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An automatic capping machine sorts, feeds, and applies a cap or closure to a container as it moves down a production line without an operator. It can also be a semi-automatic machine that tightens or seals a cap or closure on a container with a person to start the cycle. Automatic capping machines are inline or rotary, and semi-automatic capping machines are manually activated by the operator or handheld. This article will explain how a bottle capper works and look at the different types of bottle capping machines and the different types of cap tighteners.
Capping machines come in various designs, each tailored to accommodate different cap styles, production speeds, and container types. The selection of a capping machine depends on factors such as automation level, cap size, and the level of precision required for sealing. Below, we will explore the different capping machines and their functions in greater detail.
An automatic capping machine has several parts for different operations that work together as a single machine. The first part of the machine is for cap sorting and orienting. A person pours the caps into a sorter or feeder where the caps are all put into the same position in a single file. The caps move from the sorter to the cap chute that carries the caps to the point of pick-off. This is where the bottle and cap are put together while moving into the cap-tightening section and then released onto the conveyor.
There are several types of automatic bottle capping machines depending on the requirements. The requirements are how fast the line needs to run, cap size, cap type, and if there is a specific amount of tightening (torque) required. The industry refers to these machines as inline capping machines except for the rotary capping machines.
The different names are all used to describe the same type of capping machine. This type of capping machine is the most seen in a typical production line. It is primarily designed to work with continuous thread caps and some lug caps. They are suitable for speeds up to 200 per minute depending on the other requirements. The number of spindles determines the amount of tightening and speed capabilities. These machines come with 4 to 8 spindles and use clutches to control the upper level of tightening. Controlling the amount of tightening prevents damage or "scuffing" to the caps.
The clutches are either mechanical or air. Mechanical clutches are only adjustable when the machine is not running, and they will usually wear faster than an air version. They are a lower cost compared to the air clutch. An air clutch is adjustable while the machine is working, so the line does not shut down for minor adjustments, and they last much longer than a mechanical clutch.
Spindle cappers are good for cap sizes up to 70mm. This is due to the angled pick-off or cap placement that they use which increases the chance of a cross-thread on larger caps. There are options for the machines to reduce this error if the larger caps are only a part of what the machine will be running. These options are a vertical cap placement and running the first set of spindles in reverse to seat the cap down into the threads. Both options add cost to the machine and limit the speed at which large caps run on the line.
This type of capping machine is very cost-effective for a wide range of cap and bottle combinations.
Caps that snap down onto a bottle require a different machine design from the spindle capper called a snap capper. In this capping machine, the bottles strip the caps from the chute using the same angular application as a spindle capper. Then the caps are simply pressed down onto the bottle using a powered belt, single overhead wheel or a simple flat plate the bottle and cap move under. When included with a spindle capper the snap capper machine components allow for one machine to work with both types of caps on the same line with one machine.
Chuck capping machines work by tightening the cap with a chuck coming straight down onto the bottle with the cap. The caps go through a sorter and move from a chute into a pocket that holds them for the chuck to pick them up and place them directly onto the container and tighten the cap.
A chuck capping machine provides better cap-to-bottle alignment and has more consistent tightening of the cap. The precise tightening is by the chuck which holds the cap having a magnetic release point or the drive of the chuck can be servo-driven which has greater control through the electronics of the machine.
The straight-down cap application makes this a better method for large caps and other difficult-to-engage cap and bottle combinations. The alignment of the cap and bottle happens with precise positioning of the bottle to the cap chuck. Specific parts for each container and cap size provide the precise placement. These container and cap-specific components are change parts.
There are also chuck capping machines that use the strip method for small cap size applications that better manage cap tightening compared to a spindle capper.
This type of capping machine is the best choice for lines with large cap sizes, limited speed requirements, and a small range of cap and container sizes. The precision of this machine makes it more expensive than a spindle capper. Higher precision is a good investment to limit capping errors and reduce line downtime depending on the other requirements.
Rotary Chuck Capping Machines work like chuck capping machines with straight-down cap-to-bottle placement. The difference is that rotary machines run without stopping the bottle and have more heads to get higher line speeds. The rotary chuck capping machines have 3 heads or more. The limit for speed is around 20 per head per minute depending on the cap and bottle combination, the product in the container, and the fill level of the product. This type of capping machine is the most expensive due to its capabilities for precision and speed.
ROPP is a type of cap called Roll-On-Pilfer-Proof. These are the metal caps typically seen on beverages, olive oil, and others. The cap is a metal shell that is put on the bottle and a specially designed chuck that rolls the metal shell into the threads of the bottle. The chuck forms the metal to the top of the bottle. This type of bottle capping machine is in the same class as a chuck capping machine and a rotary chuck capping machine.
T-top corks or bar-top corks are typical for many distilled spirits in bottles. This type of capping machine is also like a chuck capping machine due to the required straight-down application required to get the corks into the bottle.
Semi-automatic machines require a person to start by putting a cap on the bottle. Different types of semi-automatic capping machines tighten or finish a capping process. The different types of semi-automatic capping machines are below.
There are two typical types of cap tighteners. Both designs have a person placing the cap before the machine completes the tightening process. The first type uses disks, wheels, or even belts to spin the cap down tight as the bottle moves on the conveyor. This device is also the same as the tightening section of a spindle capping machine. The second type uses a single-head chuck which is a metal shell with a rubber insert to grip the cap. It starts spinning, lowers down onto the top of the cap, and spins it down tight on the bottle. There is also a third style with the shell and insert chuck that is hand-held by a person. This type of semi-automatic capping machine is suspended overhead to carry the weight of the unit for the person, or they are carried by a person.
While it is less efficient than just tightening the cap by hand, these semi-automatic capping machines are more consistent in how tightly the caps are applied, reduce operator fatigue, and reduce the chances of a person being hurt by tightening the cap by hand.
These are the simplest semi-automatic capping machines. These can be a powered dive with a pressure plate or a powered incline belt to push the closure down on or in the container. This step is after the operator has placed the closure onto the top of the container.
Semi-automatic ROPP capping machines have a person place the shell onto the bottle and then place it into the machine. The person then starts the cycle with a switch for the machine to spin and drop onto the bottle neck to form the shell onto the bottle threads. After the ROPP chuck retracts, the person removes the bottle and puts another bottle in for the next cycle.
This machine is for smaller companies that are not ready to spend on an automatic capping machine.
While standard capping machines handle most production needs, some industries require specialized capping solutions to maintain product integrity, extend shelf life, or meet unique packaging requirements.
We will explore some of the most common specialty capping machines and their applications.
Vacuum capping machines work by pulling out the air in the container headspace before placing the cap. The container is placed in a chamber where a vacuum is drawn and then the cap is applied. This type of capping is for products that need to be protected from oxygen and airborne contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and other high-value sensitive items.
Steam flow capping machines work by using steam to heat the inner side of the cap to sanitize it and soften the flexible gasket material inside the cap. The steam flow is also sent into the headspace of the container to sterilize the headspace. These types of capping machines apply the cap by the strip method as the container moves along the conveyor while being held and using two belts running in opposite directions on the top of the cap to tighten the lid. This type of capping is typical with lug-style caps that are metal and have a flexible "button" in the top. The "button" is pulled down when the steam cools and the air contracts in the headspace. Opening the bottle lets air in and the "button" pops up indicating that the seal has been broken. This type of capping machine is typical in the food and beverage industry for items like pickles and tea packed in glass with a metal lid.
There is a wide range of choices of the types of capping machines available. The best choice depends on the needs of your project and budget. Consider discussing your project with an experienced machinery supplier to help make the best choice for your capping machine project.
A bottle unscrambler is a machine used to feed bottles onto production lines in the bottling industries. Many designs are available, but their purpose is the same, feed bottles automatically at high speeds eliminating the expensive, inefficient manual labor of this process. This article focuses on the principles of operation for plastic and non-fragile containers. Glass, metal, ceramic, and other containers that will get damaged by hitting against each other require different types of machinery like depalletizers for the automatic feeding of those bottles - containers.
Bottle unscramblers receive the bottles in random positions since containers are thrown randomly into a large hopper that can hold thousands of bottles. Then those bottles are handled in different ways from the hopper to other parts of the machines, so they are sorted until you get a standing bottle directly in your conveyor going to a bottle filler then to a capping machine, labeler and the rest of the filling line As an example of operation, we will describe our bottle unscrambler model Trusort 48-100.
This bottle feeder brings the containers from the hopper with an inclined conveyor to a rotating bowl; on the rotating bowl, the containers are organized, so they end up only with the neck leading or neck trailing.
After that, we provide a hook that lets the bottles with the neck trailing pass and turn the bottles that are neck leading, so all containers end up laying down with the neck following. After that, there is a step between the speed difference between the two sets of belts and the mechanical design that stands up the containers.
This explanation will be easier to understand if you can review a few of these videos. This is a basic explanation; there are thousands of bottle designs, and each container needs to be analyzed for a bottle unscrambling machine to work correctly, take into consideration, among other things:
Since the bottle unscrambler is at the beginning of the bottling line, it needs to be the fastest machine to make sure that it can catch up with any of the other filling equipment in the line if there is a stoppage.
Container size in liquid filling machinery is critical for machine size recommendation; for example, a 32 in bowl machine can do 200 + bottles per minute of a 2oz bottle, but it will only do 10-15 bottles per minute on gallons. Also, a 25 cubic foot hopper can accommodate thousands of 2oz bottles so the machine can run for a long time without any operator, but it can only accommodate a few dozen gallons, so the unscrambler could only run for a few minutes before the hopper has to get filled again.
Each container design feature on a container can present a challenge on any part of the unscrambling process; it can be too soft, ridges that damage the container, dimensionally hard to orient (Bottle diameter and height are similar), guides on the bottle that catch the hook, among other things.
A lot of production lines start without a bottle unscrambler, and when analyzing the possibility to add one, there is no good space to place it on a liquid filling line since these machines tend to be on the largest of the production lines. Normally it’s placed before the liquid filler or powder filling machine. Some customers also install the unscrambler machine right before the labeling machine when it’s convenient to label the containers before the liquid filler.
Container material, the possibility of marking and scratching, fragility, quality issues are a few of the challenges we encounter getting our machines to work properly, pet bottles may require special handling to avoid scratches while getting sorted on the PET bottle unscrambler.
We offer air rinsing option on our unscramblers but it’s important to note that the cleaning done on this systems with ionized air or ionized air rinsing is minimal, for containers that require cleaning a dedicated bottle rinser is recommended.
To automatically feed containers into a production line, some containers require secondary orienting so the containers are in the right position before going into the liquid filling machines or packaging equipment. Additional orienting is necessary when the bottle coming out of the bottle unscrambler gets delivered into the conveyor in many positions; an example of this would be a motor oil quart with the off-center neck. On a typical bottle unscrambler, the containers will feed these nonsymmetrical containers either neck leading or neck trailing, so to automate the packaging line, you need to add secondary orientation.
Each container has its particular challenges, and based on this; there are many types of secondary orientors, among the most common are:
There are many designs in the packaging machinery industry that can accomplish the desired bottle feeding into packaging machines. We chose this design because it provides flexibility to handle a wide range of containers with very few change parts. Designing an automatic bottle unscrambler as efficiently as this one makes it less expensive, making it more accessible to our customers. Above 500 bottles per minute, a continuous, rotary unscramblers can handle those speeds; the main drawback is cost, space requirements, and change parts costs.
Will an in-line bottle capper work well with large diameter caps?
The main issue or most common problem that you will have with working with large diameter caps is cross threading, It is very common and in some cases it simply can’t be done on in line cappers.
To be able to address this question we have to take into consideration that every bottle and every cap behave differently, and there are bottles and caps that have been designed so an inline bottle capper will work well with them. On the other hand there are bottles and caps poorly manufactured or poorly designed that will have difficulties in any type of bottle capper.
Having said that if your bottle has a good design it will be a lot easier to set up your bottle capping machine to work properly, But keep in mind that the larger caps are harder to set up than smaller caps, And the required applying torque is much higher.
Here are some features that an inline bottle capper should have to handle larger diameter caps:
1) Spring loaded capping discs, If the machine has this feature in addition to being able to torque much higher you will be able to get more contact on your cap because your capping disc won’t necessarily have to be tangent but can actually be half an inch or more into the cap and follow the contour of it.
2) Reverse first set of spindles, This feature has become very popular and with the right bottle and will work great but if your bottle and cap are not designed to use this feature it won’t do any good. The reverse spindles will work when your bottle has a non-threaded space so when the bottle picks up the cap, then the spindles reverse or unscrew the cap it will use that space and sit flat before going into the next spindles where it will be torqued.
3) Inspection and bottle reject, It doesn’t matter how well your machine is set, you are going to get a few misses, a great set up will give you more than 99.5% correct capping placement (that is 5 Incorrect Bottles out of every thousand) but that number will be a lot lower on large diameter caps, so if you’re getting a 98% correct placement that means you’re getting one bad bottle out of every 50 and If you’re running at 50 bottles per minute you’re getting between 1 and 2 bad bottles every minute, so you will probably have someone dedicated to checking the the caps. If you install a bottle reject this unit will take out all the bad bottles, and place those in a reject table, so instead of having a dedicated person supervising your machine you can have the Line supervisor just check every 10, 20 or 30 minutes the bottles sitting on the table. And fix that issue in a couple of minutes instead of having a dedicated person for that task.
The conclusion would be that each application is different so before you decide which manufacturer you will be buying the bottle capper from, make sure they give you a performance guarantee and see if that matches your expectations and/or necessities
Isaac Possin
Many conveyor systems serve different purposes, from transporting bottles from a filling machine to an inline capper to a conveyor transporting massive mining products like coal into furnaces for energy production or conveyor belts moving boxes in an amazon warehouse expedite an order. There are also many different types of designs and principles of conveyor handling solutions for your material handling needs like:
One of the main components of conveyor systems is the conveyor chain or belt conveyor. Based on the characteristics of the chain then, the conveyor frame, curves, and power drives are designed to match the correct specifications. The most popular designs in the bottling industries are:
Tabletop conveyor belts are among the most widely used in automated conveyor systems globally; this type of handling equipment is used from small, semi-automatic liquid filling lines to multi-million Dollar machinery running thousands of bottles per minute. Within the tabletop family of belts, there are hundreds of options available, so to choose the best for your application, you would need to specify:
The video below shows an efficient bottling line with transfers used to be able to run:
Choosing the correct method when transferring from one conveying system to another is essential, especially when handling unstable bottles or products. There are many options to move your containers from one conveyor to another. Bellow, please see illustrations of the most common ones with corresponding comments:
STRAIGHT TRANSFER
Curve turning capabilities or not: There are infinite shapes of belt systems, and each bottling project is different. And each conveyor manufacturer has its designs and preferences for each project. Some production lines are in a straight line. A linear line conveyor has the advantage of a lower cost and capabilities for future expansions. But some conveyors need to have particular shapes to fit into production rooms, go around other production lines, or be more efficient in the handling needs. For turning and curves, you will need flexible chain conveyors; you can find these in stainless steel conveyors, plastics, and other materials.
The temperature that it will be operating at: Certain parts of the conveyor handling line may require high-temperature capabilities; a typical example is when shrink sleeves are being applied into a bottle that then needs to go through a heat tunnel. Since most plastics that are often used in conveyors can’t handle the heat, a solution is to use stainless steel tabletop belt; in addition to the belts or chains, the bottom guides where the belt slides need to be of a low friction material that can withstand the friction and temperature, a good solution would be bronze guides.
The product that it will be in contact with to determine if it’s compatible with the belt material: Unfortunately, in the bottling industries, spills are common, so whatever tabletop belt material you are using needs to be able to withstand the products that will be running in your bottling line. This is a big concern primarily in chemical industries that bottle corrosive products; if the suitable material is not chosen, the belt may last a few days instead of a few years.
When trying to figure out what filling machine to purchase for your company, look no further than our TruPiston filler. Available in a check valve or rotary valve design, the check valve is primarily used for water thin products as there is no area for the product to slip causing inaccurate fills. At the same time, where it thrives with thin products it’s not a preferred option to fill thick viscous products consistently and accurately. However, our rotary valve system can handle thin products with minimal accuracy issues on small fill volumes, while being able to rip through more viscous and chunky products with up to ¾” particulates for maximum efficiency.
If you are dedicating one product to an entire line, or running a wide range of products and fill volumes Acasi’s electric ball screw piston filler is as ridged of a system as there is designed to handle production 24/7. If you would like to run products that range from 1 oz. – 1 gallon, Acasi’s TruPiston can handle it without any design changes to the standard machine (purchase the additional piston barrels). Via quick disconnect fittings, changing over nozzles for a new product can be completed in a matter of minutes. Thin products that tend to string or drip at the end of the filling cycle can be handled using either our bottom close design, or an air knife which leaves a clean fill (preventing backups at a further point on the line) allowing for a smooth transition at each machine on the production line.
Unlike pneumatic piston fillers that require air to drive the machine, Acasi’s TruPiston is driven by an electrically driven ball screw which allows more flexibility with product dispensing control. The product dispensing speed can be controlled from the beginning of the fill, all the way to the end. If you have a small fill volume or a wide mouth jar a pneumatic piston filler can experience air surges or “spikes” that create messy fills or a total catastrophe which in turn leads to downtime of the production line. With Acasi’s electrically driven ball screw, (for example) and to eliminate bad fill downtime caused by the air surges, the product can be filled at 100% speed for the first 90% of the total fill volume and then ramped down to the maximum dispensing speed while still producing a clean fill which allows for smooth production and a higher throughput. These ramp speeds can be stored in the HMI for quick and easy setup in the future.
In addition to air surges causing bad or messy fills, they can also cause consistently inaccurate fills with constant changes in air pressure. No one likes to guess how much they are filling, so with Acasi’s Trupiston system, fill volumes can be accurately changed on the fly. You don’t need to stop the machine to adjust the dial on the back of the air cylinder, all you have to do is simply go to the HMI, select the fill volume and raise or lower it accordingly, and then immediately upon the next fill cycle, the volume is corrected.
As mentioned above, the Trupiston filler is more versatile and efficient than pneumatic or air over oil systems. The system is designed with 304 or 316 SS, Teflon, Buna, and Viton polymers as wetted parts. The electric ball screw technology allows you to change dispensing speeds at different points of the fill cycle to produce a clean fill and maximize throughput as well as be able to change the fill volume on the fly directly from the HMI. This reduces downtime, and increases throughput.
When a customer buys a machine, a production line or a project: bottle unscrambler machine, conveyors, overflow or piston inline filler machine, inline capper machine, chuck capper, rotary tables, bottle gap transfers, bottle labelers, etc, all settings are made in our facilities to ensure the proper functioning of all systems. Once installed the machines in the final customer facility, the behavior of the production line can vary and obtain undesirable results in some systems, as a resulted to do a little adjusments to resolve these issues. The reason for this: little variations in the new environment: light, temperature, voltage, current, stability. quality of containers and caps, etc.
Another variant of this same matter is when the customer decides to run new formats of bottles and / or caps, being necessary then, readjustments of settings. In addition, there may be cases of variations in the quality of the caps and containers, although they remain the same, they could affect the initial configurations of the line, even when the production line takes many hours with a stable behavior.
I intend in this article to give you a guide to solve these problems.
Some number of calls for technical service, are related to the mismatch of the sensitivity of the sensors, responsible for counting the inputs and outputs of bottles in the filling area. Next, a video of how to solve this problem, whenever necessary.
Of course, problems may occur and one of the most common issues concerning to the GI 3300 Automatic Overflow Bottle Filler, is because the conveyor is not working. This may stop working for several reasons:
When the function "Clean in place" is activated and the machine is turned off, this function is still active when turning the overflow inline filler machine on, preventing the conveyor and pump from working. Therefore, it is very important to check that function status.
In order to work, the machine needs to have a logic, that logic is given by a system of sensors (proximity sensors and bottles input and bottles output sensors). In order the conveyor to work, the proximity sensor must be activated, which indicates the filler nozzles are up. For this, make sure the sensor is on. If the sensor is not, it can be due to two reasons: a) the sensor is not having contact with the main bar of the overflow filler machine, the sensor has been moved because it has been unscrewed by the movement of the nozzles , or b) the sensor is badly connected electrically, this prevents the PLC from receiving the signal from the sensor, therefore the PLC can not send the signal to the conveyor motor to turn it on. This sensor is connected to one of the inputs of the PLC (the PLC is the brain of the machine) and the logic of the operation is as follows: while the PLC is receiving a signal from the sensor, it will activate 2 outputs connected to the conveyor's driver. As a consequence, if the sensor is not properly connected to the input of the PLC (see the electrical drawing to know the number of the PLC input) the PLC will not be able to action the conveyor.
Any sector seeks to increase business productivity, and packing machinery plays an important, but sometimes underappreciated, role in this endeavor. The effectiveness and efficiency of your packing procedures may have a big impact on your company's topline in the ever-changing world of commerce. This introduction explores the crucial relationship between packing machinery and overall productivity, revealing the ways in which smart investments in this area may significantly improve your company's financial performance.
Packaging machinery streamlines manufacturing, reduces mistakes, and expedites processes that improve business efficiency. Automation reduces waste, maximizes the use of resources, and conforms to environmentally acceptable standards. It contributes to a more productive workforce by freeing up trained personnel for more complicated tasks by requiring less physical effort. Smart technologies facilitate continual development by enabling real-time data analysis and monitoring. In order to increase overall efficiency and ensure ongoing growth in the cutthroat market of today, investing in modern packaging solutions becomes a sensible step. The numerous benefits include labor efficiency, speed, uniformity, resource management, and intelligent data-driven insights. For these reasons, packing machinery such as automated liquid piston fillers is an essential component in the quest for increased production and a competitive advantage.
In the ever-changing corporate world, effective packaging is a powerful tool for increasing profits. The dynamic nature stems from the precise and simplified procedures made possible by effective packing techniques. Quick and error-free operations accelerate the manufacturing cycle, which not only improves overall productivity but also has a direct effect on the bottom line.
Resource optimization also heavily depends on effective packing. Reducing waste and optimizing resource use not only help businesses save money but also conform to sustainable business practices, which appeal to customers who care about the environment.
Furthermore, the labor efficiency that results from optimized packing procedures frees up skilled individuals to concentrate on more complex jobs, therefore optimizing their commercial contributions. This reallocation of worker resources improves overall operational effectiveness and, as a result, generates more revenue.
One of the main forces behind the desire for organizational efficiency is the incorporation of packing machines. This efficient method is distinguished by the quick and accurate operations of sophisticated packing equipment, which minimizes bottlenecks and guarantees a smooth production flow.
The accelerated pace of daily tasks is one of the main advantages. The packing procedure and, consequently, the entire production cycle are expedited by the remarkably quick operation of packaging technology. In addition to increasing productivity, this helps satisfy market expectations on schedule.
Furthermore, packing machinery's automation reduces the need for manual involvement, which lowers the possibility of mistakes and guarantees a consistent output. This improves the final product's quality while also fostering a more dependable and effective process.
The effect of streamlining also extends to the use of resources. Automated methods maximize material use, reduce waste, and encourage a more environmentally friendly method of manufacturing.
In the modern corporate environment, cutting-edge packaging technology appears as a catalyst for optimizing earnings by unlocking previously unrealized possibilities. The secret is to strategically use innovative packaging solutions that go above and beyond standard procedures.
The revolution in efficiency is at the forefront. Cutting-edge packing technology reduces manufacturing time and increases overall output by operating with unmatched speed and accuracy. This faster pace results in higher productivity, which is a key element that drives profit margins.
Additionally, automation reduces mistakes and guarantees a high-quality, uniform final result. This leads to a more efficient and economical production process by reducing expensive rework and improving customer satisfaction.
The concept of cost-effectiveness also encompasses resource optimization. Intelligent packaging solutions reduce waste, optimize resource use, and support sustainable practices. This offers companies a chance to save expenses while attracting eco-aware customers.
In summary, enterprises and packing machines have a natural connection that is a dynamic force that promotes greater production and income. Investing strategically in packaging solutions proves to be a game-changer, whether through the simplified operations made possible by cutting-edge technology, the profitability boost that comes from efficient packing, or the overall impact on the topline. In addition to promoting operational excellence, the increased pace, reduced mistakes, and resource efficiency also meet changing market expectations. Accepting the many advantages of packing machines becomes more than simply a decision for companies navigating the competitive landscape; it becomes a strategic need for long-term success.
That being said, the combination of packaging technology innovation and operational efficiency in the dynamic market of today becomes the key to reaching new heights of profitability and success, helping your business stay ahead of the competition and achieve higher profits easier than ever before.
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