Conceptual Design of Food Industry Machinery: The Use Case of Aseptic Bottle Filler

In response to the growing demand for sustainable solutions in the food and beverage industry, this study explores alternative technologies to replace conventional steam boilers in aseptic filling machines during cleaning and steriliza-tion cycles. The research applies a structured methodology rooted in engineering design principles at the conceptual design stage. A functional analysis using a black-box model maps thermal energy flows, followed by heuristic-based module identification to isolate key subsystems reliant on thermal energy. A compre-hensive solution generation process, integrating brainstorming, patent searches, artificial intelligence tools, and TRIZ methodology, yields diverse technological alternatives. These alternatives are evaluated using three distinct metrics: Tech-nology Readiness Level (TRL), Sustainability Readiness Level (SRL), and Tech-nology Applicability Level (TAL). Results identify electrical resistance and heat pump systems as the most promising solutions, offering high efficiency and readi-ness for industrial implementation. While limitations exist in heuristic subjectivity and early exclusion of emerging technologies, the approach demonstrates robust potential for guiding sustainable innovation in industrial equipment. The study contributes a replicable framework for technology scouting in conceptual design and informs future steps in embodiment, detail design, and real-world validation