Capping machines are devices are used to secure caps onto bottles and drums. There are three main types of capping machines: manual cappers, semi-automatic cappers, and automatic capping machines. To determine the best type of capper it is important to consider the style of the cap being applied and the rate at which capping must occur.
Manual capping machines are overhead cappers that are usually handheld and portable. For cap application, an operator must place the cap on the container. The operator then applies the capping machine to the cap and it is tightened. Manual capping machines are available that function via electric, pneumatic, or inertial power.
Semi-automatic capping machines place less emphasis on the operator. Semi-automatic cappers only require the operator to place the cap on the bottle. These capping machines then either screw on the cap or create a seal by rotating the bottle around a solid rail.
If there is a desire for the operator to have minimal involvement in the capping process, then automatic capping machines are available. Automatic cappers apply the cap to the bottle and screw or seal it. An operator may want to oversee this operation, but it is not necessary to actively interact with automatic capping machines.
Once a capping machine has been selected, it is important to choose the correct cap or closure for the bottle and its contents. Caps and closures are used to hold the contents within the container. These closures come in a variety of designs, usually with an internal thread which must correlate with the container neck. While there are many individual styles, caps and closures can be subdivided into generalized categories which are related to capping machines.
Corks and plugs are two types of closures for capping machines. Corks and plugs are simple closures that can be pushed on to the container. Child-resistant caps are designed with safety in mind, especially to make it difficult for a child to open. These caps must be opened by following a series of steps (lining up the arrows, push down and twist, etc.). Only by following these steps will the cap be released from the container. Capping machines for pharmaceutical containers may use this type of closure.
Some capping machines use crimp flutes, lugs, press-on caps, tear-off seals, or tamper-proof caps as closures. Crimp flutes, or crimp caps, are pressed into the flaring skirt of a shallow metal disk. This disk holds an inner disk of flexible lining material, which serves as the actual seal. Lugs are closures that have raised internal impressions that inter-mesh with the threads on the container. Press-on caps, also known as snap closures, are help in place by beads or undercuts instead of threads. By contrast, screw caps, however, are held in place by a threaded connection for processing by capping machines.
Capping machines can use tear off seals and tamper-proof caps as closures. Tear off seals are simply a closure that is removed by tearing it away from the product. Tamper-proof caps are designed to show whether the container has been opened. These caps are used in markets like food production and pharmaceuticals so that the user can be sure of the product’s purity and safety. Often, secondary wrapping are used so that consumers will be able to tell if a product has been tampered with.
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