Glossary · Packaging and intralogistics
Vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS)
Also known as: VFFS machine, Vertical bagger
German: Vertikale Schlauchbeutelmaschine (VFFS)
In packaging, a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine forms film into a vertical tube around a forming shoulder, fills product into it from above, usually by gravity, and seals and cuts individual bags.
- Intralogistics
In one sentence
A vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine forms film into a vertical tube, fills product from above and seals and cuts bags.
Example
A multihead weigher above the VFFS machine doses 150 g of chips into each bag, which is then sealed and cut.
How it applies
- Engineering: Film runs over a forming shoulder into a tube, gets a longitudinal seal, and cross-seal jaws close and cut the bag. Dosing equipment such as multihead weighers, auger fillers or volumetric cups sits above the machine.
- Quality: Bag weight, seal strength and product in the seal area are typical quality concerns; checkweighers and leak tests follow.
- Safety: Cross-seal jaws combine thermal, cutting and crushing hazards. EN 415-3 addresses form, fill and seal machines.
- Documentation: Include film threading and splicing, forming set changes, seal parameter settings and cleaning. Where dosing and bagging come from different suppliers, align their documentation.
VFFS vs. HFFS
VFFS suits free-flowing products (snacks, powders, granules). Horizontal form-fill-seal (HFFS) suits individual items fed horizontally.