Powdered drinks and seasonings
•Pre-made bags from 100 g to 800 g
•Zipper bags
Benefits
Within 1% accuracy
No bag, no fill
Zipper opened before filling
06
For heavy bags, a diving-nozzle auger filler lowers its nozzle into a ready-made bag and weighs the bag as it fills, which is called gross weighing. The line we have supplied fills powder into 5 kg to 50 kg bags at 1 to 1.5 bags a minute, to within 10 g to 20 g, from a 70 L hopper. A bulk-bag unloader with a 1 t hoist and a vacuum feeder supply the filler, a dust collector draws off powder at the bag mouth, and a heat sealer on a belt conveyor closes each bag.
Best for
•Powders in 5 kg to 50 kg bags
•Maize meal and building plaster
•Dusty powders
Benefits
Weighs the bag as it fills
Fed from a bulk bag
Dust collected at the bag mouth
Applications
Food powders. Fine and dusty food powders dosed by an auger:
Spices and seasonings
Flour and maize meal
Milk, coffee and cocoa powders
Supplement, detergent and chemical powders. Powders sold in tubs, jars and bags:
Protein and supplement powders
Washing powder and detergents
Chemical powders
Bagged powders. Heavy powders weighed into large bags:
Maize meal and building plaster
Ready-made bags from 5 kg to 50 kg
Spice powder in 500 g to 25 kg VFFS bags
Other powders. Send us a sample and we test it on an auger filler at our Riversands showroom before we specify the screw and fill range. Granules such as rice, nuts and seeds are not dosed by an auger, because the turning screw crushes them; they run on a weigher or measuring cup instead.
For every machine we supply that packs powder, see powder packaging machines. For operator-run fillers for liquids and granules as well as powder, see semi-automatic filling machines.
Specifications
An auger filler is specified by the powder, the fill range and the pack it fills. The screw is matched to the dose, and extra screws let one filler cover several pack sizes: on our spice line, screws for 1 kg to 2 kg and 2 kg to 3 kg run on the same filler.
Output depends on the pack size and, on a semi-automatic filler, on how quickly the operator presents each pack; on an automatic line, the packing machine sets the pace. Accuracy depends on how evenly the powder flows: a servo auger compensates for changes in density, and a hopper agitator keeps the product moving.
| Auger filler | Fill range | Output | Accuracy | Hopper and feeding | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-automatic auger filler for pre-made pouches | 10 g to 5 kg with interchangeable screws | 15 to 25 pouches/min rated; up to 10/min at 1 kg to 3 kg | ±2% | 50 L hopper; auger feeder with a 250 L container | 220 V single-phase, 1.2 kW |
| Semi-automatic auger doser | 10 g to 50 g | Confirmed on trial | Confirmed on trial | 30 L hopper; 35 mm servo-driven screw; auger feeder with 200 L hopper | System on 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Auger head fill-seal machine for pre-made bags | 100 g to 800 g | 15 to 30 bags/min | ±1% | Zipper opening; no bag, no fill | Confirmed at quotation |
| Auger VFFS powder lines | 500 g to 3 kg, and 5 kg to 25 kg | Confirmed on trial | Confirmed on trial | Screw conveyor feeding the auger | Confirmed at quotation |
| Tabletop auger filler | 1 g to 300 g | Confirmed on trial | Confirmed on trial | 15 L hopper with mixing motor; foot pedal start | 220 V, 0.75 kW servo motor; 80 kg |
| Diving-nozzle auger bag filler | 5 kg to 50 kg in ready-made bags | 1 to 1.5 bags/min | ±10 g to 20 g | 70 L hopper; bulk-bag unloader and vacuum feeder | 380 V three-phase, 2.7 kW |
Product-contact parts are SUS304 stainless steel as standard, and SUS316 where the powder contains salt. Not sure which configuration your powder needs? Send us a sample and tell us the pack sizes you plan to run.
ABOUT THE MACHINE
An auger filler, also called an auger screw filler, is a powder dosing machine. A screw turns inside a tube at the base of a funnel-shaped hopper, and each turn pushes a set volume of powder out of the tube and into the pack. Because each fill is a set number of rotations, an auger filler handles fine, dusty and poorly flowing powders that will not pour evenly.
Also known as
Each fill follows these steps:
Powder settles to a different density from the top of the hopper to the bottom, so a fixed volume can weigh differently from fill to fill. A servo auger compensates for the change in density, and on our semi-automatic auger filler electronic weighing checks the dose.
Fine powder that drifts onto the film during filling sits in the heat seal and causes weak or leaking packs. A shut-off nozzle on the auger, bag tapping before sealing and dust extraction at the filling head keep the seal area clean.
See an auger filler running in our auger powder packing line video, which follows the powder from the screw conveyor to the finished bags. A screw conveyor can keep the hopper of any auger filler full.
Granular products such as rice, nuts and cereals are not dosed by an auger, because the turning screw crushes them. They are weighed on a multihead weigher or dosed by a measuring cup instead.
For how an auger filler compares with a measuring cup on a VFFS machine, read auger filler vs measuring cup.
Case Studies
Auger filling lines we have supplied, for spice and chemical powders.
“Highly recommended! Excellent customer service, great prices, and they always go above and beyond.”
Ratings and reviews are published on our Google Business Profile, where they can be read in full and in context.
PackMan purchased an Automatic 6-Lane, 4-Side Seal Vinegar Packaging Machine, and it has been performing reliably since installation. The machine delivers consistent packaging quality, operates efficiently, and has met our production expectations.
SA Packaging Machinery delivered a solution that has met our expectations. The equipment has been reliable in daily production, and we’re pleased with its performance. We found the team knowledgeable, professional, and willing to assist whenever required.
We’ve been very happy with the equipment supplied by SA Packaging Machinery. It’s straightforward to use, performs consistently, and has helped us improve our production process. The team was easy to work with and made the entire experience smooth.
Comparison
An auger filler and a measuring cup filler both dose dry products by volume, but they suit different products. An auger filler pushes powder out with a turning screw, so it handles fine, dusty and poorly flowing powders. A measuring cup filler drops a set volume from a cup, which is simpler and cheaper and suits products that flow freely.
| Auger filler | Measuring cup filler | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fine, dusty and poorly flowing powders: flour, milk powder, spice blends, cocoa, chemical powders | Free-flowing powders and grains: sugar, salt |
| How it doses | A set number of screw rotations | A cup of fixed volume |
| Granules | Not suitable; the screw crushes them | Suits free-flowing grains |
| Changes in density | A servo auger compensates | Set by the cup volume |
Choose an auger filler for fine or dusty powder, and a measuring cup where the product pours freely. If you are unsure, send a sample and we test both on trial. Our auger filler vs measuring cup guide sets out the accuracy, giveaway and cost trade-offs in full.
A semi-automatic auger filler suits smaller runs and changing pack sizes: the operator places each pouch, jar or tub and the auger doses it. An automatic line, with the auger on a VFFS or pre-made bag machine, suits long runs of one pack size. Both use the same dosing principle and both can be fed by an auger feeder. See semi-automatic filling machines for the operator-run range.
Advantages
Choose an auger filler when your powder is fine, dusty or does not pour evenly. A measuring cup or weigher relies on the product flowing; the auger pushes it out, so flour, milk powder and spice blends fill to weight even when they bridge or settle in the hopper. One auger filler covers a wide fill range with interchangeable screws, and the same dosing head moves from a semi-automatic bench filler to an automatic line as your output grows.
Quotation
Every auger filler is quoted to your powder and pack rather than from a list price. Send us your powder and we run it on an auger filler at our Riversands showroom, then quote the configuration that suits it. For what shapes the figure on any machine quotation, see the packaging machine cost guide.
Why us
Every auger filler we supply is set up and handed over by our own technicians, together with the feeder and sealer it runs with.
Installation and commissioning.
We position the filler and its feeder, connect the power, set the fill weights against your own powder and hand over once every pack is filling to weight.
Operator training.
Your operators learn to change screws, set fill weights, run the filler with its feeder and sealer, and clean the hopper and screw between products.
Service, spares and support.
Spares are held in Johannesburg, and our technicians support the line in person and remotely once you are running.
Choosing the right auger filler starts with the powder, the pack sizes and the output you need.
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SA Packaging Machinery supplies auger fillers across South Africa and Southern Africa, as semi-automatic fillers and as the dosing head on automatic packing machines. Send us your powder and pack sizes, and we will trial it and quote the configuration that suits it.
Questions
An auger filler is a powder dosing machine. A servo-driven screw turns inside a tube below the hopper and pushes a set volume of powder into each pack. It is also called an auger screw filler or auger filling machine.
An auger filler fills fine, dusty and poorly flowing powders such as flour, maize meal, milk and protein powder, coffee, cocoa, spice blends, and detergent and chemical powders. Granules such as rice and nuts go on a weigher or measuring cup instead, because the screw crushes them.
The semi-automatic auger filler we supply fills to within 2%, and the auger fill-seal machine we have supplied for pre-made bags fills to within 1%. The diving-nozzle bag filler we have supplied fills 5 kg to 50 kg bags to within 10 g to 20 g. Accuracy depends on how evenly your powder flows, so it is confirmed on a trial with your product.
Interchangeable screws let one semi-automatic auger filler cover pouches from 10 g to 5 kg. Doses of 1 g to 300 g run on a tabletop auger filler and 10 g to 50 g on an auger doser with a 35 mm screw, a diving-nozzle bag filler fills 5 kg to 50 kg bags, and auger VFFS lines we have supplied bag powder from 500 g to 25 kg.
The semi-automatic auger filler is rated at 15 to 25 pouches a minute, and 1 kg to 3 kg pouches run at up to 10 a minute with one or two operators. The auger fill-seal machine for pre-made bags runs at 15 to 30 bags a minute, and the diving-nozzle bag filler fills 1 to 1.5 bags of 5 kg to 50 kg a minute.
An auger feeder, also called a screw conveyor, carries powder from a floor-level hopper into the hopper of the auger filler and runs in step with it, so the operator does not lift powder by hand.
Auger screws and hoppers are swapped rather than scrubbed in place, and contact parts strip down without tools, so changeovers between powders and flavours are quick. Contact parts are SUS304 stainless steel, or SUS316 for powders that contain salt.
