VFFS - Vertical Form Fill and Seal

A VFFS machine (vertical form fill seal machine) forms, fills and seals bags and pouches from a single roll of flexible film. It is the workhorse of automated bagging across the food, pharmaceutical and consumer-goods industries, and is supplied and supported Australia-wide by Nexus Australia.

How it works

A VFFS machine forms a bag from a vertical tube of film, fills it with product, and seals the top to create a closed package.

Bag styles

Pillow bags: the most common style, a simple rectangular shape with a sealed top and bottom.
Gusseted bags: expandable sides (gussets) for increased volume capacity.
Quad seal bags: four side panels for added stability and a square base, suited to heavier or bulkier products.
Stand-up pouches: a bottom gusset that lets the bag stand upright, suited to retail display and storage.
Three-side seal bags: three sealed edges and an open top, often used for single-serving products or samples.
Sachets: small, single-use pouches for condiments, sauces, and small quantities.
Zipper bags: a resealable zipper for easy opening and closing.
Quad seal with zipper: the quad seal design with a resealable zipper.

Dosing methods

Auger filling: a rotating auger screw dispenses powdered or granular products with controlled rotation for consistent filling.
Volumetric cup filling: predetermined cups measure and dispense granules, powders, and small parts.
Multihead weighing: multiple weighing scales measure the desired weight, then dispense the combined amount.
Liquid pump filling: a pump controls the flow and volume of liquid products.
Counting systems: counts and fills specific quantities of individual items such as tablets, capsules, or small hardware.
Piston filling: a piston and cylinder mechanism measures and dispenses liquid or viscous products.
Combination weighers: combine weighing and vibration to fill precise amounts of granular or small-piece products.
Net weight scales: measure the weight of the whole package, then dispense product to reach the desired net weight.

Output

Throughput ranges from entry-level up to high-speed production lines, suited to production at any scale.

Related: stick pack machines, flow wrappers (HFFS) and the full bagging system range.

Frequently asked questions

How does a VFFS machine work?

A vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine forms a bag from a vertical tube of flexible film, fills it with product, and seals the top to create a closed package. It is used for automated packaging across the food, pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries.

What bag styles can a VFFS machine make?

VFFS machines produce pillow bags, gusseted bags, quad seal bags, stand-up pouches, three-side seal bags, sachets, zipper bags and quad seal bags with a zipper. Quad seal and stand-up styles suit heavier or retail-display products, while sachets suit single-use quantities.

What products can a VFFS machine fill?

It can fill powders, granules, liquids, viscous products and individual items such as tablets, capsules or small hardware. The dosing method, from auger and volumetric cup filling to multihead weighing, liquid pump, piston filling and counting systems, is matched to your product. Speak with Nexus Australia about the right dosing setup.

How is dosing kept accurate?

Dosing is matched to the product, with options including multihead weighing, combination weighers and net weight scales that measure the finished package weight before topping up to the desired net weight. Auger filling uses controlled screw rotation for consistent powder and granule fills.