5 Types Of Automatic Capping Equipment For Packagers
Capping machines are important aspects of a packaging line. They help in keeping the products safe through the application of consistent, reliable, and secure seals on various container types. Thus, giving your customers tamper-evident packaging also. Moreover, aside from prolonging product shelf life, there are other advantages of capping machines which you can find here.
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So if you are planning on buying a capping machine for a certain project, then you have come to the right place! Because in today’s discussion, we are going to talk about the 5 common types of automatic cappers you can choose from. Keep on reading to know more!
Automatic Capping Equipment For Packagers
1. Snap Capping Machines
Snap cappers use either a tamp head or a snapping belt to snap closures into containers. The majority of snap cappers use snap-down belts that go down in front of the machine’s capping area. This allows for an increased pressure for snapping a closure into place. Meanwhile, some applications will use tamp-type heads to attach the closures onto the containers.
Snap capping machines have similar designs with spindle cappers. This allows manufacturers to combine snap cappers with spindle cappers for companies requiring both. Examples would be contract packagers.
2. Spindle Capping Machines
Spindle cappers are your ideal automatic capping solutions for handling screw-on or continuously threaded closures. They are built for handling a wide variety of screw-on closures such as the following:
- Flat caps (commonly seen on beverages)
- Flip-tops
- Pumps
- Sports caps
- Trigger sprayers
Spindle capping machines use sets of spinning discs to tighten and screw closures into place. The capping process happens while the cap-container combination moves through the capping station via a conveyor. Normally, the discs and spindles are of three to four sets which allow the machine to produce secure and consistent seals.
3. Chuck Capping Machines
Like the spindle cappers, chuck cappers are other kinds of screw capping machines. They are used for capping containers with continuous thread caps. But, instead of using sets of spindles, chuck cappers use chuck heads. These chuck heads descend to apply the necessary torque needed to create a reliable seal.
There are several reasons why packagers choose chuck cappers over spindle cappers. One of the common reasons is because of bottle stability. Packagers use chuck cappers when the stability of the containers during the capping process is a problem. Because instead of the containers traveling via a conveyor, a starwheel indexing method is used for the capping process.
Starwheel indexing allows oddly shaped or small containers to maintain their stability when they are being capped. Moreover, chuck capping machines usually use pucks to enhance stability when handling containers that are not rounded. The container is placed into a puck which passes on a starwheel for the sealing process.
4. Corking Machines
Producers of olive oil, distillers, wineries, and other industries use automatic bartop corkers to create cork and T-cork seals on containers. These machines simply press corks into bottles like closures while the bottles move through a conveyor.
Corking machines also use different indexing methods in positioning the containers. These include pins and star wheels. The choice of indexing method will depend on factors such as:
Which one works best on the application
A factory’s available space
The rise of craft distilling may have given way to the popularity of bartop corkers. But, these machines are not only limited in the craft distilling industry because you can find them in various industries. They are usually combined with capsule spinners or neck banders for creating tamper-evident seals.
5. ROPP Capping Machines
Roll On Pilfer Proof (ROPP) capping machines are also widely used in the distilled spirits and wine industry. These automatic machines use rollers or knives to apply torque into blank aluminum caps for sealing into bottles. Though ROPP cappers only start with aluminum blanks, these machines can provide tamper-evident seals. This is what made ROPP closures gain in popularity over the past years.
The uniqueness of ROPP closures also helps products stand out on the shelves. This is because the caps are seen less compared to the others.
Conclusion
Automatic bottle capping machines are manufactured for packagers depending on the closure type a packager handles. Through this, the manufacturer can provide the most efficient solution to prepare the products for display on the shelves.
Though each of the discussed automatic bottle cappers have their differences, all of them have one common characteristic. For these machines to operate automatically, they need a delivery system for the closures. This delivery system normally consists of a vibratory bowl or cap elevator which delivers the closures to a cap chute. The cap chute will carry the closures to the containers before the cap-container combination enters the capping station.
However, custom applications may need different procedures for cap delivery. So if you are searching for an automatic capping machine for your project, make sure that you choose a manufacturer that also offers machine customization. You can check out Levapack’s Can Packaging Machines for this.
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- Unlocking Potential: The Benefits Of Customized Walk-In Commercial Refrigerators in Food Service
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