Find the Capping Machine to Match Your Closures at LPS
Bottle cappers allow packagers to efficiently seal and protect products as they prepare them for the shelf. The method of sealing will differ based on the type of closure being used for a particular bottle or other container. At Liquid Packaging Solutions, our capping machines are built to handle specific cap types, ensuring consistent and reliable protection for almost any liquid product.
Screw-on Caps
One of the most popular cap types in the screw-on, or continuous thread, closure. These caps can be seen on a wide range of products, including bottled water and other popular beverages. But in addition to the simple flat caps seen on many drinks, screw-on type closures are used on products like shampoos and soaps, and may be seen in many unique designs, including pumps, trigger-sprayers, flip-tops, sports caps and more. Two different capping machines are available for screw-on closures, the spindle capping machine and the chuck capper. Spindle cappers use spinning disks to thread caps onto bottles as they move down a conveyor line, while chuck cappers use a capping head to descend over the cap and bottle and apply torque.
ROPP Caps
An ROPP, or Roll-On Pilfer-Proof, capping machine is used to seal aluminum caps over a range of bottle types. These closures do not have threads like the screw-on caps above, but instead are aluminum blanks that will be formed to the threads on the bottle. The ROPP head applies pressure once the aluminum cap is on the bottle, allowing the cap to fit the contours of the threads existing on the bottle. These caps, used on beverages such as wine and distilled spirits, have been gaining in popularity thanks to the tamper evidence provided by this type of seal, expanding to other beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and chemicals along with other liquid products.
Corks and Cork-like Closures
The boom of craft distilleries in recent years added to the growing popularity of corks and corking machines in the packaging industry, which were most often used for sealing wine bottles. The cork is unique in that it allows small amounts of oxygen through to boost the aging process of these products. Corking machines typically stop a bottle under the corking head, allowing the equipment to press the cork into place. Bottle corkers are often combined with capsules or neck banders to also offer tamper proof seals to customers.
Snap-On Caps
Snap-on, or press-on, caps can be found across industries, including pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical, and more. These types of closures may be used as an over cap on the main closure, or they may be used as the main closure itself. Snap capping machines can use a tamp head to press down and secure the closure or a decline belt may also be used to apply increasing pressure and secure the cap.
Capping equipment from LPS can be manufactured to work semi-automatically, using an operator for each cap and bottle, or automatically by using a cap delivery system and other components for increased speed and efficiency. To learn more about the different capping machines available and the levels of automation, browse the Capping Machinery section of the website.