Ice Cubes Cup Filling & Sealing Machine is a packaging machine designed to automatically fill pre-formed cups with ice cubes (or crushed ice) and then seal the cup with a film or foil lid — producing hygienic, ready-to-sell ice cups for drinks, retail, catering, or convenience stores.

Below is a complete, practical guide to how it works, key features, configuration options, and how to choose the right one for your production.

What It Does

This machine automatically:

1. Denests empty cups

2. Fills ice cubes into cups

3. Applies and heat-seals a protective lid (film/foil)

4. Prints production data (date/batch)

5. Discharges sealed ice cups to the outfeed conveyor

It eliminates manual labor and ensures consistent portioning, hygiene, and packaging quality.

How the Machine Works – Step by Step

1) Cup Loading / Denesting

• Empty PP/PET/PS cups are loaded into the machine’s hopper.

• A denester places cups one by one onto the conveyor or rotary table.

2) Ice Feeding / Dosing

Ice cubes (or crushed ice) are delivered from an insulated ice hopper or ice conveyor.
Filling methods:

• Volumetric cup filler (simple) — gravity or timed gate, based on cup volume.

• Multi-head weigher — high accuracy (e.g., 200g per cup).                                                                    

Ice size:

• Whole cubes (e.g., 20–40 mm),

• Half or crushed ice (for better packing density).

3) Film / Foil Lid /Plastic Lid Placement

• A pre-cut film or foil lid/plastic lid is automatically transferred and placed on top of each filled cup.

• Can use printed film for branding.

4) Heat Sealing

• Temperature-controlled sealing bars seal the film/foil to the cup rim.

• Parameters (temp/pressure/time) are adjustable for a tight, leak-proof seal.

5) Coding & Printing

• An inkjet or laser coder prints date, batch, and other required info.

6) Outfeed / Discharge

• Sealed ice cups are moved to the conveyor for packing into cartons or trays.

Key Features to Look For

✔ Hygienic Design

• SUS304/316 stainless steel

• Washdown-friendly

• Enclosed ice feed to minimize melt and contamination

✔ Adjustable Fill

• Recipe control for different cup sizes

• Volume control (grams/cup)

✔ Automatic Film Feeding

• Film reel with automatic feed & cut

• Tension control for consistent sealing

✔ PLC + Touchscreen Control

• Program recipes by cup size

• Alarm & fault display

✔ Safety

• Interlocked guards

• Emergency stops

✔ Optional Upgrades

• Multi-head weigher (for precise weight)

• 20–60 cups/min versions depending on lanes

• Rotary table for higher throughput

• Ice crushing system built in

• Automatic lid feeder

• Conveyor to cartoner

Typical Performance (Indicative)

(Speeds depend on cup size, ice size, and machine model.)

Common Cup Specifications

• Cup diameter: 60–120 mm

• Cup height: 70–150 mm

• Cup material: PP / PET / PS / PLA

• Cup volume: 200 ml – 500 ml (typical)

Handling Ice Melt & Hygiene

Since ice melts:

• Use insulated hoppers and chutes

• Minimize open air exposure

• Add drip trays / collection pans

• Drain water away from product zone

Typical Line Configuration

Ice maker → Ice buffer / hopper → Ice conveyor → Cup denester → Ice filling station → Film/foil sealing head → Coding station → Outfeed conveyor → Cartoner / palletizer

Choosing the Right Model

Tell me:

1. Cup size(s) (diameter & height)

2. Ice type (whole, half, crushed)

3. Target speed (cups/hour)

4. Sealing type (film or pre-cut foil)

5. Available space & utilities (power/air)

I’ll provide:

• A specific machine model recommendation

• Technical specs

• Footprint/laydown drawing

• Estimated price range

If you want, I can also prepare a quotation-ready specification sheet you can send to suppliers. Just share the details above.