Screw-cap torque test on PET bottles

Case study
Mineral water PET bottle closure production line check
Mineral water PET bottle closure production line check
Application torque is checked by removal torque measurement with short dwell times
Application torque is checked by removal torque measurement with short dwell times

Solution

  • Manually-operated tamper-evident digital torque tester
  • Multiple intstuments at the bottling line

Benefits

  • Simple and quick test with operator control
  • Clear and immediate peak torque indication
  • Indication of initial TE bridge torque
"Mecmesin, through their Portuguese supplier Egitron, presented us with a good solution: reliable equipment and user-friendliness that was adequate for our needs. All our operators are capable of using this equipment because it is very simple to operate. I enjoy dealing with Egitron because they offer excellent technical support."

Miguel Carvalho, Quality Assurance Manager
Água de Luso

Requirement

For over a century, Agua de Luso has been one of Portugal's most famous names in mineral water.

Agua de Luso's mineral water is packaged in a variety of sizes of plastic (PET) bottles and it is essential that the caps on their bottles are easy to open, while at the same time applied tightly enough to ensure the bottles do not leak.

To guarantee the quality of their packaging Agua de Luso wanted to test the slip torque and bridge torque on their tamper-evident bottle caps.

They acquired five Mecmesin Tornado digital torque testers to precisely quantify the torque applied to the bottle caps. The easy-to-use 10 N.m capacity Tornados have proven to a be a good choice for Agua de Luso.

Solution

To ensure quality and consistency, Agua de Luso tests its bottles for compliance with company standards. At routine intervals, operators at the bottling plant in Luso place filled bottles onto the Tornado digital torque tester and the cap is tested for ease of opening and tightness of seal.

Before Agua de Luso purchased the Tornados, torque testing of bottle caps was performed using a less accurate analogue gauge-based manual testing device.

The Tornado's digital torque capture technology combined with clear intuitive controls, easy-to-read pass/fail parameters, and an onboard memory to keep statistical results offers far greater accuracy and ease of use.

Agua do Luso commends the Mecmesin Tornado digital torque tester for its accuracy, portability, and simplicity of use, and praises the technical support and efficient calibration service provided by Mecmesin's distributor in Portugal, Egitron.

For Agua de Luso the rewards of the Tornado closure torque testers are obvious: ensuring customer satisfaction with cap openability while retaining the integrity of their packaging and avoiding quality related problems.

Test equipment

Company Info
  • Company: Agua de Luso
  • Industry: Food & Drink
  • Agua de Luso, based in Portugal, is an award-winning specialised producer of mineral water and the undisputed leader in its national market for bottled water in the non-natural gas segment.
Company website

https://www.sociedadeagualuso.pt

Mecmesin | VTG Tornado touchscreen torque testing unit, with test bottle, closure/opening torque
VTG Tornado digital gauge screen shows the torque characteristics graphically
VTG Tornado digital gauge screen shows the torque characteristics graphically
Adjustable container fixture holds a wide range of product shapes and sizes
Adjustable container fixture holds a wide range of product shapes and sizes
Adjustable fixture grips small bottles securely for a complete screw cap torque quality checking solution
Adjustable fixture grips small bottles securely for a complete screw cap torque quality checking solution
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Mecmesin/PPT Group, UK