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Explore every stage of the modern plastic bottle and container manufacturing process with our interactive process map. From raw material preparation and preform production through to stretch blow molding, filling preparation, inspection, labeling, and palletizing, every step requires precision, consistency, and rigorous quality control. By clicking on each stage within the diagram below, you…
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Explore every stage of the modern canmaking line with our interactive beverage can manufacturing process map. From coil handling and cupping through to decorating, necking, and palletizing, each step in the process demands precision, consistency, and quality assurance. By hovering over each stage in the diagram below, you can discover the most relevant beverage can…
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Overview Burst strength testing is one of the most widely used methods for evaluating the performance of sealed flexible packaging. It applies controlled internal pressure to a package until failure, measuring the point at which the seal or material gives way. For quality managers, R&D specialists, and operations experts working across flexible packaging production, burst…
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Definition: Wet coating thickness measurement is the process of measuring the thickness of applied coating or paint layer immediately after it has been applied to a metal coil substrate — before the coated product enters the curing oven and dries. This is achieved using non-contact, optical sensor-based technology positioned inline at the point of application. Why it matters: In coil coating production lines, coatings travel at high…
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Color consistency in metal can manufacturing refers to the ability to reproduce a brand's specified colors accurately and repeatedly across every decorated aluminum or steel beverage can - regardless of production run, facility, or geography. In the can-making industry, color is measured using three attributes: hue (the recognized color, such as red or blue), chroma (the vividness or saturation of that color), and lightness (how light or dark the color appears). These are quantified using…
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Our metrology toolkit has been created by specialist experts with in-depth knowledge It offers insight and best practice advice for UK-based manufacturers working with CMMs, arms, height gauges, or master artefacts. Through UKAS-accredited Torus Metrology Services, you can rest assured that your metrology needs are being handled by true specialists with the appropriate knowledge, certifications, and expertise required to deliver results. Our free toolkit offers advice on…
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To ensure that paints and coatings are easy to apply and durable in their nature, oils and additives are required. To know that the addition of these components doesn’t adversely affect the composition of your final paint or coating, you need thorough and efficient viscosity testing. Oils and lubricant additives in paint The addition of…
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Can seaming to achieve robust, hermetically sealed metal packaging is a preferred practice to protect a wide range of types of products across many industries. An effective double seam is crucial to the integrity of a can. The process of can seaming has been around for decades and has undergone some massive transformations over the…
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Viscosity describes how easily a liquid flows. A high-viscosity coating is thick and slow moving; a low-viscosity one is thin and runny. For paints and coatings this single property influences almost every stage of use, from how a product is pumped and dosed in production, to how it atomizes at a spray gun, to how…
Viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow. In paints and coatings it governs how a product brushes, sprays, rolls, levels, and resists sagging, and it is one of the most routinely checked quality parameters on the line and in the lab. A coating that is too thick drags and clogs; one that is too thin…
Key terms Term Definition Viscosity A fluid's resistance to flow. Dynamic viscosity Resistance to flow under an applied shear, measured in pascal seconds (Pa.s), poise (P), or centipoise (cP). Kinematic viscosity Dynamic viscosity divided by density, measured in centistokes (cSt); what a flow cup effectively reports. Shear rate The rate at which a fluid is…
Abrasion testing is a method used to evaluate how resistant a paint, coating, or surface finish is to wear caused by friction, rubbing, or repeated mechanical contact. It measures the ability of a coating to maintain its appearance, adhesion, and protective function when subjected to physical abrasion. Abrasion resistance is a critical quality parameter in…
Key Terms Abrasion Resistance The ability of a coating or surface to resist wear caused by mechanical friction or rubbing. Measured by mass loss, film thickness reduction, or appearance change after a defined test cycle. Taber Abraser A rotating-platform instrument used in abrasion testing (ASTM D4060). Two abrasive wheels are applied to a coated panel under load. Results are…
Overview Abrasion testing evaluates the durability of a paint or coating when subjected to repeated mechanical friction. It is one of the most widely used methods for assessing coating quality because it directly simulates the wear a surface will experience in service - whether that is a wall being scrubbed clean, an automotive panel exposed…
A reference glossary of core terms used in washability and scrub abrasion testing of paints, coatings, and surface finishes. Structured for use across laboratory, quality control, and product development contexts. Washability The property of a dried coating or paint film that allows it to be cleaned repeatedly with water, detergent, or abrasive media without significant…
Overview of washability testing Washability testing evaluates how well a paint, coating, varnish, or ink withstands the mechanical stress of cleaning. It is one of the most widely specified durability tests in the coatings industry, informing product development decisions, quality control processes, and regulatory compliance across architectural paints, industrial coatings, and printed packaging. Understanding washability…
Washability testing is a standardized quality assurance method used to evaluate the resistance of paints, coatings, varnishes, and surface finishes to degradation caused by repeated cleaning or scrubbing. It measures how well a coated surface maintains its integrity, color, and appearance when subjected to wet or dry abrasion over a controlled number of strokes or cycles. Definition…
