How to Make a Can Sealing Machine: A Step-By-Step Guide

Canned food manufacturers need can sealing/seaming machines to ensure the integrity of the seams of their packaged goods. This avoids product contamination and spillage. Some can sealers even come with vacuum and nitrogen gas flushing devices to extend the product’s shelf life. Vacuum can sealers work by removing the oxygen from the containers before the sealing process.

But, if you are just starting a small business and cannot afford to buy a fully-assembled can sealing machine, you can just build your own. All you need to do is buy the components you will need for your personal can seaming machine.

Components You Will Need

Below is a list of the parts you need to have to build a small can sealing machine. For the sake of this guide, we will use an Ives-Way can sealer, a small can sealer you can easily assemble, as our example. You can assemble most can sealers in the same way but we suggest that you follow the instruction manual that came with the can sealer kit you bought.

Head

Crank & Screw

Frame

Seaming roller washer

1st and 2nd seam rollers

2 Seaming roller springs

2 Seaming roller screws

2 3-hole nuts (left & right)

2 Adjusting thumb screws

Locking lever

Lever pivot

3-inch pin

Chuck screw

Turntable

Turntable Spring

Turntable extension

Gauge Wires

2 3⁄16-inch Spacers

Additional Components

Below are the additional components you will need depending on the size of the cans you are going to seam.

For Tall 1-Pound Cans (301×408)

For these cans, you will need a #301 chuck.

#301 Chuck

For Flat ½-Pound Cans (307×200.25)

For half-pound cans, you will need a #307 chuck and an additional 5⁄16-inch spacer.

#307 Chuck

5⁄16-inch Spacer

Tuntable extension

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Assemble Your Can Sealer

Before you start assembling your can sealer, determine the size of the cans you will be seaming first. Now, let us go into the assembly steps.

1. Mount the Frame

Clamp the frame on a table
Tighten the clamp screw using the 3-inch pin

2. Install the Seaming the Head

Slide the head on the frame’s post
Align the slots of the head and the frame

3. Install the Lever

Slide the lever into the slot (make sure the writings are facing toward the can sealer’s body)
Align the lever’s hole with the head’s slots.
Get the lever pivot and insert it into the aligned slots from the head’s back (the pivot’s ridge side should be out)
Tap the lever pivot using a hammer until its whole body is inside the hole

4. Attach the Crank

Insert the crank’s gear into the sealer’s head
Insert the crank’s screw and tighten it using your hands
Turn the crank’s handle until you see a “0” at the center of the head’s indicating window (this is located at the head’s top portion).
Loosen the screw and position the crank’s handle to let it hang straight down
Tighten the screw using a quarter (a screwdriver might damage the screw so it is not recommended)

5. Insert the 3-Hole Nuts

Insert the first 3-hole nut into the head’s right side first. You will find a channel labeled “first”. Make sure that the numbers on the nut are facing upwards.
Place the 3-hole nut into the first channel with the label “1” towards the head’s center.
Insert the second 3-hole nut into the head’s left channel labeled “second”. Position it like what you did to the first 3-hole nut.
Make sure the nuts are moving freely. File any casting marks obstructing the nuts’ movement if there are any.

6. Attach the 1st Seam Roller

Look for the seam roller with a more rounded and deeper profile (this is the 1st seam roller). The 2nd seam roller will have a flatter and shallower profile.
Put a seaming roller spring onto a roller screw followed by the 1st seam roller and the washer.
Make sure the 1st seam roller’s largest part is beside the washer.
Thread the assembled 1st seam roller into the #2 hole of the 3-hole nut located at the right side of the head. Thread from the nut’s bottom section.
Thread the thumb screw inwards loosely.
Next, rotate the crank’s handle until you see a “1” in the head’s indicating window.

7. Attach the 2nd Seam Roller

Assemble the 2nd seam roller as you did for the 1st seam roller but use the 2nd seam roller this time
Rotate the crank’s handle until you see a “2” in the head’s indicating window.
Attach the 2nd ream roller assembly as you did for the 1st seam roller.
Rotate the crank’s handle again until you see a “0” in the indicating window.

8. Attach the Seaming Chuck

Insert the chuck’s screw into the chuck’s center (the chuck’s concave side should be facing down).
Thread the chuck screw into the sealer’s head using your hand.
Tighten the chuck by inserting the 3-inch pin into one of the chuck’s small holes and rotating the crank in the clockwise direction until the chuck is tightened
Remove the 3-inch pin

9. Adjust the 1st Seam Roller

Turn the crank until the indicating window shows “1”
Adjust the 1st seam roller until the larger gauge wire fits between the chuck and the roller
Tighten the 1st seam roller

10. Adjust the 2nd Seam Roller

Turn the crank until the indicating window shows “2”
Adjust the 2nd seam roller until the smaller gauge wire fits between the chuck and the roller
Tighten the 2nd seam roller

11. Install the Turntable

Insert the spacers and the spring into the turntable’s shaft (make sure to use the spacers required for your cans)
Insert the extension as well into the shaft if you will be sealing 1⁄2-pound cans

12. Test the Assembled Can Sealer

Lock Down the Can

Lock Down the Can
Turn the crank until the indicating window shows “0” (make sure the crank is hanging down)
Raise the lever until it is in the full upward locked position
Place a can on the turntable
Place a lid on top of the can
Pull down the lever to lock the can

Form the Seam

Turn the crank in the clockwise direction (you should start and stop with a “0” in the indicating window)
Pull the lever up and remove your sealed can

13. Evaluate the Resulting Double Seam For Defects

The last thing you need to do is check the test seam for any double seam defects.

Conclusion

Building your own can sealing machine is a fun experience. It helps you learn the basics and familiarize yourself with how these machines work before you buy a pre-built one in case your production demand increases. We hope that you will have fun in assembling your very own can sealer through this guide. You can also find a high-quality can sealers and can filling machines here in Levapack. Learn how vacuum sealing machines work here.