How to Test Aluminum Cans: Ensuring Quality in Metal Packaging

The aluminum can is a marvelous invention. A simple but trusty and important design that’s become an integral driver in the success of many different industries. As such, there’s a wide range of can testing equipment available for aluminum can suppliers.

A large majority of the world’s beverages are contained in aluminum cans. Not only is it cheap and efficient, it’s also infinitely recyclable. Can manufacturers make the rest from tin-coated steel, which is a popular choice for food cans.

Aluminum cans are used by companies working in everything from food and drink  to the paint and automotive sectors. The humble 2-piece can is available in all shapes and sizes.

It’s fair to say that aluminum can production has helped millions of people to eat fresher produce, and millions of companies to transport their products safely all over the world.

All of this is only possible when aluminum can suppliers follow a strict quality control process and a variety of can inspection tests. Can testing gives you the tools to check why your tins of beans keep leaking at the seams, or to guarantee perfectly pourable chilled craft beer.

Why does aluminum can testing matter?

The average aluminum can have to do a lot of heavy lifting. It’s expected to be light, reliably well-sealed, and designed to allow the contents to reach the optimal temperature quickly.

But here’s the bad news! When aluminum can testing goes wrong, it can go very wrong!  And just one leaking aluminum can could lead to a costly recall headache and reputational risk. Which is why a reliable, accurate empty and full aluminum can inspection process is so important!

We CAN help you out here with a range of testing options, whether you’re looking to test beer or food cans. With various methods and machines for empty and full can inspections, you can test the whole can – from ring pull and flange to double seam. We have been making double seam inspection devices for decades, and our devices are relied upon by aluminum can suppliers across the globe.

A glossary of aluminum can testing methods

As an industry-leading manufacturer of metal packaging inspection equipment, we keep on top of the trends and progress within the aluminum can testing arena. Here’s a selection of the most popular methods that our customers in aluminum can production typically employ.

Empty aluminum can inspection

If you’re a two-piece aluminum can supplier, you’ll need to check your products carefully before you dispatch them. But if you’re a can filler only, it’s still wise to employ some empty can inspection techniques before adding your beverages.

A good empty aluminum can inspection system will detect defects quickly and accurately on the flange, bottom and inner sidewalls of the can. If there’s pollution and spots on the inside, it will spot them. Empty aluminum can inspection, will also flag up your flange dents, measure your flange width, and check the overall ovality!

Abrasion can testing

Wear and tear will take a toll on your canned goods. In order to keep metal packaging looking its best for longer, can testing will help you understand how it fares when it rubs, grinds, or scrapes against other materials. This knowledge will guide you in identifying weak areas in your packages, so you can take steps to improve the visual appeal and achieve a longer shelf life.

A can testing abrasion inspection machine will accurately measure the resistance of your materials, offering a clear picture of their aggregate toughness and abrasion resistance. You’ll learn how your metal materials stand the test of time when crushed or left to degrade and disintegrate.

360 degree can inspection

Get a complete 360˚ view of your cans with the CMC-KUHNKE QbyV SEAM360: Non Destructive Seam Inspection for Food Cans, a highly accurate technology ‘mix-up and integrity detection’ can inspection system.

You no longer need separate machines for barcode reading, decoration inspection or damage checks. There are aluminum can inspection devices that offer all of this – in one package. You can even add extra modules for things like seam, flange, and interior can testing.

Corrosion can testing

Need to understand how well your products will stand the test of time? A cyclic corrosion inspection test chamber like our TQC Sheen C&W Specialist Cyclic Corrosion Cabinet will deliver the precise environmental test conditions demanded by modern industry.

A humidity and corrosion conditioning cabinet enables you to reproduce the test conditions of high humidity at constant or cycling temperatures. You can even find salt spray cabinets that test both components and coated test panels for all manner of coastal environments!

Can leak testing

One leaking can is all it takes to damage a hard earned reputation, like the example in this case study. So, plug any gaps in your can-making or can-filling process with a can leak testing device.

Make sure the contents of your metal packages don’t leak out and stop ambient materials from the environment sneaking in. There are leak testing can inspection devices to accurately inspect the complete seam around each and every can.

Adhesion can testing

If your coatings don’t stick, then time spent perfecting the design of your aluminum cans has been wasted. Adhesion testing of the paint applied to aluminum cans will quickly enable you to discover the aesthetic quality of your products.

Employ an inspection device like a United Testing universal testing machine, and you’ll see if the paint and treatments you select will effectively stick to your substrates. They’ll determine the failure point of your adhesive – the least amount of duress that causes your product to fail a quality control check.

Aerosol can testing

Aerosol cans are used across the automotive, healthcare and food sectors. Whether you work with monobloc, 2-piece or 3-piece aerosol cans, there are test and measurement devices for all of them.

There are aerosol can testing instruments that take the guesswork out of seamer setup, improve seam integrity and consistency, increase uptime, and make changeovers much faster. Why engage a range of handheld calipers, micrometers, and devices to gauge the key stats of their metal packaging when an automatic ‘all-in-one’ system will measure all dimensions in less time than it would take you to open a can?

Discover our aluminum can inspection products

No matter the industry you work in, no matter what you do with your cans, we have the inspection systems to thoroughly test them. Our product portfolio is bursting at the double seams with aluminum can testing options.

Whether you’re looking for help with dented can inspection, you need to make sure your labels are sticking properly, or if you need a full range of inspection equipment for packaging lines, our can testing equipment will help. We would be happy to help you with any aspect of your aluminum can testing – just get in touch.