Cap Delivery Systems for Automatic Capping Machines

Automatic capping machines cannot perform efficiently without a consistent supply of caps or closures to apply to passing bottles. Cap delivery systems are designed to, as the name implies, ensure that the caps delivered reliably and consistently to allow the automatic cappers to perform efficiently. Depending on the type of clsure being used, there are a few ways to achieve the delivery.

ELEVATORS

The delivery system manufactured more than any other at Liquid Packaging Solutions is the cap elevator. This delivery system allows operators to load a large supply of caps or other closures in to a ground level hopper. From here, caps will be carried up a flighted belt to a chute. If positioned properly, the caps will be blown in to the chute where they will await the arrival of a bottle to strip off one cap at a time, just previous to entering the capping area. Caps not positioned properly will eventually fall back in to the hopper and start the journey up the belt again.

VIBRATORY BOWLS

Vibratory bowls offer an alternative method for delivering closures to a chute. Rather than climbing a cleated belt, the bowls will rapidly vibrate to move caps around the outer edge of the interior, to the outside of the bowl and finally to the chute itself. Similar to the cap elevator, caps that are not correctly aligned will fall back in to the bowl to start the process over, while caps that make it to the chute will line up in wait for the bottles or other containers to mvoe through the capping machine.

PLACERS, INSERTERS AND COMBINERS

In addition to simple caps like you might find on water bottles and other beverages, some containers or products will use components with the cap, such as a push to pump or trigger-sprayer, which must be inserted before the cap can be tightened. If the pumps, stems, sprayers or other components are a part of the cap itself, the elevator and vibratory bowl become somewhat useless. In addition, packages such as pouches are becoming more popular and products that have historically been packaged in bottles are now turning to pouches. Pouches may be manufactured with a fitment in place, meaning they can be capped in a somewhat similar manner to a bottle. Others, however, will need both the fitment and the cap attached and sealed to the pouch.

In these cases, cap delivery systems will usually be custom designed machines that may include a pick and place system, a combiner that connects a fitment and a cap, or any other solution that will allow delivery to the container to continue in an efficient manner. As packages and seals change, so will the machinery that we use to prepare products with those packages and seals.

If you have a unique capping project and would like to discuss the same with a Packaging Specialist, contact Liquid Packaging Solutions, Inc., today Toll Free at 1-888-393-3693.