Checklist: What to inspect regularly to keep your canning/seaming machine running smoothly

Your manual canning and seaming machines represent a significant investment in your beverage or food-packaging operation. Ensuring they run smoothly, reliably and safely is key to maintaining product quality, production uptime and ROI. While the Eazy Canning machines (like the iKAN seamer and FENIX filler) are designed for durability, versatility and ease of maintenance, regular inspections and preventive checks are still essential. From cleaning and lubrication to tooling wear and seam integrity, a consistent inspection routine can help you head off problems before they escalate into costly downtime or quality issues.

In this article, we’ll walk through a comprehensive checklist: what to inspect, how often, what to look for, and what to act on. Although your machine may require a full manufacturer’s manual for major servicing, this guide gives you the day-to-day and week-to-week inspection foundation that keeps your operations humming.

Why regular inspection matters

• Even high-quality machines (Eazy Canning states the iKAN is “produced from the highest grade, food grade 304 stainless steel … built using the highest quality professional grade chucks and rolls”) will face wear-and-tear over time.
• Small misalignments, tool wear, accumulated residue or poor lubrication can lead to inefficient seaming/filling, quality defects (leaks, poor fill, contamination), and ultimately increased maintenance cost.
• Preventive inspection is far less disruptive and costly than reacting after a breakdown. Industry sources emphasise that “simple tasks like daily cleaning and greasing bearings will greatly help cut down on the frequency of component failures.”
• For small-batch producers, uptime, consistency and product quality are vital — your brand reputation and margin depend on it.

Inspection Checklist – Overview

We divide the inspection tasks into Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly/Annual routines. Adjust frequency based on your throughput, can size changes, product type (food vs beverage) and whether you run single or multiple shifts.

Daily Checks

These are quick checks you can incorporate at shift-start or end-of-day. They prevent minor issues from escalating.

1. Cleanliness & drip trays
   
   • Wipe down accessible surfaces of the machine (chucks, rolls, guides) to remove residue, sticky product, dust or foreign material.
   • Empty and rinse the drip tray regularly to avoid overflow or contamination. For example, generic seamer maintenance guidance states: “Make sure to empty and rinse the drip tray often to avoid spills.” 
   • Inspect can paths, feeding guides and end-lids area to ensure no scrap material, spilled product or debris remains.
     
2. Visual inspection for obvious wear or damage
   
   • Check chucks and rolls for visible cracks, chips, or unusual wear. Worn chucks or rolls can compromise seam quality. 
   • Ensure all guards, covers and safety interlocks are present and functioning (important for food-grade stainless-steel machines like yours).
   • Verify that any sensors, switches or touchpoints are not damaged, loose or obstructed.
     
3. Lubrication and moving parts
   
   • Confirm that lubrication points (bearings, bushings, rollers) are being greased/oiled per manufacturer guidelines. Insufficient lubrication leads to wear.
   • Check for unusual noise, vibration or drag when the machine is idle or jogging.
     
4. Processing of first cans – “warm-up” check
   
   • After the machine is started, run one or two cans as a test: check alignment, feed, seam quality (for seamer) or fill accuracy (for filler) before moving into full production.
   • Listen for irregular sounds, check for abnormal seams or leaks.
     
5. Record-keeping
   
   • Maintain a log for daily checks: note date, shift, operator, any issues found, actions taken. This helps spot trends (for example a particular chuck needing replacement soon).

Weekly Checks

Building on daily checks, weekly inspections allow deeper checks of machine components.

1. Detailed wear parts inspection
   
   • Remove any covers necessary to inspect seaming rolls (for iKAN), rollers, cams, bearings for wear or looseness. Industry best practice suggests inspecting “all can wear plate … can feed table … for aluminium oxide build up; clean off excess …”
   • Verify that chuck lips, lifter plates, can guides are intact, aligned and free of build-up or damage.
     
2. Feed and guide systems
   
   • Check can feed table, lifter plates, transitions between filler to seamer or seamer to discharge are smoothly operating, without binding, misalignment or excessive play.
   • Inspect for accumulation of aluminium or product residue in transfer areas; clean where necessary.
     
3. Seam/fill quality checks (sample cans)
   
   • For seamer: take sample cans and inspect seams (outside and if possible teardown) to verify correct double seam geometry (for example body hook, cover hook, overlap) and detect any changes.
   • For filler: check fill volumes, inspect for oxygen pickup, foam levels, spillage, cleanliness of fill heads.
     
4. Drip tray, waste & scrap material removal
   
   • Clean the machine more thoroughly, including under parts, remove waste, check drain systems, check accumulation of scrap lids, can ends, etc.
     
5. Operator and safety check
   
   • Check that operators are using the machine correctly, guards are closed, hygiene practices are adhered to (important for food-grade equipment made from stainless steel).
   • Check that hygiene-cleaning regimes are being followed (especially if switching between beverage and food cans).

Monthly Checks

These involve more thorough mechanical inspections and adjustments.

1. Alignment and tooling calibration
   
   • Confirm that the seamer tooling (chucks, rolls) is still within specifications. If you see persistent changes in seam quality, re-calibrate tooling.
   • For filler, check that fill head pressure, gassing systems or CIP (clean-in-place) systems (the FENIX is noted to be “fully CIP-able”) are still functioning correctly.
     
2. Wear plate and roller inspection
   
   • Inspect wear plates for scoring or damage; these plates often support the lifter and can feed mechanisms. If heavily worn, replace or rotate them.
   • Check bearings, bushings in roller assemblies for play, roughness or wear. Replace if needed.
     
3. Check drive belts, motor coupling, electrical connections
   
   • Ensure motor, belt drive (if present), couplings are properly tensioned, aligned and safe.
   • Inspect wiring, sensors, switches for looseness or wear.
     
4. Test seam/fill output under load
   
   • Run a set of cans across full batch and check output quality (seam integrity, fill accuracy, lid positioning). Look for a trend of faults creeping in.
     
5. Spares stock review
   
   • Review your spare-parts inventory (seaming rolls, chucks, guides, wear plates, drive belts). Ensure you have critical parts on hand for quick replacement to minimise downtime.

Quarterly / Annual Checks

These are major inspections that might require downtime or external service/support.

1. Full machine audit
   
   • Review all mechanical, electrical, pneumatic/hydraulic (if applicable) systems. Replace high-wear parts proactively.
   • Industry guidance: “Every equipment manufacturer should have available preventative maintenance manuals … yearly checks: change oil every 2,000 – 5,000 hours … schedule time for a complete machine audit.”
   • For Eazy Canning machines: given the manual/semi-manual nature, a full check of the seamer/filler frames, integrity of stainless parts, food-grade surfaces and safety systems is prudent.
     
2. Calibration verification and documentation
   
   • For seamers: perform a complete teardown and measurement of sample seams (body hook length, cover hook length, overlap) to ensure machines are still producing to specification.
   • For fillers: verify fill accuracy, gassing system, CIP performance, cleanliness to food-grade standards.
     
3. Operator training refresher & alignment with production changes
   
   • As your product line evolves (different can diameters, heights, beverage or food items), ensure machine settings, tooling and operators are updated. The Eazy Canning website notes that the iKAN accommodates “nearly every size of can across diameters from 200 to 209” and versatility is a feature.
   • Document any changes, update machine logs.
     
4. Review past logged issues and trends
   
   • From your daily/weekly logs, look for recurring issues (e.g., increased scrap, slightly poor seams, slower throughput). Investigate root causes and correct proactively.

Troubleshooting indicators to watch for

If you spot the following signs during your inspection, they indicate deeper issues and should trigger more intensive investigation or support:

• Increased scrap or rejected cans: Higher than normal leak rate, under-seamed cans, lids popping, fill volumes drifting.
• Inconsistent seam geometry: Measured body hook or cover hook falling outside spec, increased variation around circumference of seam. (See defect guide for typical causes and corrective action)
• Unusual noises or vibration: Bearings, rollers or motors may be running rough, suggesting wear.
• Slower throughput or machine stoppages: If the machine is running slower or needs frequent clearing of jams, your guide system, feeder or lifter may be mis-aligned or worn.
• Excessive lubricant/oil in areas where it shouldn’t be: For example oil or grease on the chuck lip can cause slipping or “deadhead” seams.
• Surface damage or corrosion on stainless steel parts: Could affect hygiene, food safety, machine life.
• Operator changes needed: If your team is seeing increased need to tweak settings or restart machine each batch, it may be that tooling is worn and needs replacement.

Best Practices for Inspection & Maintenance Workflow

• Define and document your inspection schedule: Daily, Weekly, Monthly tasks should be clearly assigned to operators and/or maintenance staff. Use a checklist form, ideally with signature and notes.
• Train your operators: Although your machines are designed for simplicity and manual/semi-manual operation, it’s essential that operators know what to look for, how to properly run warm-up cans, how to spot seam or fill quality issues, how to log problems.
• Keep spare parts on hand for high-use items: Chucks, seals, rolls, guides, wear plates. Minimising downtime when replacements are needed is key.
• Maintain cleanliness as a habit: Especially for small-batch operations, spillages or residue build-up can escalate quickly. Make cleaning part of your daily routine.
• Record and review trends: Use the inspection logs to identify patterns (e.g., seams gradually drifting over 2-3 weeks). Trend-analysis helps you schedule pre-emptive maintenance rather than reactive.
• Changeover procedures: When changing can size, product type or batch format, perform a “pre-run” inspection — ensure tooling is changed, machine settings updated, sample cans run and quality verified before full production.
• Use manufacturer’s guidance and support: Although the machines are robust, you should follow your specific Eazy Canning manual’s instructions for lubrication, part replacement, calibration and warranty-compliance. The website states “The machine is designed to be maintenance-free, but routine inspections are recommended.”
• Plan for downtime: Even with preventive care, schedule planned maintenance windows (quarterly or annually) to do deeper inspection, calibration, replacement of suspect parts, full cleaning, and operator refresher.

Conclusion

By implementing a regular inspection routine based on the checklist above, you help ensure that your Eazy Canning machines — whether the iKAN seamer or the FENIX filler — continue to perform reliably, deliver high-quality product, and minimize unplanned downtime. The goal is not only to keep the machine running, but to keep your business running smoothly: maintaining fill/seam precision, ensuring food/beverage safety, and protecting your brand and margin.

Remember: even machines marketed as “maintenance-free” still benefit significantly from consistent, disciplined inspection and care. The cost of an hour of downtime far exceeds the few minutes of daily/weekly inspection. Establish your inspection workflow now, train your team, log your checks, and you’ll be ready to meet the demands of growing your small or medium-scale production with confidence.