Cap Torque Calculator

Work out cap torque instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Cap Torque Calculator

The industry rule of thumb sets application torque in inch-pounds at roughly half the cap diameter in millimetres, adjusted for closure type and liner. Removal torque falls to 50-70% of application torque as the liner relaxes, and that removal figure is what determines whether a consumer can open the pack.

Formulas

Application torque

Torque (in-lb) = cap diameter (mm) x torque factor; N.m = in-lb x 0.113

Removal

Expected removal torque = application torque x removal ratio

Worked example

With the default values below, Cap Torque Calculator returns Application Torque of 14.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Cap Diameterminimum 1 mm: 28 mm
Torque Factorminimum 0.05 x diameter: 0.5 x diameter
Removal To Application Ratioaccepts 10–100 %: 60 %
Torque Toleranceaccepts 1–60 %: 20 %

Results

Application Torque: 14.00
Application Torque In Newton-Metres: 1.582
Expected Removal Torque: 8.40
Upper Torque Limit: 16.80

Step by step

1Values used
2Application torque
3Removal
4Application Torque= 14.00
5Application Torque In Newton-Metres= 1.582
6Expected Removal Torque= 8.40
7Upper Torque Limit= 16.80

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if torque is too high?

Liner damage, cap or neck-finish cracking, stress cracking of the bottle over time, and packs consumers cannot open. Too low gives leaks and loss of carbonation or shelf life.

When should removal torque be measured?

After at least 24 hours, and again after temperature cycling. Torque retention drops most in the first day, so a measurement taken at the filler tells you little about the consumer experience.