The Different Methods of Capping Bottles

When packaging liquid products, one of the most important steps in the preparation is bottle capping. Caps and other seals protect both the products and the consumers by offering tamper evidence, extending shelf life, and protecting against leaking or waste. While different methods of capping bottles exist, the method used by any given packager will depend on the type of closure that they use on their products, with capping machines built for specific closures.

1. Spindle Capping Machines

Threaded caps are used to seal various products, from bottled water and other beverages to liquids in just about every single industry. Spindle cappers consistently and repeatedly tighten threaded caps using sets of spinning disks on rods, or spindles. As bottles move down a conveyor, they pass through multiple sets of the spindles and disks, with each set spinning the closures and securing it to the bottle.

2. Chuck Capping Machines

Chuck capping machines offer an alternative to the spindle capper, also securing threaded caps to bottles. However, this bottle capper uses a chuck head to descend over the cap while it sits on the bottle to apply torque. Chuck cappers offer more semi-automatic options for tightening threaded caps, but due to the chuck head descending over the cap, they are limited when using trigger sprayers, pumps, or other unique threaded closures.

3. ROPP Capping Machines

Roll-On Pilfer Proof, or ROPP cappers, provide a solution for applying aluminum caps to a variety of bottles. These aluminum blanks are placed over the bottle and then use a special capping head that descends over the closure and bottle to create threads. The creation of threads on the aluminum caps and the bottle, often found on wines and distilled spirits, provide tamper evidence, making it obvious if the bottle is opened.

4. Bottle Corking Machines

Also popular with wines and distilled spirits, among other liquids, are cork closures which simply push into a bottle. Bottle corking machines place and secure corks, T-corks and similar closures to seal a range of bottles. A chute is used to position the cork over the bottle opening, with a plunger or tamp employed to push it into place. Simple yet effective, bottle corkers may be combined with neck banders, capsule spinners or other machines to create tamper evident and dependable seals as well.

5. Snap Capping Machines

For closures that snap onto a bottle or other container, the snap capping machine provides the pressure to ensure consistent and reliable seals. Closures may be pressed down with a tamp head as they pass under the head on a conveyor, or they may be pressed into place by a declining snap belt as they travel down the packaging line. Either way, the machines provide downward pressure to seal containers on pharmaceuticals, sauces, beverages and a range of other products.

While different methods exist for capping and sealing products, at Liquid Packaging Solutions we manufacture machinery provide efficient and reliable solutions regardless of the method needed. With semi-automatic and automatic options, our bottle cappers can help streamline the capping process for just about any production level. For more details on any of the machine options, just browse the capping and sealing section of our website.