Problem & answerK-17
Caps Not Fully Seated After Capping
Also covers: Spring-loaded hold-down plate not set for the bottle
Likely causes
- Hold-down plate set too high for the bottle: it does not press the cap down
- Plate set too low or springs too tight: bottles jam or caps are crushed
- Plate not moving freely up and down (springs dirty, bent or binding)
- Bottle height changed without resetting the plate
How to fix it
- 1Stop the capper and segregate bottles with high or crooked caps.
- 2Check the hold-down plate above the blue belts moves freely up and down on its springs.
- 3Set the plate height for the bottle: it should rest lightly on the cap and lift slightly as each capped bottle passes.
- 4Set spring tension so the plate presses the cap fully down without crushing it or stopping the bottle.
- 5Clean and free any binding springs or guides.
- 6Run test bottles: caps sit fully down and straight; torque-test 5 bottles.
Technical note
The hold-down plate floats up and down on springs as each bottle passes, pressing the cap fully onto the bottle while the wheels tighten it. Set correctly, it gives a 100% seated cap.It is fixed when
All caps fully seated and straight; torque in specification.
Stop it coming back
- Reset the hold-down plate at every bottle-size change.
Did this solve the problem?