The Basics on Can Seamer Machines: How They Work, Their Applications, and More

The can seamer has helped revolutionise the food and beverage industry in many ways, and any food or beverage producer will be ready to swear by its benefits. The can seaming process has made production lines a lot faster, and you can now package a high volume of products in the quickest possible time. But if you are looking to improve your production line and are thinking of investing in a can seamer machine, it would be in your best interest to know as much as you can about how can seaming machines work and how you can make full use of them in various applications. The following are the basics on can seamer machines: what you should know.
 
How the seaming machine works

A standard can seaming machine will offer double seaming. The process of double seaming is quite simple, but it involves three stages. The machine creates seams which ensure a product's leak-resistance, and the machine attaches the lid (or end) of the container to the body of the container or can in three stages. The first stage is compression, the second stage is the first roller operation, and the third stage is the second roller operation. 

Compression

Compression will give the required force to hold the body of the can against the ‘chuck’ which grips the lid and ensures that it stays in place. The turntable of the seamer then pushes the body of the can upwards to the chuck. When the lid is on top of the body of the can, the process of double seaming is initiated, and this will interlock the can's lid and the body of the can's flanges to create a hook. The process of interlocking makes use of two seam rollers.

First operation

During the first roller operation phase, the hook will have an impact on the subsequent double seam’s integrity. This is where the first or primary roller of the can seamer machine pushes flange of the lid, which causes it to turn around the flange of the body of the can. The flange of the body will then follow while the first or primary roller gets closer to the chuck. In the process, the flange of the lid will be interlocked with the flange of the body of the can, but the seam will still be loose at this stage.

Second operation

In this process, a second roller will iron out and flatten the loose seam produced by the first operation. With this, it creates a seal which is leak-proof due to the compression of the lid’s and body’s flanges. The machine will then squeeze the sealing material or compound in the open space left by the double seaming. This action completes the hermetic sealing of the entire can.

A can seaming machine’s uses and applications

Can seaming machines are used for various applications in the beverage industry, with canned beer or soda, canned juice, tea, and coffee, canned wine, and other carbonated drinks or beverages. In the food industry, can seamers are used for the canning of tuna, sauces, jams, food powders, honey, dried food such as crisps, potato chips, seasoning, nuts, rice, cereals, and pasta, and for canned soup, fruits, seafood, meat, and vegetables.
Can seamers are also useful for raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry as well as medical supplies, pills and powders, and veterinary products and supplies. For the chemical industry, can seamers are useful for automotive fluids, lacquers and ink, cleaning liquids, paint, agricultural chemicals, glue, and cooking oil.
 
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