Chuck Capper vs. ROPP Capper: Best for Your Bottling Line?

Choosing the right closure and capping machine for any bottling operation is a critical decision that will affect the end product. Improper capping can lead to leaks, contamination, and ultimately customer complaints. Understanding the benefits of the different closures and the machines that do the sealing can help a packager to make an informed choice on which is best for their own products. Two of the most common solutions for capping are the Chuck Capping Machine for pre-threaded closures and the ROPP capper for aluminum caps. Each capping machine offers unique benefits to help protect product and improve overall packaging efficiency.

What Is a Chuck Capper?

A chuck capping machine, sometimes referred to as a screw capper, tightens pre-threaded plastic or metal caps onto bottles by descending a chuck head and applying torque to spin the closures onto the bottles. The spinning tightens the caps by relying on existing threads on both the cap and the bottle. Screw-on type closures are arguably one of the most popular closures types and can be seen on a wide range of products, including foods, soft drinks and other beverages, cleaners, personal care products, and more.

What Is a ROPP Capper?

ROPP cappers, short for Roll-On Pilfer-Proof Cappers, are designed to apply aluminum closures by forming threads during the capping process. This process also typically forms a tamper evident band directly onto the bottle as well. In other words, instead of tightening a closure with pre-existing threads, the ROPP capper creates the threads and the tamper evident band during the capping process, using special capping heads designed specifically for the bottles and closures being used in any given project. ROPP capping machines are popular in the wine and distilled spirits industries and have become more popular recently in other industries including pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

Key Differences Between the ROPP Capper and Chuck Capper

Different capping machines are built for different closures. The most obvious and significant difference between the chuck capper and the ROPP capper is the type of closure applied by both machines. As touched on above, the chuck capping machine tightens screw-on type pre-threaded closures while the ROPP capping machine creates threads and tamper evident seals on both blank aluminum caps and the bottle being used during production.

While the ROPP capper creates the tamper evident seal during the capping process, the chuck capper only tightens using the pre-existing threads found on the cap and bottle. So, while the chuck capper can also create tamper evidence, such evidence would have to be included during the manufacture of the cap or provided through other means like an induction sealer or shrink band.

Additionally, while both machines can be built to work both semi-automatically and automatically, offering solutions for both large and small businesses, the chuck capping machines offer slightly more flexibility in the styles and sizes of caps that can be run. ROPP cappers are highly efficient machines but are built for a specific closure and bottle while chuck cappers can tighten slightly different cap sizes to a variety of bottle sizes and shapes as well.

Which Capper is Right for My Project?

Choosing the right capper for any project depends on the goals you wish to achieve. A chuck capping machine allows for quick changeover between different pre-threaded plastic or metal cap types and may have a lower upfront cost while allowing for more versatility. ROPP capping machines integrate tamper evidence with aluminum closures for a specific bottle, creating a premium, professional appearance, but may require different heads for different bottles. Analyzing your own needs and desires when it comes to your product and packaging will help you choose the correct capping machine to meet your goals.

Custom Capping Machines from Liquid Packaging Solutions

At Liquid Packaging Solutions, our chuck and ROPP cappers are manufactured specifically for the project at hand based on the closures, bottles, and products. By working closely with the customer during the design process, LPS ensures that every capping machine that comes out of our Indiana plant integrates seamlessly into the packaging line to deliver consistent, efficient, and most of all, reliable results. For expert assistance in selecting the best capping solution for your products and process, contact a Capping Specialist at LPS today.