Servo Cup Filler With Programmable Motion for Every Recipe
The SDH-R pairs a servo-driven volumetric piston with a rotary fill-seal-lid turret, so stroke, speed and dwell are stored per recipe on the HMI. Expect ±0.5% fill accuracy on 50-500 g fills at up to 30 cups per minute.
A servo cup filler is a cup filling machine whose dosing piston is driven by a servo motor instead of an air cylinder or mechanical cam, so stroke length, speed, acceleration and dwell are programmed rather than fixed. Our SDH-R servo cup filler doses 50-500 g at ±0.5% accuracy, runs up to 30 cups per minute dry (18-25 real-world), stores recipes on its HMI and changes SKUs in under about 15 minutes.
- Filler drive
- Servo-driven volumetric piston (standard)
- Fill range & accuracy
- 50-500 g (approx. 2-17 oz) at ±0.5%
- Output
- Up to 30 CPM dry cycle (18-25 CPM real-world)
- Controls
- PLC + HMI with recipe storage and diagnostic alerts
- Changeover
- Under ~15 minutes between SKUs
- Cup sizes
- 4, 8, 10, 16 oz standard; 2-32 oz custom
- Price
- From $45,000 USD (single-filler configuration)
What Is a Servo Cup Filler?
A servo cup filler is a cup filling machine in which a servo motor, rather than an air cylinder or a mechanical cam, drives the dosing piston. Because a servo moves to a commanded position at a commanded speed, every part of the fill stroke becomes a programmable number: travel, speed, ramp and pause. Our SDH-R cup filling, sealing and lidding machine uses a servo-driven volumetric piston as its standard filler, which is how it holds ±0.5% fill-weight accuracy across 50-500 g.
On the SDH-R, the servo cup filler is one station on a fully automatic rotary cup filling machine that denests, fills, seals and lids pre-formed cups in one pass. The servo drive pays off in three places: tighter weight control, faster changeovers because settings are recalled rather than re-set by hand, and gentle, clean filling of aerated, chunky, oily or very thick products.
How a Servo Filling Machine Doses Each Cup
A servo filling machine for cups is still a volumetric piston filler at heart: a cylinder of known bore draws a measured volume and pushes it out through a nozzle. What changes is how the piston moves. A typical servo piston fill cycle:
- Intake: the valve opens to the product supply and the servo retracts the piston to a programmed stroke at a programmed speed.
- Intake dwell: the piston holds briefly so thick product fills the cylinder completely instead of leaving a void.
- Dispense: the valve switches toward the nozzle and the servo drives the piston forward along a programmed speed and acceleration profile.
- Cut-off: the piston decelerates and the cut-off or suck-back nozzle closes, so the tail breaks cleanly instead of stringing onto the cup flange.
- Index: the turret carries the filled cup to the next station while the piston begins its next intake.
Our piston filler page covers the valve mechanics, and our article on the benefits of servo-driven filling machines makes the wider business case. Below is what the servo drive changes on the line.
Programmable Motion: Stroke Length, Speed, Acceleration and Dwell
On a servo driven cup filling machine, four motion parameters do most of the work, and each becomes part of a product recipe stored on the HMI.
Stroke length sets the volume
Fill volume equals piston bore area multiplied by stroke length, so on a servo cup filler the dose changes with a screen entry, not a wrench on a mechanical stop. Because the piston measures volume, aerated or temperature-sensitive products need their density checked when the recipe is built.
Speed controls cavitation and splash
Intake and dispense speeds are set independently. A slow intake on dense hummus or nut butter prevents cavitation, where the piston retracts faster than the product can follow and leaves an air pocket that becomes a light cup. A controlled dispense speed stops thinner products splashing the flange, where a smear of oil can cause a leaking seal.
Acceleration profile protects the product
A servo ramps the piston gradually instead of jumping to full speed. Gentle acceleration limits shear on aerated and set products, reduces pressure spikes that push oil out of emulsions and lets particulates pass the valve without being crushed.
Dwell gives viscous products time
Short pauses at the end of intake and dispense let viscous product settle before the valve switches or the cup indexes. A small dwell change is often the difference between a clean cut-off and a string draped across the sealing flange.
Servo vs Pneumatic vs Cam-Driven Cup Fillers
Piston cup fillers are generally driven one of three ways. Each can make a good cup; they differ in how motion is set, how it holds over a shift and how much work a product change takes.
Servo vs pneumatic vs cam-driven piston cup fillers
| Factor | Servo-driven | Pneumatic (air cylinder) | Cam-driven (mechanical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| How stroke is set | Programmed position on the HMI | Mechanical stops or collars | Cam geometry and linkage |
| Motion profile | Speed, acceleration and dwell per recipe | Flow-control valves; limited shaping | Fixed; a new profile needs a new cam |
| Changing fill weight | Screen entry, saved and recallable | Manual adjustment and trial | Linkage adjustment and trial |
| Plant conditions | Independent of compressed-air pressure | Affected by air pressure swings | Stable once set; wear shifts timing |
| Multi-SKU changeover | Recipe recall plus change parts | Re-set stops and flow controls | Often mechanical rework |
| Difficult products | Tunable for aerated, chunky and oily foods | Abrupt starts can shear or splash | Smooth but one profile for all |
| Typical fit | Multi-SKU fresh food plants | Low-cost, single-product lines | High-speed dedicated lines |
Get a configured SDH-R quote for your productSend your product, cup size and target cups per minute — we reply within 24 hours.
Request a quoteAccuracy and Repeatability on a Servo Cup Filler
The SDH-R servo cup filler is rated for fill-weight accuracy of ±0.5%: about ±1.25 g on a 250 g cup and ±2.5 g on a 500 g tub. Accuracy is how close the average cup sits to target; repeatability is how tightly cups cluster around it. A servo improves both because the piston reaches the same programmed position at the same speed every cycle, with no drift from air pressure or linkage wear.
Plants set target weights above the declared net quantity to avoid underfills (US packages are checked under NIST Handbook 133), so a narrower spread from a servo cup filler lets the target sit closer to the label claim and cuts give-away.
What still moves the weight
- Density drift: product that warms, cools or picks up air weighs differently per milliliter.
- Air pockets: incomplete cylinder filling on thick products, fixed with slower intake and longer dwell.
- Phase separation: oil or whey separating in the supply changes the solids-to-liquid ratio in each dose.
- Particulates: large pieces bridging a valve or nozzle make individual doses vary.
Where weight control is critical, the optional weight checker with feedback loop checks filled cups so the dose can be trimmed during the run. Our volumetric filling guide compares volumetric and net-weight dosing.
Gentle Servo Piston Filler Profiles for Aerated and Particulate Foods
Product behavior decides how a servo piston filler is set up. The patterns our engineering team plans for:
- Aerated and whipped products (whipped cream cheese, whipped spreads): fast ramps shear out air and change density; slow acceleration preserves texture. See our cream cheese filling machine.
- Chunky products (salsa, tzatziki with shredded cucumber, dips with nut pieces): large-bore valving passes pieces and a gentler stroke avoids crushing them, as on our salsa filling machine.
- Oil-separating products (pesto, tahini): free oil runs ahead of the solids and smears flanges; a steady dispense speed and suck-back nozzle keep the seal area clean, as on our pesto filling machine.
- Set and cultured products (yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese): over-shearing breaks the gel or curd and accelerates syneresis, the weeping of whey in the cup. Low-shear profiles limit that damage.
- Dense pastes (hummus, nut butters): slow intake plus dwell fills the cylinder completely, the main defense against light cups.
- Thin liquids and drizzles (dressings, oils): faster strokes work, but drips need suck-back nozzles or the optional peristaltic pump.
Recipe Storage and Changeover on a Servo Driven Cup Filling Machine
Because every motion value on a servo filler is digital, it can be saved. The SDH-R stores recipes on its HMI, so the settings that produced a good run of 8 oz salsa last week are recalled this week, and changeover between SKUs takes under about 15 minutes:
- Finish the run and clean the product contact path per your sanitation program.
- Recall the next SKU's recipe on the HMI.
- Swap cup change parts if the cup changes (4, 8, 10 and 16 oz standard; 2-32 oz custom; round, square or rectangular).
- Fit the right nozzle and load the film roll or lids for the new SKU.
- Run the first cups, check weight and seal integrity, and release to production.
Allergen changeovers and hygienic design
Allergen control depends on cleaning, not recipes. The SDH-R is food-grade 304 stainless steel with tool-free strip-down and an optional CIP (clean-in-place) system, designed to support plants operating under FDA FSMA Preventive Controls (21 CFR Part 117), HACCP, BRCGS or SQF and Canada's Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. Plants switching between major allergens, including sesame (the ninth major US allergen since January 1, 2023 under the FASTER Act), should validate changeover cleaning on the machine.
PLC and HMI Diagnostics on a Servo Motor Filling Machine
A servo motor filling machine is only as good as its controls. The SDH-R's PLC and HMI handle three jobs:
- Recipe management: store and recall settings by SKU, so changeovers do not depend on one operator's memory.
- Fine adjustment: make small fill-weight corrections on screen instead of resetting mechanical stops.
- Diagnostics: alerts tell operators why the machine stopped, shortening troubleshooting and downtime.
The controls also tie in the weight checker with feedback loop, variable data coding for lot codes and top and side labeling, which helps HACCP records show that each run used the same parameters.
Sealing, MAP and Multi-Component Stations Around the Servo Filler
The servo cup filler sits within a one-pass sequence: denesting, base filling, optional second or third filling, roll-film membrane sealing, optional nitrogen MAP flushing, optional lid placement, then discharge, all in a 44 × 52 in footprint. Up to three fillers can top a servo-filled base with oil from a peristaltic pump, spices from a vibration filler or nuts and herbs from a garnish filler; see our multi-head cup filling machine.
Clean fills make good seals. The membrane sealer heat-seals a tamper-evident film lid, and its temperature, pressure and dwell work best on a flange the filler has kept clean. With the optional nitrogen flush, residual oxygen drops to 0.3-0.4%, typically extending refrigerated shelf life from roughly 7-10 days to 30-45+ days depending on the product. Our MAP cup filling machine page covers that setup.
When a Servo Cup Filler Is Not the Right Choice
We would rather tell you early if the SDH-R is the wrong machine. A rotary servo cup filler is not the best fit when:
- You need well above 30 cups per minute on a single SKU; a high-volume inline cup filling line is the better investment.
- Your product must be shelf-stable at ambient temperature; the SDH-R is not an aseptic or retort system.
- You fill frozen products such as ice cream; the SDH-R targets fresh and refrigerated cups filled at a pumpable temperature, and hot-fill limits are reviewed case by case.
- Your portions are below 50 g, such as 1 oz cups; 2 oz portion cups sit at the low end of the range.
- You need cups thermoformed from roll stock, or you fill bottles; the SDH-R fills pre-formed cups and tubs.
Servo Cup Filler Price, Lead Time and How to Request a Quote
The SDH-R servo cup filler starts at $45,000 USD for the single-filler configuration, scaling with additional fillers, MAP, labeling and custom tooling; our guide to cup filling and sealing machine cost explains the drivers. Built in Calgary, Alberta, it ships 8-12 weeks from order confirmation with a 12-month warranty and support from service centres in Alberta, New Jersey and California.
To get a quote, send us your product details: the product (a sample helps), cup size and shape, target cups per minute and options. Our engineering team may reach out about the application, and we typically reply within about 24 hours. You can also call +1 (888) 922-7271 or email sales@hummuspack.com.
Servo Cup Filler — Frequently Asked Questions
The Hummus Pack SDH-R servo cup filler starts at $45,000 USD for the single-filler configuration with its servo-driven volumetric piston. Price rises with extra fillers, nitrogen MAP, labeling and custom cup tooling. For an exact figure, send us your product, cup size, target speed and options; we typically reply within about 24 hours.
The SDH-R servo cup filler holds fill-weight accuracy of ±0.5% across 50-500 g, about ±1.25 g on a 250 g cup. The servo drives the volumetric piston to the same programmed stroke every cycle, so repeatability does not depend on air pressure or cam wear. Density and aeration still affect weight; an optional weight checker with feedback loop trims the dose.
The SDH-R servo filling machine runs up to 30 cups per minute on a dry cycle and typically 18-25 cups per minute in production. Actual speed depends on the product, cup size, fill weight and options such as second fillers, MAP or lid placement. Very thick products may need slower intake and longer dwell for accurate weights.
The SDH-R servo cup filler fills 50-500 g (about 2-17 oz) as standard into pre-formed round, square or rectangular cups and tubs. Standard cup sizes are 4, 8, 10 and 16 oz, with custom sizes from 2 to 32 oz available on matching change parts. Fills below 50 g, such as 1 oz portion cups, are outside the standard range.
For most multi-SKU fresh food plants, yes. A servo piston filler such as the SDH-R sets stroke, speed, acceleration and dwell digitally and recalls them by recipe, so fill weights change on screen and stay stable regardless of air pressure. A pneumatic filler usually costs less upfront but relies on mechanical stops reset for each product, which suits single-product lines with forgiving products.
Yes, once the product has been reviewed. The SDH-R servo cup filler uses programmable speed and acceleration to limit shear on aerated products such as whipped cream cheese, and large-bore valving to pass herbs, shredded cucumber and nut pieces in salsa, tzatziki or chunky dips. Unusual particulates, viscosity extremes and fill temperature are confirmed with our engineering team before quoting.
Changeover between SKUs on the SDH-R servo cup filler takes under about 15 minutes: recall the stored recipe on the HMI, swap cup change parts and nozzle if needed, and verify the first cups. The machine is food-grade 304 stainless steel with tool-free strip-down and an optional CIP system. Plants running different allergens should validate cleaning under their own HACCP or preventive-controls plan.
The servo filler controls dose and flange cleanliness; shelf life comes from the seal and the atmosphere in the cup. On the SDH-R, the optional nitrogen MAP flush reduces residual oxygen to 0.3-0.4%, typically extending refrigerated shelf life from roughly 7-10 days to 30-45+ days depending on the product. Clean servo filling keeps the flange free of product so the seal holds.
The SDH-R servo cup filler ships 8-12 weeks from order confirmation and carries a 12-month warranty. It is designed and built in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, carries CE marking and UL listing with FDA-compliant food-contact materials, and is supported from our service centres in Alberta, New Jersey and California for producers in the USA, Canada, UK, EU, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
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