Freshness is a key consideration for food and beverage products. This is why seaming – sealing the cans correctly – is an important concern. A can seamer is a machine that greatly enhances efficiency in sealing as it tightly clamps onto the can and helps seal it as the product is added. This article will reflect on the role of can seamers in the packaging, how they function, all their types, and how they impact businesses’ profitability.
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What is a Can Seamer?
A can seamer is a piece of machinery that folds and seals the lid of the can after the product has filled it. Canning is an important part of preserving food and beverages filled in containers. With canning, the food content stays fresh for long periods of time and is safe for use. This machine functions by adding pressure on the lid with the product while the rim of the can attached is placed at the edges. The edges are tightly joined around the lid and form an airtight case.
This sealing method not only keeps the product from oxidizing and spoiling but also prevents contamination and safeguard the product as is. Seamers are used in a variety of industries for food packaging like for fruits and vegetables and sauces, beverages, and also for non-food items.
Types of Can Seamers
Industrial can seamers have different make and models according to the design and shape of the cans and the kind of products packed in them. The speed of the production line, dimension of the can, along with the type of product being processed are critical to selecting a can seamer. Cans seamers can be classified as manual seamers as automatic seamers.
Manual Can Seamers
Manual seamers are the simplest form of canning equipment in which any level of complexity may be defined. These devices are precisely what the name implies, they require an operator to put the cans one at a time in the machine for it to seal them. Such machines make sense for limited production or where extremely low productivity is needed. While they lack the speed of automatic seamers, they are easy to use and cost efficient.
Usually used for smaller runs, for bespoke recipes, or for craft producers focusing on artisanal creations, manual seamers are ideal.
They’re a great cost-effective option for businesses that do not operate on high speeds.
Semi-Automatic Can Seamers
Semi-automatic can seamers have a blend of both manual and automatic procedures and are therefore more flexible and faster. An operator still puts the cans onto the machine, but the actual seaming of the can is done by the machine. This type of seamer is well matched for medium sized production lines or businesses that have a moderate output requirement.
Unlike manual machines, semi-automatic machines can achieve a higher production rate, and they are more economical. They are more productive than manual machines but do not require as high of an initial investment as fully automated machines.
Fully Automatic Can Seamers
Fully automatic can seamers are made for rapid production and high volume. Once the cans are loaded into the machine, the machine handles the entire process of sealing the can, including can feeding, sealing, and discharging. Fully automatic can seamers are perfect for large scale manufacturing operations, as they can seal hundreds or thousands of cans in an hour’s time.
Some of these machines provide added functions, such as automated handling of cans, sophisticated quality monitoring capabilities, and even conveyor belts integrated into the production line. While the fully automatic machines tend to have larger capital expenditures, they are the most efficient and aid in lowering both direct labor and operational mistakes greatly.
Rotary Can Seamers
These types of machines are the most suitable for high-speed production lines. They are feeders that rotate on a vertical axis and continuously supply the cans to the seamer, ensuring they are seamed correctly at all times. Seamers of this type are common in industries that need high throughput and velocity such as beverage packaging, big scale food canning, etc.
With rotary seamers, there are usually multiple heads – sometimes even 8+ heads – which work in parallel on multiple cans at the same time. This guarantees a constant and uninterrupted production flow. While they are more complex than the other types, they are deemed best for large scale manufacturers looking to increase their production capacity.
Differences In Head Types of Can Seamers
Certain can seamers include a single head that seals a single can either at a time, while others use a double head that can seal two cans simultaneously. Double headed machines are ideal for high output businesses as they offer greater throughput. For most businesses, selecting between a single and double head seamer depends on their speed and volume of production needs.
Functionality of Can Seamers
A can seamer operates by performing an action of two major steps. First the lid is placed on top of the can, and next the edges of the can’s lid and the rim are tightly pressed together using high pressure for a secure seal. Both forces, mechanical and rotational motion, are applied to the machine to achieve this.
The Process
- Feeding the Can: Into the seamer from the production line, empty cans are fed sequentially, stacked, and readied so they can be positioned properly for sealing.
- Placing the Lid: The can that is filled with food has a lid placed on top. The rim of the can is protected from damage by the mechanism of the seamer that guarantees that the lid is placed on top correctly.
- Seaming the Can: In this stage, the lid is pressed, and, using a rotating head or several heads, the sealing rim is pressed down. The pressure placed on the rim causes the edges of the lid to fold over the rim of the can, forming a seal. This is usually done in several steps to make sure that the seal is air-tight.
- Discharge: After the can is sealed, it is discharged onto a conveyor system for further processing or for packaging.
Seamer design ensures the maximum speed and reliability in the application of the can seam, and this makes it a vital implement in any canning production line.
Advantages of Using a Can Seamer
Can seaming machines foster increased speed, reduced errors, and less waste. Below are some advantages based on these features and more advanced capabilities.
1. Improved Sealing Quality and Consistency
Can seamers assure that each can is sealed with the required sealing force which improves quality of the seal and eliminates cases of leakage, cross-contamination, and spoilage. Constant sealing allows the manufacturers to maintain product quality which is essential for satisfying customer needs.
2. Improved Speed of Manufacturing
Both automatic and semi-automatic can seamers function at high speeds, increasing production efficiency considerably. Automated sealing helps businesses process large quantities of cans in an hour, shortening production lead times and increasing business throughput.
3. Lowered Labor Rate Expenses
Certain activities in the canning processes do not require many human hands thanks to automation. Instead of dozens of workers doing the sealing work, one person can now operate a fully or partially automatic seamer, leading to marvelous labor cost savings.
4. Hygiene and Safety Milestones
By sealing the seams using a can seamer, the sealed-off cans are done so in a controlled environment, which is less prone to contaminating the cans during the sealing process. In addition, automated machines are more hygienic for the operators because of less manual handling of hot or dangerous cans.
5. Compatibility Different Sized Cans and Products
Modern can seamers can handle a wide range of can sizes and types, from small to large industrial containers, with very little ingenuity. Many machines can be varied to these different can measurements and types of products and are multi-purpose in many industries and applications.
Uses of Can Seamers
Can seamers are devices used for sealing cans in various industries. Some of its common usages are:
- Food and Beverage Industry: Can seamers are widely used for sealing food products like vegetables, fruits, soups, canned beer, and soft drinks.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: Can seamers are used to accurately and reliably seal cans containing medicines, ointments, or other topical preparations.
- Chemical Industry: Can seamers are used to provide security and prevent contamination for many chemicals, cleaning agents, and oils packaged in cans.
- Cosmetic Industry: From creams and lotions to deodorants, can seamers are used to package an array of cosmetic products in cans.
Selecting the Right Can Seamer
When looking for the right can seamer for your business, it is best to take into account the following decisions:
- Production Capacity: Determine what the speed and volume needs of your production line is. For high volume businesses, fully automatic rotary can seamers are the best option.
- Product Type: Ensure that the machine is able to accommodate the materials and can size requirements because different products require different kinds of seals.
- Budgeting: While automatic machines generally come with a higher price tag, their effectiveness can justify the expense. Consider your budget carefully and decide what level of automation meets your business requirements.
Conclusion
For businesses in the canning sector, a can seamer is an important machine. It is heavily responsible for sealing cans so that the product contained within it remains wholesome and safe for consumption. Whether you are a low-scale producer or part of a large volumetric operation, choosing the correct can seamer will greatly affect your efficiency and quality of production.
Levapack offers specially designed can sealing machines for advanced canning applications in the food and beverage industry, and more. https://www.levapack.com/fr/machines-a-sceller-les-boites-de-conserve/ for options that best fit your existing production line.
Achieving a thorough understanding of the importance of can seamers and choosing an appropriate model allows you to greatly improve your packaging process and reliability of product lines over time.
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