Can Filling Line
A can line built around oxygen control and seam integrity, because those two factors decide whether canned beer survives distribution.
Key Specifications
| Rated output | 2,000 / 6,000 / 12,000 / 18,000 cans per hour |
|---|---|
| Can formats | 202 / 211 / 300 diameter, 250 ml - 500 ml |
| Line composition | Depalletiser, twist rinser, filler, seamer, packer |
| Filling | Counter-pressure or volumetric, pre-purge optional |
| Total package oxygen | ≤ 30 ppb |
| Seam inspection | Inline vision, 100 percent |
| Line length | From 14 m for 6,000 CPH |
Oxygen is the whole game in cans
Cans have no oxygen barrier problem, but they have a headspace problem: the volume above the fill line starts full of air. Pre-purge with CO2 before seaming, plus a filler that fills from the bottom, is what brings total package oxygen under 30 ppb and keeps hop aroma for three months.
Seam integrity under production conditions
A seam that passes at startup can drift as rolls wear. Inline vision on every can catches drift within a few cans, which is the difference between losing a case and losing a pallet.
Depalletiser to packer as one control system
Because the line runs from a single PLC, a downstream stop automatically slows the filler instead of filling an accumulation table and stopping hard. That single change is usually worth 3-5 points of line efficiency.
Typical Applications
- Craft breweries adding cans — A 2,000-6,000 CPH line fits a mobile canning setup or an in-house line for a 1,000-5,000 hl brewery.
- Breweries switching from bottles — Cans cut distribution weight and light-strike risk; the line pays back fastest where retail prefers cans.
- Contract packers — 18,000 CPH with inline seam inspection supports third-party work where leaker rate is contractual.
Related Equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cans need pasteurisation?
Usually not. Cans block light and the seam is hermetic, so most craft beer is canned without pasteurisation, provided dissolved oxygen is controlled.
Can the same line run bottles?
Not directly. Filler and seamer are can-specific; a bottle line is a separate configuration on the same platform.
What is the minimum viable can line?
A 2,000 CPH seamer with manual depalletising and a packer is the practical minimum; below that, mobile canning is usually cheaper.
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