Current developments in can seaming equipment are focusing on longer-life tooling and reduced maintenance and set-up times.

The principles set out in the well-used saying "a work man is only as good as his tools" are equally relevant in the field of can double seaming - one of the most critical processes in the production of canned foods and beverages.

Seamer tooling is an all-important facet of the seaming process and recent years have seen some major improvements in the wear capabilities of parts such as chucks and first-and-second operation seaming rolls and the bearings inside them. Combined with continued reductions in set-up times for fitting tooling, this has led to better seam quality and reduced long-term maintenance...

Peter Chronis, vice-president of sales at US-based Tool Makers International (TMI) says: "Long-wearing powder steels have improved the durability of tooling and the use of surface coatings made from materials such as titanium nitride, carbide and nickel helps to neutralize the corrosive reaction caused by highly acidic foods -- such as tomato-based foods, sauerkraut, and chili pepper products -- which may reduce the life of seamer tooling."

Cola beverages are also acidic, and have an adverse effect on standard metal parts. Another product, pineapple, is not only acidic, but has a high sugar content which crystallizes and causes problems with the bearings in a seaming roll, says Mr. Chronis. Powdered steels -- an expensive hybrid material consisting of high-chromium-vanadium-molybdenum-alloyed steel -- have high wear resistance, high compression strength, corrosion resistance and dimensional stability. . 

Recently there have been reductions to set-up times for some types of seamer tooling. Traditionally each replacement seaming roll has to be shimmed, which involves packing the part with shim of metal in order to achieve the required relative positioning of the tooling.

TMI's patented Adjustable Pin for use with seaming rolls is said to dramatically reduce set-up time. The pin fits inside a standard seaming roll and its major components include a locking pin, a roll pin and locking-screws which hold the bearing assembly in place. TMI says the pin enables fine-tuned modifications to be made in a fraction of the time normally taken. Once the seaming roll wears out, the Adjustable Pin may be used with a new roll.

One of the first applications for the system took place at US-based non-carbonated beverage filler Pokka Beverages, which supplies the own-label sector as well as producing its own brands. "We change tooling more frequently than most packers because we run so many products," says Pokka's engineering manager Greg Sevey. "During this month alone we will be doing five seaming roll changes on one of our two Angelus 60L six-head machines. The size changes range between 206, 202 and 200 diameter ends.

"It takes about three hours to set-up a six-head machine with the Adjustable Pin, which is about half of the time it would normally take," says Mr. Sevey. Pokka estimates the Adjustable Pin provides a productivity improvement during size changes of almost 200 hours per year.

Another development from TMI, which is partly based on the Adjustable Pin concept, is its Double Groove seaming roll and P-Pin assembly. The P-Pin uses the same principles as the Adjustable Pin, but is a pre-set assembly which has been re-introduced for use with Angelus's new P-type seamer, but is also suitable for older Angelus models.

Held in place by the P-Pin, the Double Groove seaming roll includes two separate profiles on a single roll. When one profile wears out the operator simply flips the roll over and starts using the second profile. When both profiles have worn out, the P-Pin is kept on the seamer and only the roll needs to be replaced. The Double Groove seaming roll is available for the first-and second-seaming operations...

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