The can manufacturing industry plays an important role in global packaging, especially for food, beverages, and consumer goods. Starting in the late 18th century, it has evolved significantly, keeping up with consumer needs and market changes. Today, innovation, sustainability, and efficiency make it one of the most advanced and eco-friendly sectors in premium packaging.
The canning process began during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s, when French inventor Nicolas Appert developed a way to seal food in glass jars for preservation. In 1810, the first metal can was made, changing how food was stored and transported. By the late 19th century, automated machinery helped speed up production, making canned goods more accessible.
Nowadays, the can manufacturing industry has evolved to create billions of cans annually. These include not just the traditional food and beverage cans but also containers for chemicals, personal care products, pet foods and other industrial uses.
Can making spares. SeamQuip manufactures a wide range of can making spares including press, beading and forming tools to ensure client and industry demand is met timeously
“Engineering has changed over the years. If you want to be successful you can’t only compete against South Africa, you need to be able to compete against the rest of the world. The world is small and it’s not like it was before where we were isolated as South Africa and Africa, now you have to compete with the China’s, the India’s and Europe too depending on the speciality of what your customers need,” says Vinesh Chetty, owner of SeamQuip, a company that specialises in the manufacturing of precision tooling for the tin food and beverage industries. Having more than 29 years of experience in this industry, Chetty is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Cape Engineers and Founders Association and Production Technologies Association of South Africa (PtSA).
“My career started when I joined Cape Manufacturing Engineers (CME) back in 1995 when I finished school. I did my apprenticeship there mostly working with the armament projects because at the time, Denel was still doing really well. While studying engineering part time I then moved into the office environment and learned more about process planning of manufacturing various parts. This involved making sure that at the end of the manufacturing process, that the parts conformed to a certain quality.”
Seaming Rolls. SeamQuip can supply any brand and model seamer with seaming rolls made either of toolsteel or AISI 440c (hardened stainless steel). All seaming rolls are supplied standard, with bearings fitted for customer convenience. SeamQuip also supply pre-assembled seaming rolls with their adjusting pins and protective shields. These assemblies are lubricated and ready to reduce installation time at customers
“I continued in that role for some time before in 2005 I left the company and started up a small business with a few other people. We mostly did contract work for Denel until things took a turn at Denel. During roughly the same period, a major manufacturer decided to close down their critical tooling manufacturing business and there was an opportunity for me to get into the industry.”
This led to the establishment of SeamQuip in 2009 – a specialist manufacturer of seaming rolls and seaming chucks and other wear parts for the canning industry, based in Beaconvale, Parow in the Western Cape.
“The equipment used to manufacture armaments and canning equipment is very similar in many ways. So, while my experience was not in the canning environment, I was able to apply myself to a new industry based on the knowledge that I had built up as well an interactions with colleagues. At that stage there were two companies in the market manufacturing this specific type of tooling including ourselves. At the time, they had about 50% of the market share and we had about 45% of the market share. The rest was made up of imports. Today, we manufacture about 95% of this tooling for the market.”
SeamQuip can supply any brand and model seamer with seaming chucks made from toolsteel or AISI 440c (hardened stainless steel). In certain applications SeamQuip offer surface coatings to improve the lifetime of the seaming chucks. Generally, a PVD, wear-resistant coating is applied to increase surface hardness, lower the friction coefficient and thermal conductivity
Specialised canning machinery requires specialised components, one aspect of this is called seamers. Seamers are machines that attach the lids or ends to cans using a double seam. There are different seamers designed for various materials, with steel and aluminium being the most common, and they are suited for different material thicknesses depending on the type and size of can. These are consumable parts, they wear out after so many uses, and any breakdown in the production line can lead to huge bottlenecks in the rest of supply chain.
Critical to sectors such as food, beverages, and chemicals, the production of cans involves a detailed and multi-stage process that requires precision, high-quality equipment, and a deep understanding of material sciences, depending on the product being canned. The key components in the manufacturing process play an essential role in ensuring that cans are produced efficiently and meet rigorous industry standards.
The process of manufacturing cans generally begins with the raw material, typically aluminium or steel, which is then shaped into the final product. Cans are made using a combination of drawing, ironing, and seaming techniques, each of which requires the correct machinery to ensure the integrity and quality of the product. The production cycle involves several stages, from the creation of the can body to the final sealing of the lid.
Stock on hand. SeamQuip hold a wide range of seaming chucks and seaming rolls in stock to ensure that lead times are kept to a minimum. With increased demands of just-in-time deliveries and shorter lead times, it is of utmost importance that the spare part’s life is predictable with a long and reliable performance. This will also be a prerequisite to reduce customer down time and optimise production
The first stage is the fabrication of the can body, which begins with large coils of aluminium or steel. The metal is drawn into a cylindrical shape in a process called drawing and then stretched (or ironed) to form a thinner wall. This method produces the familiar cylindrical can structure. Once the body is formed, a lid is placed on top, and the can undergoes a sealing process called seaming.
Seaming is a critical step in can manufacturing, ensuring that the body and the lid of the can are securely attached. A proper seam not only maintains the structural integrity of the can but also plays a significant role in preserving the contents. Inaccurate or poorly executed seams can result in leaks, contamination, or reduced shelf life of the product inside.
At the core of the seaming process are components such as seaming chucks and seaming rolls. These components are critical to achieving a strong, reliable seam. They must operate in perfect coordination to ensure the consistent quality of each can produced.
SeamQuip makes use of FANUC RoboDrill vertical machining centers
Positioned within the seaming machine, seaming chucks are central elements in the canning process, designed to hold the can body and lid firmly in place while the seaming operation takes place. The chuck’s design enables it to apply the necessary pressure to form a precise seam while also rotating the can in synchronisation with the seaming rolls.
The chuck’s role is essential because it ensures that the can body is not distorted or damaged during the seaming process. If the chuck fails to maintain the proper alignment, it can lead to a weak or improperly sealed can, which compromises the product’s safety and shelf life.
Seaming chucks must be highly durable and able to withstand significant force and wear over time. Their precision is critical in high-speed production lines, where the consistency of the seaming process is vital. Without a well-maintained chuck, even the best seaming rolls and other machinery would fail to produce the desired outcome.
Amongst the turning centers on the shop floor is a Hyundai WIA L210 turning center, designed for high-speed, high accuracy turning of small diameter high precision parts
Seaming rolls are the next essential components in the seaming process. These rolls work in tandem with the seaming chuck to form a secure seam. The function of the seaming roll is to press the metal lid and the body of the can together, folding the edges of the metal in such a way that a strong, airtight seal is formed.
The process involves two main types of rolls: the first operation and second operation seaming rolls. The first operation roll shapes the first fold of the can body to the lid, while the second operation roll shapes the final fold, locking the lid and body together. The precision with which these rolls function directly affects the overall strength and tightness of the seam.
Seaming rolls are typically made of hardened steel, but advancements in materials science have allowed manufacturers to improve the composition and longevity of these components. Modern seaming rolls may feature coatings or be made from materials that reduce wear and extend the life of the roll. Proper maintenance of the seaming rolls is essential for ensuring the consistency and efficiency of the seaming process. Even slight irregularities or wear can lead to defects in the final product.
SeamQuip have around 15 years’ worth of drawings all stored and kept on record – entire process packs that they are be able to follow from start to finish with drawings at each stage of the manufacturing process for each component
“About five years ago we decided to relook at our business model a bit and made a decision to expand from the can filling side of the industry in order to get involved in the can making side of the industry too. Specifically, we looked at the parts that were being imported by these local can makers for their equipment. The majority of this equipment was all being imported and a lack of spares availability locally had an impact on their businesses because the lead times when it came to importing spares were quite long. Usually, we would get a part from a local can manufacturer, typically while it was still quite new, reverse engineer it and then develop a process to manufacture that part ourselves locally. We would then get it to the customer for testing, and if they were happy with it, we would finalise our process of manufacturing the part.”
“Sometimes I like to think we spoil customers a bit. Back when I started, we only had one machine and I was working out of a small garage with two employees. We had nowhere near the capacity that we do now. So this strategy of having stockholding of spares started a long time ago – we never wanted to keep a customer waiting. We now offer same day delivery and where we can’t do that, we will ship overnight. This strategy has definitely helped grow our business over the years.”
SeamQuip make use of a Chevalier FSG-ADIV 1640 series automatic surface grinder
“The key success of our company is consistency, ‘Being inconsistently good is worse than being consistently bad’. Our mission at SeamQuip is to provide our customers with precision, manufactured components for can making industry, with exceptional quality and swift delivery to support their success.”
“Today we probably have over 18 000 items in stock and our stock holding is in the region of about 8 million in order to service this industry and we continuously manufacture every day. Our business is now made up of serving 50% on the can making side and 50% on the can filling side.”
“When a machine is processing 350 to 850 cans a minute, and some lines doing up to 2 000 lids a minute, we have to make sure that the machine is serviced properly. The knock-on effects can be catastrophic to the overall supply chain if for example a customer can’t take delivery of their next order of cans for their processing line because of a breakdown somewhere.”
A Doosan Puma GT2100 CNC turning center forms part of the CNC line-up on SeamQuip’s shop floor
“We mainly use the material 440C that we import ourselves, something we have been doing for more than 10 years. We always have good stockholding of this material – all round bars that we then machine – otherwise our business can’t run. As I said, we maintain a stock of raw materials and finished components in order to reduce any downtime our customers may face.”
“We find that tooling life is mainly compromised by the type of product being filled into a can – for example acidic foods – reduce tooling life, as well as improper machine maintenance, and it can even come down to incorrect settings on a machine that will end up damaging the tooling. Can making spares play an important role in keeping production lines running smoothly. In an environment where efficiency is paramount and delays can be costly, the timely availability of high-quality spares is essential.”
“We are now looking at can filling for the beverage industry, and so far, we service the craft beer market. This is a huge industry that also requires critical tooling and spares. But we are just in the beginning phases of this.”
On the shop floor
SeamQuip uses a combination of the latest CNC machines to manufacture their components and these include six CNC lathes, three CNC milling machines, a CNC surface grinder and will be purchasing a new CNC cylindrical internal and external grinder.
A DN Solutions Puma DNT2100B CNC turning center is integral to SeamQuip’s manufacturing processes
“Again, if you want to be able to compete on a world stage, you need to be using the latest equipment. If the original part gave a certain life, our part needs to give the same or even better life, and even at a better price, although having said that, what’s more important to our customers is the life of the tool. We also use a combination of hard measuring equipment and a few years ago made an investment in a Hexagon TIGO SF CMM.”
“With the accuracy of the work we produce, we need to have the latest technology available in the shop to produce those components so we are continuously investing in new equipment every year.”
“We use a combination of software packages including Mastercam, SolidWorks and AutoCAD. I do a lot of this work myself but with the increase in designing work I am in the process of employing someone full time to do this.”
SeamQuip use a combination of hard measuring equipment and the latest technology available for quality control. A few years ago they made an investment in a Hexagon TIGO SF CMM
“Over the years I have realised that the skills shortage as well as under skilled labour is quite an issue in the industry. You still have many people in the age range of say 50 to 60-years-old working in this industry, not just ours, but engineering as a whole. It has been pretty difficult to find the right candidates to employ from across all sectors, be that university graduates, people off the street or even those from technikons. We have recently partnered with the Production Technologies Association of South Africa (PtSA) and we are finding that the students that are coming to train with us have a solid base of training – they are well educated in the basics of engineering. These are the right kind of students to be able to take to the next level.”
“When it comes to staff, I don’t want to employ too many people, I would rather have a low number of really competent staff. It’s more about training the right people in the right positions. This is a very expensive business with expensive equipment so you need to be efficient. We have about 12 people at the moment but we will let this number grow as we grow. We need to train for what we need in our business.”
“With the accuracy of the work we produce, we need to have the latest technology available in the shop to produce those components so we are continuously investing in new equipment every year.”
SeamQuip own a 2 000m2 factory that they currently use about 800m2 of. They have around 15 years’ worth of drawings all stored and kept on record – entire process packs that they are be able to follow from start to finish with drawings at each stage of the manufacturing process for each component. These are updated as and where components are re-engineered and new ones added as needed.
SeamQuip serves customers that include Tiger Brands, Rhodes, Nestle, Nampak, Lucky Star, Giants Canning, Gayatri Cans, CanSmart, amongst others.
Vinesh Chetty, owner of SeamQuip, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Cape Engineers and Founders Association and Production Technologies Association of South Africa (PtSA)
SeamQuip can supply any brand and model seamer with seaming chucks and seaming rolls. Seaming chucks can be supplied with surface coatings to improve lifetimes. Seaming rolls are supplied standard, with bearings fitted for customer convenience. SeamQuip also supply pre-assembled seaming rolls with their adjusting pins and protective shields. These assemblies are lubricated and ready to use thus reducing installation times.
“Being such a process driven part manufacturing business there is no making a plan – it’s either right or it’s wrong, and this requires a certain level of skill and discipline. The part has to be perfect at the end of the day,” concludes Chetty.
For further details contact SeamQuip on TEL: 021 931 6928 or visit https://seamquip.co.za
