How to Properly Fill Granular Products? A Comprehensive Guide to Metering Solutions.

Granular products are commonly found in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and agriculture. When handling dry solid materials in granular, strip, flake, or irregular shapes, selecting the right metering and packaging equipment is crucial. With advancements in technology, modern metering and packaging systems have become increasingly precise, efficient, and intelligent.

Auger Enterprise team has extensive expertise in evaluating granular product characteristics and packaging requirements. We provide customized equipment solutions and optimal system configurations to meet the specific needs of each production environment. This article will introduce the key metering technologies for granular products, helping you gain a deeper understanding of their functionalities and selection criteria.

Selecting the appropriate metering method requires a comprehensive analysis of the material’s properties and production needs. Key considerations include:

• Granule Size & Shape – Are the granules uniform or irregularly shaped?
• Weight Consistency – Is the weight of each granule stable? Is the material density uniform?
• Flowability – Do the granules tend to clump, stick, or absorb moisture?
• Accuracy Requirements – What is the acceptable margin of error?
• Production Speed – Does the process require high-speed, large-volume production?

Based on these factors, selecting the right metering method ensures precision, efficiency, and minimal material wastage. Below are the three most commonly used granular metering solutions and their applications.

1. Volumetric Cup Metering:

Volumetric cup metering uses a rotary cup system to measure and dispense materials based on fixed volume. As the rotary table rotates, granules fill pre-calibrated cups, ensuring a consistent volumetric measurement for each fill.

• Best for: Free-flowing, uniform granules with stable unit weight, where high precision is not a priority.
• Common applications: Seeds, animal feed, beans, rice, sugar, salt.
• Advantages: High-speed metering, Device design with simple structure, Easy operation & maintenance.
• Limitations: Less accurate if granule density or size varies significantly.

2. Linear Weigher Metering:

A linear weigher system uses vibratory feeders to transport granular materials along one or multiple channels into weighing hoppers, where electronic scales ensure precise weight measurement.

• Best for: Free-flowing materials with moderate weight accuracy requirements and uniform particle size.
• Common applications: Activated carbon granules, tea leaves, coffee beans, nuts, silica sand, agrochemical granules.
• Advantages: More accurate than volumetric cup metering, Versatile across various materials, Adjustable for different product requirements.
• Limitations: Slower than multi-head weighers, Moderate production speed.

3. Multi-Head Weigher Metering:

A multi-head weigher (available in configurations like 10-head, 14-head, or 16-head) consists of multiple independent weighing units. A computer-controlled system rapidly calculates the best combination of weights, ensuring fast and precise dispensing.

• Best for: Irregularly shaped granules, products requiring high-speed packaging, or premium products with strict accuracy demands.
• Common applications: Snack foods, dried fruits, chocolates, candies, jerky.
• Advantages: Exceptional speed & accuracy, Suitable for a wide range of products.
• Limitations: Higher equipment cost, Requires more installation space.

The choice of metering system should be based on granule properties, accuracy requirements, production speed, and budget considerations:

Metering Method	Suitable Granules	Accuracy	Speed	Cost
Volumetric Cup Metering	Volumetric Cup Metering Free-flowing, uniform granules. Low High Low	Low	High	Low
Linear Weigher Metering	Linear Weigher Metering Granules with similar sizes, and requiring higher accuracy. High Medium Medium	High	Medium	Medium
Multi-Head Weigher Metering	Large-scale production need, irregularly granule shaped.	High	High	High

Choosing the right metering solution enhances production efficiency, reduces material waste, and ensures product quality and market competitiveness. Once the metering method is determined, the next step is to evaluate packaging format, material, and size to pair with the most suitable packaging equipment.

For more information on selecting the right packaging machine, refer to our guide:
How to Choose the Right Packaging Machine? Key Factors to Consider Before Purchasing!