Tethered cap inspection
New requirements with proven technology
Our well-established miho Newton Optics 3 can also control tethered caps.
Tethered caps are mandatory from July 2024 when filling beverages in single-use plastic packaging (EU Directive 2019/904 SUP). Once opened, the cap must be firmly attached to the bottle. This is intended to reduce the pollution of landscapes, waters, … by plastic waste.
In the meantime, tethered caps are not only being discussed by bottlers; discussions about the new type of cap, its usefulness and its advantages and/or disadvantages are also taking place on well-known social media channels. Consumers are thus being “sensitized” even before the legal requirement comes into force and are definitely looking twice at which closure (lasso, hinge, …) they reach for.
Cap inspection for screw caps and/or crown caps has been in use for decades and is an “old hat” for our miho Newton Optics 3 optical fill level and cap inspection system. With the use of tethered caps, the large number of different variants, the different manufacturers, rotationally symmetrical, asymmetrical, new requirements are now placed on the inspection. This asymmetry is intentional in the case of closures that have a gap between the taper-evidence ring and the hinge band, for example. This requires a new approach to inspection, as such a gap was normally a defect in the closure and was recognized as such. This means that this “gap” must be assessed as good and must be interpreted as correct. However, it must also be recognized if the gap deviates from the “intended” gap and is therefore an error. This basically requires a full 360° all-around inspection with 4 cameras, special lighting scenarios and AI, as our new miho Newton Optics Pro closure inspection system can do.
But does it always have to be a 360° full inspection and above all … what about closure inspections in existing machines?
Our extensive tests, discussions with customers and, above all, discussions with the cap manufacturers have shown that there are variants of tethered caps which, despite the asymmetry (whether lasso, hinge, …), can also be inspected perfectly without an inspection with 4 cameras, a 360° unwinding and AI! With these types of closure, perfect closure inspection is guaranteed with the miho Newton Optics 3 optical fill level and closure inspection system, which has been on the market for many years. But what if you already have an existing miho Newton Optics 3 machine? Nobody who opted for a closure control system in their single-use line 3 or 4 years ago wants to buy a new device now. And they don’t necessarily have to, because with the closure types mentioned, the existing device can usually be adapted without much effort (depending on the type of equipment selected at the time). Even if an additional camera is required, it can be retrofitted without much effort. Simply tell us which closure type and closure manufacturer you already use or would like to use and together we will find the right solution for your application.
We have already successfully adapted existing devices to control tethered caps.
