← Applications

Leak testing empty cans before filling: where Bonfiglioli fits

How empty-container inspection fits into a can-making line, and the information to prepare when discussing a leak-testing system.

Song Song ·
Can leakage testing equipment in the Song Song product catalogue
Equipment image from the Song Song Can Leakage Tester catalogue page. The required configuration depends on the container and line.

For a can manufacturer, an empty-container inspection step belongs to the production process before the container reaches a filling operation. The useful starting point is therefore a specific question: what container needs to be tested, at which stage, and under what acceptance criteria?

Start with the container, not a machine name

Bonfiglioli Engineering documents the RLD 230S as an in-line system for non-destructive integrity inspection of empty containers. Its listed applications include two-piece and three-piece cans, composite cans, pails and drums. This identifies a relevant equipment family; it does not establish that one setup will handle every can design on your line. See the manufacturer’s RLD 230S application information.

Song Song’s Can Leakage Tester page brings together available catalogue information. Use it as a starting point for discussion, then confirm the current model, tooling and test specification for your project.

Define the inspection brief

A useful enquiry should separate the production requirement from the proposed equipment. Prepare a short brief covering:

  • Container formats: drawings, material, dimensions and the range of sizes to be handled.
  • Inspection stage: describe the incoming container condition and the operations immediately before and after the tester.
  • Line operation: required output, available space, conveyor arrangement and frequency of format changes.
  • Acceptance criteria: explain how your team defines an unacceptable leak and what evidence it needs from a trial.

Evaluate the complete handover

During a technical review, ask how containers enter and leave the machine, how a rejected container is identified and separated, and how operators verify that the inspection remains effective. These questions help turn a machine discussion into a practical line-integration discussion.

It is also useful to agree what will be demonstrated with representative samples before comparing proposals. Record the test conditions alongside the results, so the comparison is based on the same container and production requirements.

Read more about Bonfiglioli Engineering, or send Song Song your container and line requirements to discuss a suitable inspection approach.