Automated torque testing of beverage and medicine bottle caps

Requirement

Crown Seal Public Company Limited, a leading manufacturer and distributor of various bottle cap solutions - including Crown Caps, Pilfer-Proof Caps, Maxi Caps, Plastic Caps, and Composite Caps - required a more efficient and accurate method for torque testing.

The company aimed to reduce user testing time and minimise human error in measuring the release torque of bottle closures, ensuring consistent quality for a range of beverages and medical supply packaging.

Solution

Previously, Crown Seal relied on manually operated torque testing instruments from Mecmesin. However, as testing demands increased, this method became inefficient, requiring significant time and introducing the risk of operator variability.

To address these challenges, Mecmesin provided the ABC-t tester, a fully automated torque testing machine, driven by custom software. The programmable routines are able to measure the characteristics of each closure solution - recording slip, bridge and any significant tamper-evident torque events that occur during a complete test cycle.

This advanced system enables the successive testing of up to 12 bottles in a batch, without human intervention, and supports up to 15 different bottle or container shapes. With just a press of the start button, the entire test sequence is performed automatically, freeing operators to focus on other critical tasks while waiting for results.

Benefits

A number of benefits have been achieved with the implementation of this automated system for both the measurable final product quality and the human workforce involved in the production process.

• Increased efficiency: automating the testing process significantly reduces the time spent on torque measurements. 
• Elimination of human error: standardised automated testing ensures accurate and repeatable results. 
• Enhanced throughput: the ability to test multiple bottles at once streamlines operations and improves productivity. 
• Versatility: accommodates a wide range of bottle and cap designs, making it a flexible solution for diverse packaging needs. 

Test equipment

• ABC-t automated bottle closure tester 
• Proprietary software to fully automate the handling of batch testing

Test standards

The company based its quality assurance targets on ASTM D7860 – Standard Test Method for Determining Torque Retention for Plastic Closures.

By incorporating the ABC-t tester into the capping production operations, Crown Seal has successfully optimised its torque testing process in terms of efficiency and repeatability, ensuring reliable product quality control while saving valuable time and resources.