About Chucks
What Is a Chuck?
A bottle capping chuck is a tool that is attached to a capping machine that enables the capping machine to grip a cap. The grip generated by the chuck is what allows the capping machine to tighten a cap onto a bottle.
Since the chuck plays an essential and important role in the capping process, it is important that you choose the correct type and size of chuck to tighten your cap.
Standard Chucks Come
In 16 Sizes
> Chuck & Liner Selection Chart
Choose the Right Chuck For Your Cap and Your Task
Since caps come in many different sizes and shapes, chucks do as well. Some chucks are better suited for certain tasks than others. We offer five different types of chucks, Standard Chucks, Deepwell Chucks, Machined Chucks, Cap Retaining Chucks, and Vanguard Chucks. A detailed description of each type is below. Please read the descriptions to determine which type of chuck is best for you.
Standard Chucks
Standard chucks are by far the most common type of chuck. They are a good choice for most cap tightening applications.
A standard chuck is an aluminum shell, or cup. A soft urethane or white rubber liner is pressed into the chuck by hand, creating a tight fit between the chuck and liner.
During the capping process, the liner contacts the cap and creates the grip with the cap. The capping machine uses the grip generated by the liner to tighten the cap onto the bottle.
The role of the chuck is to create a rigid support for the soft and pliable liner while also serving as the means to connect the liner to the capping machine.
Our standard chucks come in 16 sizes to fit caps ranging from 10mm - 130mm in diameter. Each chuck size will work with a particular cap range. It may be necessary to purchase additional chucks if you will be tightening multiple cap sizes.
The Chuck & Liner Selection Chart contains a full listing of all of our chucks and liners sorted by cap size in ascending order.
Bottom View
Chuck With Inserted Liner
Liners Are Press Fit
Into A Chuck By
Hand
Deep Well Chucks
Are the same as standard chucks except they have a secondary cavity that allows them to tighten caps with external features such as sports caps, mist spray caps, yorker caps, dropper caps, and many more.
Deep well chucks provide excellent flexibility as they tighten standard flat caps as well as they tighten caps with external features.
Our deep well chucks come in six sizes to fit caps ranging from 14mm - 46mm in diameter. Each chuck size will work with a particular cap range. It may be necessary to purchase additional chucks if you will be tightening multiple cap sizes.
The third column in the Chuck & Liner Selection Chart displays a list of deep well chucks sorted by cap size in ascending order.
Deep Well Chucks
Caps with External Features
Machined Chucks
Machined chucks are custom made to fit the rib pattern of a particular cap. They are a tool made for a cap that fits a cap in the same way as a socket fits a nut. Since they form a perfect fit with the cap, they generate perfect grip on the cap. A capping machine fitted with a machined chuck can drive extremely high amounts of torque onto a cap. Machined chucks allow you to deliver as little or as much torque onto a cap as you desire and also have a beneficial impact on torque accuracy.
Machined Chucks
Machined chucks are designed to easily slide on and off of the cap, and do not mar the cap during the capping or decapping process. Machined chucks are most commonly machined from aluminum but can also be machined from stainless steel. Machined chucks are not wearable items, so they never have to be replaced.
Machined chucks are very useful for certain types of challenging jobs, a few of which are described below.
- Extreme Torque Applications
When a cap has to be applied with an unusual or extreme level of tightness, a machined chuck is the perfect solution. A machined chuck can always apply as much torque as is necessary and will do so quite easily. Machined chucks also improve torque accuracy and never have to be replaced.
- De-Capping
The vast majority of de-capping jobs require a machined chuck. In most cases a standard chuck with urethane or rubber liner cannot provide enough gripping power to remove a tight cap. Generally, what occurs is that the liner simply skids over the cap without removing it. Machined chucks grip a cap so perfectly that it makes the removal of even the tightest of caps very easy.
- Clean
Environments
The urethane or white rubber inserts within a standard chuck will wear slowly over time and can occasionally leave very small amounts of urethane or white rubber particles on the caps they tighten. These particles may not be allowed in certain clean, sterile or controlled environments. Machined chucks are ideal for clean environments since they do not wear and do not create particles. Machined chucks also improve torque accuracy and never have to be replaced. - Ergonomic Advantages when used with Handheld Capping Machines
In addition to their extraordinary gripping power, machined chucks also provide ergonomic advantages when they are used with handheld capping machines. When using a standard chuck and liner with a handheld capping machine, the operator needs to exert downforce during the capping process. The downward force is required to press the liner against the cap which allows the liner to grip the cap. If no downward force is used during the capping process, the liner will simply skid over the cap.
Machined chucks do not rely on friction to grip a cap, and as a result, when operating a handheld capping machine fitted with a machined chuck, the operator does not have to exert downward during the capping process. This is a significant ergonomic improvement.The ergonomic advantages of machined chucks apply only to handheld capping machines. This is because bench top capping machines and automatic capping machines perform the capping process on their own, without the aid of an operator.
How to Order
Machined chucks are custom parts that are designed and fabricated to fit your cap, so in order to proceed with your order, we will require cap and bottle samples. Please send at least 25 caps and 3 containers to the address at the bottom of this page. The lead time is approximately 4 weeks from receipt of your order. Expedited lead times are available upon request.
Cap Retaining Chucks
A cap retaining chuck is a machined chuck that is designed with additional features that allow it to grasp and retain the cap it is designed to work with. Below are a couple of examples of applications in which they are useful.
- De-cap and Re-cap Operations
When decapping a container using a cap retaining chuck, the cap remains in the chuck after it has been removed from the container. This makes it ideal for use when you want to reapply the cap that has been removed. - Pick & Place Operations
Cap retaining chucks can be used to pick up a cap, hold it, and then tighten it onto a container. For this reason they are ideal for use with automated capping machines and automated robotic capping systems.
Cap Retaining Chuck
How to Order
To order a cap retaining chuck, please send at least 25 caps and 3 containers to the address at the bottom of this page. The lead time is approximately 4 weeks from receipt of your order. Expedited lead times are available upon request.
Vanguard Chucks
A Vanguard chuck can be thought of as a flexible machined chuck. While a machined chuck is a custom part designed to fit the rib pattern of a particular cap, a Vanguard chuck uses 8 strategically positioned ribs that allow it to grip the rib patterns of most caps. In addition, the ribs come in different sizes that allow a vanguard chuck to be used along a range of cap sizes. For example, a V111 Vanguard chuck can be fitted with different rib sizes that will allow it to fit caps with an outside diameter ranging from 19mm – 24mm.
The ribs on a Vanguard chuck are backed by two flexible bands that press the ribs against the cap to generate a strong grip on the cap. A capping machine fitted with a Vanguard chuck can drive very high amounts of torque onto a cap. Vanguard chucks allow you to deliver as little or as much torque onto a cap as you desire and also have a beneficial impact on torque accuracy.
Vanguard Chuck
Vanguard chucks are very useful for certain applications, some of which are described below.
- Extreme Torque Applications
When a cap has to be applied with an unusual or extreme level of tightness, a machined vanguard chuck is an excellent solution. - Cap Retaining Chuck for Pick & Place Operations
A cap retaining chuck is a chuck that is able to retain a cap that is inserted into it. The two flexible bands on a Vanguard chuck press the ribs against the cap, which will hold a cap within the chuck.
Cap retaining chucks can be used to pick up a cap, hold it, and then tighten it onto a container, which is commonly referred to as a pick and place operation. For this reason they are ideal for use with automated capping machines and automated robotic capping systems. - Ergonomic Advantages when used with Handheld Capping Machines
Vanguard chucks provide ergonomic advantages when they are used with handheld capping machines. When using a standard chuck and liner with a handheld capping machine, the operator needs to exert downforce during the capping process. The downward force is required to press the liner against the cap which allows the liner to grip the cap. If no downward force is used during the capping process, the liner will simply skid over the cap.Like machined chucks, Vanguard chucks do not rely on friction to grip a cap, and as a result, when operating a handheld capping machine fitted with a Vanguard chuck, the operator does not have to exert downward force during the capping process. This is a significant ergonomic improvement.The ergonomic advantages of Vanguard chucks apply only to handheld capping machines. This is because bench top capping machines and automatic capping machines perform the capping process on their own, without the aid of an operator.
How to Order
To order a Vanguard chuck, please send at least 25 caps and 3 containers to the address at the bottom of this page. We will use your cap and bottle samples to choose the optimal rib size to maximize the grip on your cap. We will also require your cap samples so we can properly set the depth. Inside a deepwell chuck is a depth adjuster. As the name suggests, the depth adjuster can be set to different depths depending on the height of the cap. Having your samples allows us to properly position the depth adjuster to ensure that the ribs properly engage the cap.
After we receive your samples, Vanguard chucks ship within our standard lead time of two days or less. The fourth column in the Chuck & Liner Selection Chart displays a list of Vanguard chucks sorted by cap size in ascending order.
Deepwell Vanguard Chucks are also available. Deepwell chucks include a secondary cavity that allow them to tighten caps with external features such as sports caps, mist spray caps, yorker caps, dropper caps, and many more. The fifth column in the Chuck & Liner Selection Chart displays a list of deepwell Vanguard chucks sorted by cap size in ascending order.
Deepwell Vanguard Chuck
