PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2011

TRADE SHOW PREVIEW 26 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 01+02/11 www.petpla.net Blow-moulder/filler monobloc for lower output production Krones has launched a blow-moulder/filler monobloc, under the Kosme brand, aimed at lower-output or mid-tier producers. Synchroblock is designed for production runs of up to 8,000 containers/h. It combines Kosme’s stretch blow- moulding and filling technologies and operates without air conveyors. Simplified machine access allows moulds to be changed quickly and easily. The unit is designed to reduce operating costs, energy consumption and water use, and its cleaner layout is intended to facilitate faster changeover times and lower maintenance costs. An air recycling system is an option. The rotary blow-moulding machine demonstrated at Brau Beviale was rated at 2,000 containers/hr/cavity and able to produce containers ranging from 0.1 to 3.0l. Containers are passed via a transfer table, with transfer starwheels and base cooling by cold water spray, to the isobaric filler, which uses pneumatically controlled Krones VKP filling valves. The closer is incorporated with the filler, saving space. Several closers can be integrated in parallel. Synchroblock can be used for soft drinks, still water and beer. Krones also unveiled its new range of EvoGuard valves, which have been designed to be suitable for all commonly-used connec- tion variants in the food and beverage industries. The valves incorporate standardised parts for double-seal, axial and radial seals. www.krones.com Stretch sleeves offer new options  The Brau provided CCL with the opportunity to present its Triple S technology. The technology is a traditional stretch sleeve with a difference. Accord- ing to CCL, the range of containers which can be labelled using stretch sleeves has opened up. Instead of being limited to containers with par- allel or slightly curved label panels, CCL Label’s Super Stretch Sleeve (or Triple S) will allow customers to apply sleeves to bottles which could previously only be labelled with shrink sleeves. Features The high elasticity of the Triple S film, cou- pled with stretchable inks applied on a 10-colour press means that Triple S applications would typically use some 39% less material than a comparable shrink sleeve. Additional cost savings also on the application as there is no shrink tunnel neede compared to shrink tech- High speed lines sorted with precision The BBull Tech- nology group of com- panies with offices in Königsbach-Stein, Germany, was pre- senting its ”Centro Snake“ transfer system. It was actually developed for fast-running can- ning lines but is also capable of processing any other type of container. Because of its unusual transfer technology featuring fingers which do not extend as we have been used to seeing them in the past but instead retract, each of the receptacles/containers can be tracked in exact syn- chronisation with the belt speed. This means that even “difficult“ containers, for instance, unstable or empty PET bottles, can be transferred with precision and without fall- ing over. “Centro Snake“ is also suited to sample trans- fers (samplings). With this it is possible for entire samples series or even specifically targeted individual bottles to be extracted. Something else that is very interesting is a new application using “Stratec Image 4000“. In addition to the checks on level, labelling quality (positioning, askew, cor- rect label), seal quality (fitting, height, broken links, colour and logo) or the text of the label (date of bottling, MFD, lot/ batch number) that we are used to seeing with BBull, this is special in that it makes it possible to check the quality of the plastic snap-rings. What used to be a reliable possibil- ity only with a very high level of expenditure can now be achieved by “Stratec Image 4000“ using simple means. ”Stratec Compact Vision“ has been developed for small and medium-sized businesses. www.bbull.de nologies. Natural elasticity is all that is required to hold the sleeve in place. When the environmental footprints of both Triple S and other labelling types (Shrink, OPP wraparound and RoSo) are compared, Triple S comes out on top by a clear margin. Triple S license By acquiring a license for CCL´s patented label appli- cation process, Krones has obtained development and global marketing rights for TripleS. Canada-based CCL and Krones market the TripleS technology together, mainly to the beverage and dairy industries. The company maintains that TripleS sleeves are particularly well suited to individu- ally designed and strikingly shaped containers. It is also confident companies that have committed to eco-awareness will be keen to examine the technology. This is because of the implications in terms of material usage and the recycla- bility of the container dress. www.ccllabel.com/voelkermarkt