The Cannabis Manufacturer’s Guide to Filling & Capping THC Bottles

Rate Your Current Cannabis THC Filling & Capping Line

Whether you bottle THC oil, THC tinctures, THC extracts, or THC vape juice, if you had to rate your current manufacturing line on a scale from 1-10, what would you give it?

If you rated it below a 5 or 6, you might want to evaluate the reasons behind your choice. For instance, maybe most tasks in your cannabis manufacturing line are handled by hand. If that’s the case, your production volume and order fulfillment may be struggling to keep up. 

Utilizing manual labor for filling, capping, and labeling may work at first, and it may be less expensive upfront than investing in automated equipment to do the work. But, over time, paying for labor can get costly as demand and order volume rises. Handling filling and capping manually can be a tedious and time-consuming process. When workers perform repetitive tasks, they’re more likely to become injured, tired, or inattentive, which can lower productivity and cause mistakes. Additionally, there are likely opportunities for you to use your employees in more efficient, valuable, or profitable ways.

If you want to improve the score you gave your cannabis manufacturing line, it’s time to make a list of all the ways you can work lean, improve efficiency, and increase profit — all while making your THC product stand out from the competition. 

How can you increase your cannabis manufacturing speed and get THC products to market quickly without sacrificing quality? Earlier, we mentioned moving from manual labor to automation. We suggest starting with automatic filling and capping machines. Both are a wise investment that can help you achieve production and business goals.

Consider Foundational Filling & Capping Machine Capabilities

Look closely at filling and capping equipment as there are many critical factors to consider as you shop for the best value and right fit. Beyond finding an equipment manufacturer that you trust and offers post-purchase maintenance and service, other key aspects should also impact your choice.

For filling machines:

• Can it handle your bottle dimensions and material?
• Can it process your product’s viscosity and temperature requirements? 
• Can it fill accuracy and to your volume specifications?

For capping machines:

• Can it apply the type of cap and seal you need? 
• Does it offer an acceptable range in torque power?
• Does it meet your conveyor line requirements?

For both filling and capping machines, speed options and machine measurements also matter. If they can’t fit into your line, electrical requirements are too significant, or they can’t synchronize with your operation, they’re not worth considering.

Research Filling & Capping Equipment 

If you're looking to expand from hand-filling and capping to automation or need to upgrade one part of your operation by integrating a new machine with existing ones, doing a little bit of research before making a purchase can make a big difference.

Here are some other things to keep in mind.

Cannabis THC Bottle Filling Equipment

You found the perfect bottles at a great wholesale price — now it’s time to level up your filling and capping game from manual to automatic.

While many quality automatic bottle filling machines have control systems that offer adaptability based on the bottle shape and size and the ability to process different liquid types, other aspects can be less flexible. Unalterable aspects can include bottle loading (some grab from the top and others from the side), metering system, motor type, and more. It's vital to assess each bottle-filling machine to determine which will work best for your cannabis container.

Here are a few other important things to find out.

Types of Bottle Filling Equipment

There are two primary types of filling machines, piston and peristaltic pumps. Both piston pump filling machines and peristaltic pump filling machines allow a sanitary fill while being able to release small amounts of product into bottles with high volumetric accuracy.

Piston fillers use a cylinder and piston to push the liquid through a suction phase and a pressure phase to move fluid through the nozzle. If you couple a piston pump system with an electrical servomotor integration, the results of your liquid filling will be extremely accurate within a 0.5% range.

Pulsation-free peristaltic fillers use flexible tubing and multiple rollers. While the setup and operation are simple, accuracies ranges between 1.0%- 2.0% and tubing may have to be replaced often.

To avoid cross-contamination when products are switched over, piston pump fillers can be disassembled and cleaned, and peristaltic pump tubing can be changed out.

Volume & Viscosity

Liquid-level filling machines are designed to fill each container to a specified level, whereas volumetric liquid filling machines fill with an exact volume. If you need precision, a volumetric approach may be the way to go.

One factor to consider before choosing a filling machine is your THC product's viscosity (consistency). Viscous liquids are thick (gels, lotions, and pastes), semi-viscous liquids are semi-thick (syrups and oils), and water-like liquids are free-flowing (beverages and perfumes). While it’s likely that cannabis oil with THC and THC tinctures are semi-viscous, some THC extracts and THC vape juice are more water-like in their consistency. If you’re not sure, use a viscometer to determine your product’s viscosity so you can purchase a cannabis oil filling machine that will best accommodate your needs.

Cannabis THC Bottle Capping Machines

A versatile bottle capping machine should be easy to adjust based on product type and capping application. In fact, with many capping machines, you can make needed changes at each stage in the process. A good capping machine allows you to customize and accommodate different products from sorting and feeding to cap placing and bottle movement.

Whether it has a dropper or orifice reducer, THC product bottles still require caps to be crewed on to the bottle using a continuous thread. When it comes to capping containers with screw caps, you will have two options: a chuck or a spindle capper. Screw-on closures are continuously threaded caps. Generally, both chuck and spindle cappers can handle all types of screw-on closures. Chuck cappers are best for handling standard screw-on caps. But when it comes to screw-on caps with unusual shapes and tops, spindle cappers are more suitable. Chuck cappers are good for smaller caps and high volume production.

Torque Matters

Torque is the rotational force required to attach a closure to a container properly. The torque of a capping machine affects the seal integrity and the tightness between the bottle and closure. If the cap is not sealed properly, the product inside the bottle can leak out, causing a mess and significantly reduce shelf-life. A good bottle capping machine will allow you to easily adjust torque per application.

Tamper-evident Sealing

It’s good to note that there are two ways to prevent the unwanted or premature opening of a THC product. First, tamper-resistant packaging is designed to deter tampering with a product, and second, tamper-evident sealing provides visible evidence that a product has been tampered with if the seal is broken. Ideally, your package would employ both safeguards. This also serves as a way to child-proof THC edibles and packaging that may grab the eye of curious children.

In the case of a tamper-evident sealing, shrink band tunnels are often used. These machines securely apply a wrapper around a portion of the bottle, usually where the cap meets the bottle. The band is heat shrunk to provide a snug fit and must be cut to open the container — therefore, it cannot be reapplied without visible damage so customers can easily see if the package has been opened.

With automated assembly lines and tamper-evident seals, it’s easier than ever to protect your product, customers, and business.

Given a choice between two similar products, one with a protective tamper-evident seal and one without, research suggests that 86% of customers are more likely to pick the product they perceive to be a safer choice. More than 85% of those surveyed said that secure packaging (such as tamper-evident seals) caused them to place greater trust in the brand and have favorable feelings about that company. Further, 83% said they would be more likely to recommend products from that brand or manufacturer to others.

Curious about the FDA’s tamper-evident packaging guidelines? Check out the FDA’s guidance here.

Save Time & Money with Automatic Filling & Capping Equipment

Most THC manufacturers know that upgrading machines will garner ROI over time, not overnight — because that's how investments work. When a significant investment is made, it can take a couple of years before profit is seen, and money is recouped. However, immediately your line will become more efficient, and more of your product will make its way out the door and into retail and online dispensaries.

Bottle filling machines and capping equipment are an investment necessary for growth, not an inconvenience. Here are some ways that filling and capping equipment can save you time and money.

Proper capping and sealing prevents loose or stripped caps

Proper bottle capping is essential to ensure the container's airtightness, freshness, and stability necessary for the intended shelf life. It also creates a smell-proof seal. Good capper machines will secure caps with the same force and in the same spot each time to ensure the integrity of the closure and seal. As long as equipment is well maintained, it should work flawlessly while maintaining speed and precision.

Filling and capping consistency encourages repeat customers

Whether having bottles that stay properly sealed while remaining relatively easy to open, or ensuring that all containers are equally filled with the advertised amount of product, consumers appreciate knowing what to expect from a brand. THC products should be the same every time they are purchased, so the goal is to achieve uniformity, both in your filling and capping procedures.

When you provide a consistent product, customers are more likely to trust and remain loyal to your brand as well as share their positive experience with others. A Pega research report revealed that 89% of customers agreed that a poor experience negatively impacts their impression of a brand, so taking all possible measures to position yourself as a reliable company is extremely important.

Speed and flexibility of filling and capping leads to increased productivity

As your cannabis THC business continues to grow in production volume, filling equipment and capping machines can help you reach quotas faster and easier. Filling and capping by hand takes considerably more time and effort than using automated equipment, which moves product quickly and can significantly increase the number of containers you’re able to produce each day.

Flexible automatic fill and seal equipment can handle a variety of cap types and sizes. With these machines, different cap sizes generally require only a few minor adjustments before producing with production. 

Accurate filling and capping can be done all the time, every time

With a machine handling bottle filling, you never need to worry about wasting valuable product. A filling machine’s bottle gating system should accurately locate bottles under each filling station. Better still, most systems allow for a precision fill with an accuracy of +/-0.5%. And with the right capping, the product inside is properly contained and sealed to protect against tampering. Together this saves you money, ensures consistency, and guarantees predictability. Plus, customers appreciate buying properly sealed containers with the full amount of THC oil, tincture, extract, or vape juice for which they’ve paid.

Peace of mind knowing that the equipment meets high standards

Along with being easy to install and operate, filling and capping machines should be constructed of high-quality materials that need very little maintenance for maximum performance and longevity. Machines should be manufactured following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards and should meet ISO 9001 quality control procedures.

Affordability of filling and capping equipment

Most equipment manufacturers will offer financing and payment plans, so the machine's price should be manageable if you can't buy it outright. There are often options to buy used or like-new equipment, which are usually pre-owned certified. Be sure to explore all payment options and always ask about possible discounts, sales, or used equipment.

Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows a company to deduct the first $1,040,000 of equipment acquired in 2020 from its taxable income. For instance, if you buy or lease a piece of qualifying equipment, you may be able to deduct all of the purchase price from your gross income. This could mean a significant tax advantage.

According to Intech Funding Corp: "For companies acquiring up to $2,590,000 of equipment, this deduction is available in full. It then phases out on a dollar-for-dollar basis for amounts over $2,590,000. In addition to the $1,040,000 write-off, companies can take 100% bonus depreciation on the adjusted basis of their qualified equipment acquired in 2020. This bonus depreciation is good through 2022. This applies to financing and leasing with a $1 buyout."

Here’s a birds-eye view of Section 179.

Partner with Pack Leader USA for Filling & Capping Equipment

It’s one thing to find the best-fit filling and capping equipment; it’s quite another to find an equipment manufacturer that you trust.

We’re dedicated to helping you increase your efficiency and maximize your profit. That's why in addition to our signature labeling equipment, we manufacture both an automatic liquid filling machine and a semi-automatic bottle capping machine that can integrate easily into an existing manufacturing line.

On top of that, Pack Leader USA equipment is made in the US and served by our Missouri team. Our American-made products are trustworthy, our customer service team is a simple call away, and our speedy replacement solutions minimize downtime.

Pack Leader USA automatic filling machine with a volumetric system

Our FL-12 Compact Automatic Filling Machine is constructed of 304 stainless steel, equipped with high-grade SS-316 filling pumps, and fitted with Panasonic programmable touch-screen controls. It utilizes a servomotor-driven volumetric system in single, twin, or quad pump variants, and has an integrated infeed and outfeed conveyor, product gapping system, and bottle stabilizing clamps to ensure clean, smooth, and consistent results.

Our volumetric filling machine is ideal for water-based products like creams, lotions, moisturizers, and oil-based products like THC oil, THC tinctures, THC extracts, THC vape juice. Using up to four pistons, our filling machines can fill 15 to 30 bottles per minute with an accuracy of plus or minus 1%.

It can be connected seamlessly in-line with our CP-10 Semi-automatic Capping Machine.

Pack Leader USA semi-automatic capping machine with a torque servomotor

Featuring the same compact size and construction as the FL-12 filling machine, our CP-10 Semi-automatic Capping Machine, constructed of 304 stainless steel, uses powerful servomotors to apply caps. The system is adaptable to a wide variety of cap sizes. Feedback sensing ensures that every cap is applied with consistent torque, and bottles ride into and out of the machine on conveyors powered by an AC brushless drive-motor system linked to a variable speed control system. The color touch panel makes it easy to adjust most parameters without necessitating mechanical adjustment.

The capping head, driven by a torque servomotor, can be easily adjusted to ensure proper tightness for a wide range of cap diameters, and the rubber capping wheels protect the cap from scratching.

It has a capping range of 20ml – 50ml, which works well for the 30ml-sized THC bottles that many consumers prefer.

If you’d like to learn more about our filling and capping equipment, our knowledgeable and experienced staff is here to help. With more than 22 years of business expertise, Pack Leader USA has built an unsurpassed reputation in the packaging industry. You can rest assured that we’re committed to quality and excellent service.

Let’s do this together!