Capper — Machine Operation & Checks

Cap hopper and elevator

Caps are loaded into the cap hopper. A cleated elevator belt runs continuously and lifts the caps by gravity only (no suction). Steel selector plates let only correctly oriented caps continue to the cap chute; caps that are not seated correctly fall back into the hopper.

1. 1Check the caps against the BPR: type, size and colour, with the foil liner fitted.
2. 2Set the steel selector plates to the cap height for this bottle (cap height differs between, for example, 120 cc and 150 cc bottle caps): loosen the screws, set the gap, tighten the screws (K-08).
3. 3Set the clear plastic guard at the elevator outlet and cap chute just above the cap height using its black knobs: not too tight (caps block), not too loose (caps drop out) (K-09).
4. 4Load caps loosely into the hopper; do not overfill. Remove any deformed caps.
5. 5Start the elevator and watch caps lift on the cleats and pass the selector plates into the chute.
6. 6If the elevator stops or caps do not lift, check the bottom of the hopper first for blocking caps (K-07).
7. 7Keep the hopper supplied during the run; record cap lots used.

Cap chute and cap sensor

Caps slide down the curved chute to the capping head by gravity. The blue cap sensor checks that caps are present: if the chute runs empty, it stops the capper so no bottle leaves without a cap (K-10). A cover plate, fixed by two large screws, keeps the caps in the chute (K-11).

1. 1Set the cover plate just above the cap height: loosen the two large screws, adjust, tighten. Too tight and caps will not slide down.
2. 2Clean the cap sensor and aim its red spot at the caps.
3. 3Check the LED changes between caps present and chute empty; adjust sensitivity if needed.
4. 4Let the chute run empty: the capper must stop and no uncapped bottle must leave.
5. 5If the test fails, stop the machine and adjust the sensor before production.

Capping head: cap placement, release, pusher and bottle-holding belts

How it works: an infeed wheel in front of the capper meters bottles into the machine, and stops them if the cap sensor finds no caps (K-18). Caps arrive at the bottom of the chute and are held by a spring-loaded release. Each bottle, held straight by the blue belts, takes one cap as it passes under the placement plates. The cap pusher presses the cap down onto the bottle neck, and the capping wheels then tighten it to torque.

1. 1Set the infeed wheel height and speed so bottles enter the capper at a steady rate, and confirm it stops when the cap chute runs empty (K-18).
2. 2Set the capping head height for the bottle with the two large adjusters (Figure 6.7b).
3. 3Set the blue bottle-holding belts: bottle held firmly and upright, not squeezed; both belts at the same speed, matched to the conveyor (K-12).
4. 4Adjust the cap placement plates with the Allen key, up/down and left/right, so caps line up with the bottle path and sit just above the neck. The plates must not touch or squeeze the caps (K-13).
5. 5Set the cap release at the bottom of the chute: spring not too tight, with a small space between the cap and the parts so each cap drops when a bottle takes it (K-14).
6. 6

Capping wheels and capper controls

The main capper has a touchscreen (PLC/HMI) for speeds and settings, an emergency stop, a speed control and a bottle and lid reference guide on the front panel. Screw caps are tightened by four capping wheels on each side of the bottle. The wheels spin continuously and turn the cap onto the thread while the blue belts hold the bottle still. Each wheel position is set with a dial adjuster marked LOOSE and TIGHT: turn towards TIGHT to close the wheel onto the cap, towards LOOSE to open it. The first and last dial adjusters set the blue belt grip. Above the belts, a spring-loaded hold-down plate floats up and down on each cap, pressing it fully onto the bottle while the wheels tighten it.

1. 1Check the bottle and lid reference guide for the settings for this bottle and cap.
2. 2Set the first and last dial adjusters so the blue belts hold the bottle firmly and it cannot turn.
3. 3Set all four capping wheels on each side to the recorded dial readings, left and right matching (dial towards TIGHT closes, towards LOOSE opens).
4. 4Set the hold-down plate height and spring so it rests lightly on the cap and moves up and down freely as bottles pass (K-17).
5. 5Run a few bottles and check the caps are straight, tight and unmarked.
6. 6Torque-test 5 bottles (Section 6.12). Too loose: close the wheels slightly. Too tight: open them slightly. Adjust all wheels evenly (K-16).
7. 7Record the final dial readings and cap speed.