What Bottle and Cap Samples Are Needed for a Capping Test?
Send the bottles and closures you plan to run, grouped into labeled sets. The trial needs to show whether the machine can hold the bottle steady, position the cap and apply the closure repeatedly. A cap diameter alone cannot show whether a bottle will slip in the guides or whether a cap will feed in the right orientation.
Prepare a matching set for each package
- Bottles: Include production samples for each bottle and cap combination you want to run. Note the material, overall height, body width and shape. Include a drawing or the neck finish designation if you have it.
- Closures: Include the exact screw caps, pump heads or other closures. Keep liners, tamper bands and dip tubes fitted as supplied for production. Note the closure material and any surfaces that must stay free of marks.
- Handling conditions: Tell the supplier whether bottles arrive empty or filled, how caps will be placed, and the required finished bottles per minute. If fill weight affects handling, agree on a suitable test fill with the supplier.
- Sample quantities: Ask how many sets the supplier needs for setup, consecutive cycles and changeovers. For an automatic cap feeder, include enough loose closures to test orientation and delivery as well as tightening.
Test cap placement and tightening separately
First check that the guides and bottle holder keep the package upright without visibly distorting it. Then watch how each closure lands on the neck. For screw caps, check for caps sitting crooked or starting on the wrong thread. When a feeder is included, watch caps move from the bowl or hopper through the chute to the bottle, including the first cycles after a stop.
The LT-CM120 tabletop screw capper is a configuration to discuss for threaded closures. If you also need automatic cap sorting and delivery, the LT-DFC4-CF filling and capping unit shows an example of an integrated system with a bowl feeder and screw capping station. Verify both feeding and cap application with your own samples before choosing a setup.
Agree on what counts as a pass
Ask for a run with consecutive samples at the agreed production speed, followed by a restart. Inspect the cap height, marks on the cap or bottle, and any damage to the liner or tamper band. For screw caps, share the closure supplier's torque requirements and agree on when and how to measure removal torque if it is part of your acceptance criteria. Include a leak test if your package requires one.
If you run several bottle sizes, ask the supplier to demonstrate a changeover and record which guides or tooling need adjustment or replacement. A test record is easiest to compare when it lists the bottle and cap combination, run speed, number tested and any rejects.
Arrange a capping trial
Send your bottle and cap drawings or photos, closure type, target output and acceptance criteria. Include whether you want automatic cap feeding and which sizes need a changeover. Ask LianTeng to recommend a capping setup and confirm sample quantities.
