Creating a Preventive Maintenance Schedule for Your Bottling Line

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Filling equipment is chosen from the product and the package, and the machine follows: viscosity, acidity and carbonation pick the filling principle before BPH does.
Key facts at a glance
What is includedFilling, capping, labelling and packing equipment
Sizing basisDemand in units per day, divided by productive hours and a production factor
Production factor0.65-0.85 depending on formats and changeovers
Key controlFill accuracy, closure integrity, changeover time
Key decisionOne flexible line or two dedicated lines
AcceptanceOutput, accuracy, closure and changeover, measured

Which tasks keep the line running, and which are wasted effort?

Maintenance effort should follow the wear map, not the machine layout. Seals, capping inserts, guide rail blocks and filters account for most unplanned stops; painting and polishing account for none. A short daily check on those four items beats a long monthly inspection.

What belongs in the acceptance protocol?

Rated output at the specified format, fill accuracy on a defined sample, closure torque or seam measurement, and a full changeover timed with the customer watching. Anything not measured at acceptance becomes a discussion after the money is paid.

DecisionWhat it fixesWhat it does not fix
Filling principleProduct and accuracyDownstream capacity
Valve countRated BPHChangeover and CIP time
Automation levelLabour per shiftProduct quality
Line layoutFloor space and flowThroughput of the slowest station

The unit behind this configuration is the Gravity Filling Machine for Still Water.

What does the factory acceptance test actually prove?

It proves the machine meets the written specification on the agreed product, at the agreed format, in the builder workshop. It does not prove the line will run in your building. Both tests are needed, and the second one is where most disputes start.

Rated output, change parts and services are listed on the Volumetric Filling Machine for Still Water page.

What makes a commissioning run fail?

Utilities that are not ready, product that is not the real product, and operators who have not been trained. The machine is rarely the cause. A commissioning plan that lists utilities, product samples and training as prerequisites finishes on time far more often.

The same question is worked through from another angle in Two Alibaba.com Honors for Our Filling Lines.

How to read the numbers. Where a BPH appears below it is the specification range, not a measured rate. Changeover, cleaning and downstream stops are not inside a rated BPH, so plan with a production factor of 0.65-0.85.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the BPH I actually need?

Bottles per day divided by productive hours, then divided by a production factor of 0.65-0.85. The factor covers changeover, cleaning and downstream stops. Sizing at 1.0 is the most common planning error.

How long does a filling line last?

A well-maintained stainless line runs for well over a decade, with wear parts replaced on condition. The variables are water quality, cleaning regime and whether spare parts are kept in stock.

How do I verify a supplier before ordering?

Ask for the factory acceptance test procedure, a reference line running the same format, and the spare parts list with lead times. A supplier who cannot show a running line has not commissioned many.

How much production factor should I use for a new line?

Between 0.65 and 0.85. A single-format line on one shift sits near 0.85; a line with four formats and two changeovers per shift sits near 0.65.

Key takeaways
  1. Fix the product and the package before the machine.
  2. Compare quotations on the slowest station, changeover and CIP time.
  3. The production factor is what the plant gets, not a discount.
  4. The factory test proves the specification, not the building.
About the author
Written by the Sunswell engineering team - led by Howie SUN, Founder & CEO, with 14 years in filling and blow-moulding equipment R&D and turnkey project delivery across 71+ countries.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-28 . Reviewed by Sunswell engineering team
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