Knowledge Base
Can manufacturing and line speed glossary and fact sheet
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
| Double seam | The mechanical interlock that joins a can end to the can body; the primary barrier against leaks. |
| Non-destructive testing | Inspection that measures a can without cutting or destroying it, allowing higher inspection frequency. |
| Destructive teardown | Traditional seam inspection that cuts the can apart to measure internal seam features by hand. |
| Inline / at-line | Inline measurement runs within the production line; at-line runs beside it on sampled cans. |
| Countersink depth | A key double seam dimension measured during seam inspection. |
| Body hook and cover hook | The overlapping metal features inside a double seam that create the interlock. |
| Shell inspection | Dimensional measurement of the drawn can shell before filling. |
| Enamel rating | A check of the internal lacquer or coating integrity of a can or end. |
Key can inspection control points
| Control point | What it protects | Example solution |
| Double seam integrity | Leak resistance and shelf life | Torus SEAM360, CMC-KUHNKE seam gauge |
| Shell and finished-can dimensions | Forming and necking consistency | Automated Torus dimensional gauges |
| Coating and enamel | Internal protection of the can | Enamel raters and coating analysis |
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FAQs
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Not with automated, non-destructive inspection. The automated Torus systems can be continuously fed by the line itself. This increases the throughput of the measurement device and decrease the operator effort, so you inspect more cans, more often, without stopping the line.
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The destructive copper sulfate test needs a manual filling of the can by the operator. After allowing the solution to act for several minutes, the liquid must be removed, and the operator must visually assess the quality of the colored spray pattern. Depending on the operator skills the test is more or less accurate but slow, and limited to small samples. Non-destructive inspection measures the thickness of the internal coating around the whole can and visualize its distribution without destroying the can, so it can run far more often, provides absolute measurement results and catch drift much earlier.
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By measuring frequently and capturing traceable data, automated gauges detect a drifting process while it is still a warning, not a bad batch. Correcting early means fewer defective cans, less scrap, and lower recall risk.
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Use the interactive beverage can manufacturing process map, which walks through every stage from coil handling to palletizing and points to the most relevant test and measurement solution for each.
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