Most canning factories are predominantly automated now, but a handful of human employees still assist with the canning and sealing processes so that the cans are properly closed and packaged. When you want to teach your employees how to operate a number of sealing machines so that they can work in positions factory-wide, a good place to start is with the four different types of seamers/ can sealers. Here is how to explain to a new employee what these machines are, what they do and how to tell them apart.
Partial Can Seamers
Typically, this is a machine that takes one can at a time and fits a lid to the can. It might be slightly squeezed or crimped into place so that the lid does not pop off before the can gets to the end of the line. If your new employees were to pick a can up out of the line after it has passed through a partial can seamer, the lid is very easy to remove and requires little to no force. If the can is grabbed by the lid, the weight of the can and its contents could easily fall away from the lid because it is only partially sealed in place.
Vacuum Seamers
This type of seamer is more commonly used in factories where it is important to seal out any and all bacteria and to preserve the food or drink within the cans or jars. Jams, jellies, preserves and even canned milk products are processed and packaged with the use of a vacuum seamer/sealer. The vacuum seamer draws all of the air out of the top of the can or jar before tightly affixing the lids, thereby creating a vacuum behind or under the lid that keeps it from coming off too easily during shipping.
Crimp Seamers
Crimp seaming machines are the easiest to spot out of all of the seaming and sealing machines. This is due to the fact that the crimp seamer tightly squeezes and "crimps" the cans' edges, creating a very tight grip all around the top edge of the jar or can. When combined with a vacuum seamer, the food inside the can or jar is very safe and cannot be contaminated without first twisting off the crimped top and popping the vacuum seal underneath.
Final Seamers
A final seamer is a machine at the very end of the canning line. Here, you can point out to your new employees that you have one person sit for most of the shift. That person catches each can, holds it in place on an automated platform to keep the contents from spilling and keep the can from falling over, and the final seamers heat seals and/or tightens the partial seamer's work. After each can passes through the final seamers, other employees box up the cans and prepare the products to ship.
Share15 September 2015
When you run a business, things can get complicated in a jiffy--especially in your backroom. You might wonder why operations are getting delayed in the packaging department, or why those trucks always seem to be running behind. However, if you learn to carefully evaluate your company's processing and manufacturing department, you might be able to streamline the entire process. My blog is dedicated to small business owners like myself, because I want you to be able to avoid some of the mistakes I made in my early days. Check out these articles for information that might come in handy someday soon.
