SankalpAn aluminium ROPP cap has no thread when it leaves the factory, so the bottle’s neck finish is the thread. On glass, the finishes that accept a roll-on pilfer-proof closure are the MCA family, each published by CETIE as a numbered GME data sheet, plus the 38 mm standard ROPP glass finish, GME 401. PCO 1810 and PCO 1881 get quoted in the same conversation, but they are PET finishes and they take moulded plastic closures.
Key takeaways
- CETIE publishes the finish geometry as GME data sheets. MCA 1 is GME 32.05, MCA 3 is GME 32.01, MCA 7.5 R is GME 32.06, the 7.5 RF universal pressure finish is GME 32.02, and GME 401 covers the 38 mm standard ROPP glass finish at 7 turns per inch.
- PCO 1810 and PCO 1881 are 28 mm PET soft drink finishes published by the International Society of Beverage Technologists as drawings 1165362-2 and 3784253-21.
- 26/22 GME 30.40 is a PET finish, listed by CETIE as PET finish 26/22-15,1-1/2,3 for carbonated beverages.
- R Vision’s 28/15 mm closures are supplied against MCA I/II/III, MCA 7.5 R, MCA 7.5 RF and PET BPF finishes. Every other finish named here is industry reference.
The MCA glass finishes
MCA is the family of 28 mm glass screw finishes designed for aluminium roll-on closures. A ROPP shell has no thread until the rollers form one against the glass, using the finish as a mandrel, so the sheet the bottle was cut to is the controlling document rather than the cap drawing. The ROPP capping process walks through that sequence.
| Finish | CETIE data sheet | Scope as published |
|---|---|---|
| MCA 1 | GME 32.05 | 28 mm screw finish for glass containers designated MCA 1 |
| MCA 3 | GME 32.01 | 28 mm screw finish for one-way or returnable glass containers with internal pressure |
| MCA 7.5 R | GME 32.06 | 28 mm screw finish for glass containers, MCA 7,5 R, for returnable glass |
| 7.5 RF universal | GME 32.02 | 28 mm finish for glass containers for pressurised or vacuum liquids |
| 38 mm standard ROPP | GME 401 | 38 mm standard ROPP glass finish, 7 turns per inch |
MCA II appears in supplier listings within the same 28 mm family, but CETIE’s published sheets cover only the four above. If a drawing calls out MCA II, ask the glass supplier which sheet it was cut to. The commercial split in that table is returnable against one-way: MCA 7.5 R is for returnable glass, where the sealing surface survives repeated washing and refilling, while the 7.5 RF universal finish is written for pressurised or vacuum liquids.
PCO 1810 and PCO 1881 are PET, not glass
These two codes come up constantly in Indian bottling conversations, so it is worth being exact. Both are 28 mm carbonated soft drink finishes published by the International Society of Beverage Technologists as voluntary Threadspecs guidelines, and both are PET. PCO is commonly read as “plastic closure only”, and what runs on them is a moulded plastic closure, not a rolled aluminium one.
| Finish | Published as | What separates it |
|---|---|---|
| PCO 1810 | ISBT drawing 1165362-2, 28 mm CSD | The older and taller of the pair, with more thread height on the neck |
| PCO 1881 | ISBT drawing 3784253-21, 28 mm CSD | The shorter lightweight successor, adopted from 2009 onward |
PCO 1881 exists because a shorter finish carries less resin in the preform neck and less material in the closure. That saving is in polymer, not aluminium, because a rolled aluminium cap is not the format these finishes were drawn for. The two are not interchangeable, and a line switching between them changes preform, closure and capping head together.
26/22 GME 30.40
CETIE lists this one as PET finish 26/22-15,1-1/2,3, specified for carbonated beverages up to 10,2 g CO2 per litre in bottles of up to 2,0 litres and up to 8,8 g per litre in bottles up to 3,0 litres. The 26 mm thread diameter is narrower than the 28 mm PCO family, which is the point: less neck, less resin, lighter pack. Read alongside PCO 1810 it shows the direction of travel on the PET side. The glass MCA finishes have stayed put, because an aluminium shell already weighs a fraction of a moulded closure.
Which finishes R Vision supplies to
R Vision manufactures 28/15 mm aluminium ROPP closures and supplies against MCA I, MCA II, MCA III, MCA 7.5 R, MCA 7.5 RF and PET BPF finishes. PET BPF is the PET finish designed to take an aluminium roll-on closure rather than a moulded one, which is why it sits alongside the glass MCAs. Aqua Cap and Bev Cap are both 28/15 mm with a TPE liner and an 8 bar rating, adhering to USFDA and EU standards. Other sizes named here are industry reference.
Confirming your finish before you order
Ask the glass or preform supplier for the finish designation and the drawing number, and check whether that drawing is a CETIE GME sheet, an ISBT Threadspec or a national standard, because the same nominal diameter appears in all three systems. Then send a bottle for a capping trial. How to measure bottle cap size covers the caliper step, neck finish codes and cap sizes explains how a code such as 38-400 is read, and the ROPP cap size chart lists the diameters in use.
Frequently asked questions
What neck finish do ROPP caps use on glass bottles?
The MCA family of 28 mm screw finishes, and the 38 mm standard ROPP glass finish. CETIE publishes these as GME data sheets: MCA 1 as GME 32.05, MCA 3 as GME 32.01, MCA 7.5 R as GME 32.06, the 7.5 RF universal pressure finish as GME 32.02 and the 38 mm ROPP finish as GME 401.
Is PCO 1881 a glass neck finish?
No. PCO 1881 is a 28 mm PET finish for carbonated soft drinks, published by the International Society of Beverage Technologists as drawing 3784253-21, and it takes a moulded plastic closure. Glass bottles that take an aluminium roll-on closure use the MCA finishes instead.
What is the difference between PCO 1810 and PCO 1881?
PCO 1810 is the older and taller finish. PCO 1881 is the shorter lightweight successor adopted from 2009 onward, which removes material from the preform neck and from the closure. They are not interchangeable, so switching between them changes preform, closure and capping head together.
What does 26/22 GME 30.40 mean?
It is a PET neck finish published by CETIE as PET finish 26/22-15,1-1/2,3. CETIE specifies it for carbonated beverages up to 10,2 g of CO2 per litre in bottles of up to 2,0 litres, and up to 8,8 g per litre in bottles up to 3,0 litres.
Which finishes does R Vision supply closures for?
R Vision’s 28/15 mm aluminium closures are supplied against MCA I, MCA II, MCA III, MCA 7.5 R, MCA 7.5 RF and PET BPF finishes. Send a sample bottle or the finish drawing with an enquiry so the closure is matched to the actual geometry rather than to a nominal diameter.
Sources
- CETIE, Finish data sheets (GME), for GME 32.01, GME 32.02, GME 32.05, GME 32.06, GME 30.40 and GME 401.
- International Society of Beverage Technologists, ISBT Threadspecs, for the PCO 1810 and PCO 1881 finish drawings.
- CETIE, guidelines for metallic screw capping, for the glass finishes aluminium roll-on closures are applied to.
R Vision Pvt. Ltd manufactures 28/15 mm aluminium ROPP closures from Sinnar, Nashik. Send your finish drawing or a sample bottle through contact us.