# Types of Bottle Caps Explained | AXTRA > A guide to the types of bottle caps used in bottling lines — screw, crown, cork, Stelvin, Guala — and the capping machine each one requires. - Source page: https://www.axtra.com/types-of-bottle-caps/ - Language: English (en) - Last updated: 2026-09-23 - Publisher: AXTRA S.r.l. - https://www.axtra.com/ - Other languages: [de](https://www.axtra.com/de/arten-von-flaschenverschluessen-und-welche-verschliessmaschine-sie-benoetigen.md), [es](https://www.axtra.com/es/tipos-de-tapones-de-botella-y-que-maquina-taponadora-necesitas.md), [fr](https://www.axtra.com/fr/types-de-bouchons-et-fermetures-de-bouteilles-quelle-boucheuse-choisir.md), [it](https://www.axtra.com/it/tipi-di-tappi-per-bottiglie-e-quale-tappatrice-serve.md), [pt-br](https://www.axtra.com/pt-br/tipos-de-tampas-de-garrafa-e-qual-a-maquina-tampadora-necessaria.md), [ru](https://www.axtra.com/ru/%d1%82%d0%b8%d0%bf%d1%8b-%d0%b1%d1%83%d1%82%d1%8b%d0%bb%d0%be%d1%87%d0%bd%d1%8b%d1%85-%d0%ba%d1%80%d1%8b%d1%88%d0%b5%d0%ba-%d0%b8-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b1%d0%be%d0%ba-%d0%ba%d0%b0%d0%ba%d0%b0%d1%8f.md) --- ## Types of Bottle Caps and Which Capping Machine You Need Not all bottle caps close the same way, and that is exactly why capping machines come in so many configurations. Choosing the right closure — and the right [capping machine](https://www.axtra.com/tag/capping-machines/) to apply it — depends on the product, the container material, the industry standard and how the cap needs to perform after sealing. This guide walks through the main types of bottle caps used in bottling and packaging lines and the machine technology each one requires. ## Screw and Threaded Caps [Pre-threaded plastic caps](https://www.axtra.com/pre-threaded-plastic-caps/) arrive already formed with internal threads, so the capping machine only needs to rotate the cap onto the bottle neck under controlled torque. They are the most common closure for water, soft drinks, personal care and household products because they are fast to apply and easy to open and reclose. [Aluminium screw caps](https://www.axtra.com/aluminium-screw-caps/) (often called ROPP, roll-on pilfer-proof) work differently: the machine forms the threads directly onto the bottle neck during capping, which requires a dedicated forming head rather than a simple rotation. ROPP is widely used for spirits and olive oil, where a tamper-evident band is expected. ## Wine Closures: Stelvin, Cork and Guala Wine and spirits use several closure families that do not appear elsewhere in bottling. [Stelvin and Stelvin Lux caps](https://www.axtra.com/stelvin-caps/) are the screw-cap standard for still and sparkling wine; because the closure protects a product sensitive to oxidation, the capping head must apply precise, repeatable torque without over-tightening. [Straight and mushroom corks](https://www.axtra.com/straight-mashroom-corks/), natural or synthetic, require the machine to compress the cork before inserting it into the neck, then release it under controlled pressure so it re-expands to seal. [Guala caps](https://www.axtra.com/guala-caps/) are tamper-evident closures common on spirits, requiring correct orientation and a closing mechanism that locks the tamper-evident ring in place. ## Pressure and Crimp Closures Some closures do not screw on at all. [Pressure-seal plastic caps](https://www.axtra.com/pressure-seal-plastic-caps/) are pressed directly into or onto the bottle opening, a common solution for oil, vinegar and condiment bottles where a screw thread is not needed. [Pressure-seal ‘T’ caps](https://www.axtra.com/pressure-seal-t-caps/), popular on spirits for their tactile grip, are applied the same way — by press-fit rather than rotation. [Crown caps](https://www.axtra.com/crown-caps/), the traditional metal cap used on beer and other carbonated beverages, are applied by crimping: the machine folds the metal skirt around the bottle’s crown finish to create a gas-tight seal, a completely different mechanical action from any screw-cap process. ## Matching Closures to Machine Technology As a general rule, closures fall into three mechanical groups, and each one calls for a different capping head: - Rotation-based (chuck or spindle): pre-threaded plastic caps, aluminium screw caps, Stelvin caps — torque control is the critical variable. - Press-fit: pressure-seal plastic caps, pressure-seal ‘T’ caps, corks — consistent, controlled pressure is the critical variable. - Crimp-based: crown caps — precise crimping geometry is the critical variable, unrelated to torque or pressure settings. A production line running a single closure can use a machine built specifically around that closure family. A line that switches between formats — for example a winery bottling still wine under Stelvin one week and sparkling wine under cork the next — benefits from a capping machine with interchangeable heads, avoiding the cost of separate dedicated machines for each closure. See our [complete guide to capping machines](https://www.axtra.com/capping-machines-guide/) for how these technologies fit into a full capping station, including [capping accessories](https://www.axtra.com/capping-accessories/) and [combined capping](https://www.axtra.com/combined-capping/) systems for multi-closure lines. ## Choosing the Right Cap for Your Product Beyond mechanics, closure choice affects shelf presentation, tamper evidence, reclosability and cost per unit. Producers evaluating a new closure should weigh production speed requirements, whether the market expects a specific traditional closure (cork remains a strong expectation in premium wine, for instance), and how easily the packaging line can be reconfigured if the closure changes later. AXTRA designs modular capping stations that can be adapted as closure requirements evolve — [talk to AXTRA](https://www.axtra.com/contacts/) about matching a capping machine to your specific cap type. For more background on closure standards used across the packaging industry, see [Wikipedia’s entry on bottle caps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_cap). September 18, 2026 ### [Filling Accuracy Explained: What +/-0.5% Really Means for Your Line](https://www.axtra.com/filling-machine-accuracy-explained/) Filling machine accuracy is usually expressed as a small percentage — ±0.5%, ±1%, ±2% — and it’s easy to skim past those numbers without realising Read more » ### [How to Choose a Filling Machine: Volumetric, Gravity and Piston Compared](https://www.axtra.com/how-to-choose-a-filling-machine/) Knowing how to choose a filling machine starts with a question most buyers skip past too quickly: what, exactly, does the product do when it [previousScrew Cap vs Crown Cap vs Cork: Choosing the Right Closure](https://www.axtra.com/screw-cap-vs-crown-cap-vs-cork/) [nextBottle Capping Machines: The Complete Guide](https://www.axtra.com/capping-machines-guide/) #### Contact us ## From empty container to finished product. --- Markdown version generated by LABOOM SEO/GEO Manager for AI agents. The HTML page above is the authoritative source.