Technical article
VFFS vs Flow Pack: Which Packaging Machine Fits Your Product?
Both machines make a pack from a roll of film, and both seal it with heat. They are still not interchangeable: a vertical form fill seal machine fills loose product into a bag, while a flow-pack machine wraps a product that keeps its shape and position. The product usually decides.
How Each Machine Works
A VFFS machine pulls film over a forming collar into a vertical tube, seals it lengthwise, closes the bottom with cross jaws and drops product through the tube from a weigher or doser above. The bag is sealed at the top while the next bag's bottom is sealed.
A flow-pack (HFFS) machine feeds products horizontally on a conveyor into a film tube formed around them by a folding box, seals the tube lengthwise with fin wheels and seals and cuts between products with end-seal jaws.
The Product Decides
The simplest test: does the product get dosed by weight or volume, or is it one item (or one tray) that keeps its position?
- Loose pieces dosed by weight (frozen vegetables, nuts, snacks) → VFFS with a weigher
- Granules and powders → VFFS with a cup filler or auger
- Single solid products (bars, biscuits, bakery) → flow pack
- Whole vegetables such as cucumbers or peppers → flow pack
- Trays of produce or portions → flow pack (often film below)
Pack Appearance
VFFS makes pillow, gusseted and block-bottom bags that hold a volume of product. Flow pack makes a close-fitting wrap around a product or tray, with the product visible and its shape preserved. Retail requirements often settle the question before the machine does.
Modified Atmosphere
Both machines can gas flush. On flow-pack machines, box-motion end sealing is often chosen for the gas-tight seals MAP packs need; on VFFS machines, gas is introduced through the forming tube.
Line Integration
A VFFS machine usually sits under a weigher on a platform and needs vertical space. A flow-pack machine sits in line with a conveyor and needs length, plus an infeed that spaces products. Both hand packs to checkweighing and case packing.
When the Answer Is Neither
Ready-made stand-up pouches point to a premade pouch machine; lidded rigid trays to a tray sealer; air-free packs to vacuum packaging. Starting from the pack avoids buying the wrong one of the two.
Next step
Evaluate the process on your product.
The correct automation decision depends on your product, line layout and target process.