Turnkey Solution

EPS Bean Bag Filling Line — Bead Pre-Expansion + Auto Filling

SPJY pre-expander for small-bead EPS (3-7 mm) plus an automatic gravimetric filling station, built in our own plant. One line covers bean bag chairs, pillows and pet beds as well as loose-fill box filler for void-fill packing. 50-200 kg/h of finished bead.

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400-1,600 kg beads/day
Daily Bead Output
3-7mm small-bead
Bead Size Range
50-300L bean bag
Bag Capacity Range
15-60 sec/bag
Filling Speed

What Is an EPS Bean Bag Filling Line?

An EPS bean bag filling line is a two-stage plant that makes soft 3-7 mm EPS beads and packs them by weight: a small-bead pre-expander foams raw 0.4-0.6 mm beads to 8-15 kg/m³, a cyclone separator strips the fines, and aged silo stock feeds a gravimetric filling station accurate to ±1%. There is no shape molder — the bead itself is the product, so one line supplies both bean bag chairs, pillows and pet beds and loose-fill box filler for void-fill packaging. Output is 50-200 kg/h of finished bead, or 400-1,600 kg per 8-hour shift, on a 0.3-0.5 T boiler.

This Solution Solves

The real pain points operators in this industry face every day.

Fill weight drifts from bag to bag

Manual filling typically runs ±5-10%. An underfilled bag is invisible on the pallet and obvious to the buyer who paid by weight; an overfilled one is margin given away on every single unit.

Fine beads cling to everything once the line starts

3-7 mm bead picks up static in pneumatic transfer. Without grounding it sticks to operators, machine frames and walls — the workshop turns into a mess, filling slows down, and staff complain.

Fines and dust travel with the bead into the bag

Unseparated fines make the finished fill dusty and block filling nozzles. They come back as complaints about powder inside the product — the fastest way to lose a repeat account.

Every buyer wants a different size and a different pack weight

Bean bag chairs, pet beds and loose box filler are the same bead at different grades and fill weights. Resetting the line by hand for each order costs a shift and invites mistakes.

How We Solve It

Specific technical answers ChinaEps engineers into this production line.

1
Challenge
Hold fill weight inside ±1% on every bag
Our Answer
The filling station weighs gravimetrically on load cells and cuts off at target weight; a scale check then re-verifies every bag before it is tagged.
Differentiator
±1% against the ±5-10% typical of manual filling.
2
Challenge
Keep static off the beads and out of the workshop
Our Answer
ESD-grounded floor, air shower and anti-static treatment of the transfer line are part of the base spec, not a paid option.
Differentiator
Static control designed in, not retrofitted after the first complaint.
3
Challenge
Get the fines out before they reach the bag
Our Answer
A cyclone separator pulls fines off the pre-expander discharge and routes the good bead into 3 / 5 / 7 mm grades on the way to the silos.
Differentiator
Fines removal and size sorting in one pass — no second pre-expander needed to offer a fine and a coarse grade.
4
Challenge
Switch between bean bag fill and loose box filler without a rebuild
Our Answer
PLC recipes store bag size and target weight (50L / 100L / 200L / 300L). The operator picks the recipe and the same line fills either product.
Differentiator
One line, two markets — comfort products and protective loose fill — with no shape molder in the plant.

What This Line Produces

End products this turnkey line is engineered to manufacture.

Bean bag chair (small / medium / large)

Lounge bean bag (gaming / TV viewing)

Pet bed bean bag (small / medium / large dog)

Yoga + meditation cushion

Pregnancy pillow

Cervical / orthopedic neck pillow

Floor cushion

Outdoor / pool bean bag

Production Flow

From raw material to finished product — six stages, fully integrated.

Step 1

EPS Raw Material

Small-bead grade beads (E-501 / B-501, 0.4-0.6mm) from supplier.

Step 2

Pre-expander

Beads pre-foamed to 3-7mm size, density 8-15 kg/m³.

Step 3

Cyclone Separation

Fines removed, bead-size sorted (3 / 5 / 7mm grades).

Step 4

Aging + Storage Silo

4-12h aging + multi-size silo storage.

Step 5

Bag Loading + Gravimetric Fill

Inner liner bag loaded, gravimetric fill to recipe weight.

Step 6

Heat-Seal + Zip Closure

Inner liner heat-welded, outer cover zip-sealed.

Step 7

Visual QC + Scale Check

Double-check per bag for fill weight + sealing.

Step 8

Tag + Pack

SKU / batch / date tag printed, bag wrapped for shipping.

Line Composition

Production line subsystems

The full production line is composed of these core subsystems — each one engineered as a self-contained module.

1. EPS Pre-expander (Small-Bead)
SPJY-1200 / 1400

1. EPS Pre-expander (Small-Bead)

  • · Produces small-bead 3-7mm (vs fish box 5-15mm)
  • · Steam-controlled for soft + spherical filling beads
  • · Throughput 50-200 kg/h (bead, not finished product)
  • · Bead density 8-15 kg/m³ for max comfort + bag fluffiness
2. Aging + Bead Storage Silo
ES-AUTO 3-6 silos

2. Aging + Bead Storage Silo

  • · 3-6 silos for stable bead storage
  • · Aging 4-12h for filling consistency
  • · Cyclone separator removes fines for cleaner fill
  • · Multi-size bead routing 3mm / 5mm / 7mm
3. Gravimetric Filling Station
Custom + load cells

3. Gravimetric Filling Station

  • · +/-1% gravimetric weighing per bag fill
  • · Filling speed 15-60s per bag (depending on size)
  • · PLC bag-size recipe library (50L / 100L / 200L / 300L)
  • · Sealed pneumatic transfer prevents bead loss / static
4. Bag Sealing + QC
Heat-sealer + visual QC

4. Bag Sealing + QC

  • · Heat-sealer for inner liner (zip + heat-weld combo)
  • · Visual + scale-based double-check per bag
  • · Anti-static treatment for safe handling
  • · Tag printer for SKU / batch / inspection date
Steam + Air + Cyclone + Static-Control

5. Auxiliary Systems

  • · Steam system: low-pressure 0.3-0.5T boiler
  • · Compressed air for pneumatic bead transfer
  • · Cyclone separator + dust collection
  • · Ground-wire static control essential for fine beads

Line Tier Options

Choose your production scale

Pick a tier that matches your daily output target — equipment scales accordingly.

Small Line

1 machine

50-80 kg beads/h / 200-400 bags/day

  • Pre-expander 1
  • Storage Silos 3
  • Filling Station 1
  • Heat Sealer 1
  • Auxiliary each 1 set
Most Common

Middle Line

2 machines

100-150 kg beads/h / 500-800 bags/day

  • Pre-expander 1
  • Storage Silos 4-6
  • Filling Stations 2
  • Heat Sealers 2
  • Cyclone System 1 set

Large Line

4 machines

150-200+ kg beads/h / 1,000-1,500 bags/day

  • Pre-expander 1-2
  • Storage Silos 6-8
  • Filling Stations 3-4
  • Auto Bag Loader recommended
  • Anti-static Control full coverage

Full Equipment List

Complete configuration (20 items)

Every machine in the turnkey package — main equipment, auxiliary systems, and optional upgrades.

No. Equipment Qty Function
1 EPS Pre-expander (small-bead) 1 set Small-bead 3-7mm output
2 Fluidized Bed Dryer 1 set Bead drying
3 Cyclone Separator 1 set Fines removal
4 Bead Storage Silo 1 set Multi-size routing
5 Conveying System 1 set Pneumatic bead transfer
6 Filling Hopper 1 set Gravimetric weighing
7 Filling Nozzle Assembly 1 set Sealed bag connection
8 Load Cell System 1 set +/-1% gravimetric accuracy
9 Inner Liner Heat Sealer 1 set Heat-weld bag seal
10 Zip Closure Station 1 set Zip-seal outer cover
11 Visual QC + Scale Check 1 set Per-bag verification
12 Tag / Label Printer 1 set SKU + batch + date
13 Steam Boiler (low) 1 set 0.3-0.5T steam supply
14 Cooling Tower 1 set Small circulating cooling
15 Air Compressor 1 set 3-4 m³/min
16 Anti-static Grounding System 1 set Fine-bead static control
17 Dust Collection System 1 set Workshop air quality
18 SPLB-1200 Outer Wrap 1 set Bagged-bag pallet wrap
19 Central Control Cabinet 1 set PLC + recipe library
20 Steam / Air / Bead Pipeline 1 set Pneumatic distribution

Workshop Requirements

Site preparation

Before equipment arrival, the buyer needs to prepare the following on-site infrastructure.

Floor area
250-400 m²
Ceiling height
>= 5 m
Electrical
Three-phase 380V / 50Hz, 60-100 kW
Steam supply
Local boiler 0.3-0.5 T
Cooling water
10-15 m³/h tower
Compressed air
4-5 m³/min compressor
Anti-static
Full workshop ESD-grounded floor essential

Why ChinaEps for This Solution

Engineering specifically tuned for this application — not a generic line.

Small-Bead Pre-Expansion Expertise

3-7mm bead is harder than 10-15mm fish-box bead — requires precise steam control + cyclone fines removal. Our SPJY pre-expander is tuned for this size range.

Gravimetric Filling +/-1% Accuracy

Bean bag fluffiness depends on bead weight per bag. +/-1% gravimetric ensures consistent product quality + brand reputation. Manual filling typically +/-5-10%.

Static Control + Workshop Design

Fine beads accumulate static = clinging to operator + workshop. Our line includes grounded floor / air shower / anti-static treatment as part of base spec.

Low Steam Load = Low OPEX

Bean bag is pre-expansion only (no shape molding) — steam load 1/3 of fish box. Boiler 0.3-0.5T is enough. Significantly lower utility OPEX.

Utility Consumption Calc

Steam · Air · Cooling Water

Per-equipment + total demand for sizing your boiler, compressor, and cooling tower.

Steam Consumption (small-bead pre-expander)

Equipment Per Unit Qty Total
EPS Pre-expander (small-bead) 40-80 kg/h 1 40-80 kg/h
Cyclone heating 20-40 kg/h 1 20-40 kg/h
Pipeline loss (=10%) - - 6-12 kg/h
Total Steam Demand - - 66-132 kg/h
Recommendation Recommended boiler: 0.3 T/h (lowest among solutions — pre-expansion only, no shape molding). 0.5T for 4+ pre-expanders.

Compressed Air Consumption

Equipment Per Unit Qty Total
Pre-expander + pneumatic transfer 0.5-1.0 m³/min 1 0.5-1.0 m³/min
Filling station pneumatics 0.3-0.6 m³/min 2 0.6-1.2 m³/min
Cyclone + dust collection 0.5-1.5 m³/min 1 0.5-1.5 m³/min
Anti-static air shower 0.2-0.4 m³/min - 0.2-0.4 m³/min
Total Air Demand - - 1.8-4.1 m³/min
Recommendation Recommended air compressor: 4-5 m³/min at 0.6 MPa. Air storage 2 m³. Air dryer essential (humidity affects bead static).

Cooling Water Consumption

Equipment Per Unit Qty Total
Pre-expander cooling 2-3 m³/h 1 2-3 m³/h
Cyclone cooling 1-2 m³/h 1 1-2 m³/h
Total Circulating Water - - 3-5 m³/h
Actual Make-up Water (8h) - - 3-6 m³/day
Recommendation Recommended cooling tower: 10-15 m³/h. Water pool: 5-8 m³.

Container Plan

20GP / 40HQ Loading Configurations

Pre-engineered container loading for your line size — daily output 800-30,000+ pieces.

Option 1: 1 x 20GP — Starter Bag Line

1 pre-expander + 1 filling station, daily 200-400 bags

20GP Container #1

  • SPJY-1200 Pre-expander 1 set
  • Fluidized Dryer 1 set
  • Cyclone 1 set
  • Storage Silos 3 pcs
  • Filling Station 1 set
  • Heat Sealer 1 set
  • Anti-static System 1 set
  • Cabinet 1 set
  • Spare 1 batch

Option 2: 1 x 40HQ — Middle Bag Line

2 filling stations, daily 500-800 bags

40HQ Container #1

  • Pre-expander 1 set
  • Fluidized Dryer 1 set
  • Cyclone 1 set
  • Storage Silos 4-6 pcs
  • Filling Stations 2 sets
  • Heat Sealers 2 sets
  • Load Cells 2 sets
  • Tag Printer 1 set
  • Anti-static 1 set
  • Cabinet 1 set
  • Spare 1 batch
Recommended

Option 3: 2 x 40HQ — Recommended Comfort-Products Plant

3-4 fill stations + comfort SKU library, daily 1,000-1,500 bags

40HQ #1 — Bead Production

  • Pre-expander 1-2 sets
  • Fluidized Dryer 1 set
  • Cyclone 1 set
  • Storage Silos 6-8 pcs
  • Multi-size Routing 1 set

40HQ #2 — Filling + QC

  • Filling Stations 3-4 sets
  • Heat Sealers 3-4 sets
  • Load Cells 3-4 sets
  • Tag Printer 1 set
  • Anti-static Full Coverage 1 set
  • Auto Bag Loader 1 set
  • Spare 1 batch

Local-purchase recommendation: Steam boiler, air compressor, cooling tower, and water tank are not shipped from China — local purchase saves freight, matches local voltage / certifications, and reduces total project cost by 15-25%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bead size do I need for bean bag?
3-5mm is standard for bean bag chairs (soft + fluffy). 5-7mm for pet beds (more support). 3mm for premium ergonomic pillows. Cyclone separator sorts sizes from one pre-expander batch.
Why does the line not include a shape molder?
Bean bag is filled with loose beads, not molded. The product is the pre-expanded bead itself + the filled bag. So no shape molder, just pre-expander + filling station.
Why is anti-static so important?
Small 3-7mm beads accumulate static when moving through pneumatic transfer. Without grounding, beads cling to workers, machine, walls = mess + slow filling + worker complaints. Grounded floor + air shower is essential.
How much steam vs fish box line?
About 1/3. Bean bag only needs pre-expansion (~80-130 kg/h steam). Fish box adds shape molding (+400-500 kg/h). Major boiler OPEX saving.
Can I produce different bag sizes on one line?
Yes. PLC stores bag-size recipe (50L / 100L / 200L / 300L). Operator selects size at filling station, gravimetric fills to spec weight. No machine change needed.
What is the per-bag filling speed?
15-60 seconds depending on bag size. Small (50L) = 15-20s, medium (100L) = 25-35s, large (200-300L) = 45-60s. 2-station line can fill 500-800 bags/day.
Can this line also produce loose fill for protective packaging?
Yes. Loose fill is the same pre-expanded bead — you keep the pre-expander, the silos and the gravimetric station, and simply skip the liner heat-sealer. Nothing else in the line changes, because there is no shape molder in it to begin with. Buyers usually order a coarser bead for void fill than for bean bag chairs, and the cyclone sorts both grades out of one batch.
What loose-fill box filler output does a 0.5 T boiler support?
A 0.3-0.5 T/h boiler covers the whole steam demand of this line — 66-132 kg/h in total: 40-80 kg/h for the pre-expander, 20-40 kg/h for cyclone heating, plus about 10% pipeline loss. That supports 50-200 kg/h of finished bead, which is 400-1,600 kg of loose fill per 8-hour shift. A medium two-station plant fills 500-800 bags a day at 15-60 seconds per bag depending on bag size.
Does box filler mean the loose EPS bead or the machine that fills the box?
In EPS terms the box filler is the material: loose pre-expanded bead poured into a carton as protective void fill. That is what this line produces, together with the gravimetric station that packs it into bags by weight. ChinaEps builds the bead production and bagging side of it — we do not supply general-purpose automatic case or carton filling machines for other goods. If you need molded protective inserts instead of loose fill, the EPS packaging production line is the page you want.
What bead size and density do box filler buyers usually specify?
The line pre-expands raw 0.4-0.6 mm grade (E-501 / B-501) to 3-7 mm at 8-15 kg/m³, and the cyclone sorts each batch into 3 / 5 / 7 mm routes. Finer bead flows and settles better in small cartons; coarser bead gives more support and bridges larger voids. Because both come out of the same pre-expander batch, you can quote a fine and a coarse grade without buying a second machine.

Tell Us Your Production Goals

Share your capacity targets, product specs, and budget — our engineers design the optimal line for your factory.

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