PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2012

PREFORM PRODUCTION 19 PET planet insider Vol. 13 No. 03/12 www.petpla.net the machine and cost-optimised produc- tion that the control can be operated even without a lengthy period of training. They have therefore developed a user interface where all the machine operator needs to do is input the preform geom- etry and the control sets all the process parameters automatically. In a second development stage the moulds will be fitted with a transponder to enable the machine to set itself automatically by recourse to the mould data. At the same time the material supply control system communicates with the machine control; here the current parameters are referred back to Material Control by the machine so that the temperature profile in the dryer can be adjusted accordingly. Preform discharge Similarly operator-friendly is the preform discharge. The standard procedure is for the handling system to transfer the preforms to a belt which then delivers the preforms into octabins. For start-up, the system ejects the preforms directly without unload- ing, two belts arranged in L-formation convey the startup preforms out of the machine. The machine is also able to accept single batches from the handling system via the same belt system and convey them to an automatic preform control quality unit. The unloading system is based on a concept by which the three postcooling stations are directly assembled on the take-out plate. The unloading robot has three offset pick-up stations with which it removes the preforms from the mould in a cyclical sequence, cools them over two further cycles and only then does it transfer them to the deposit station. This means that the hot preforms remain in the cooling station. It is only once they have cooled sufficiently that the deposit station picks them up. The take-out plate is driven by a linear motor (without gear box and belt) which converts the kinetic energy back into electrical energy at the deceleration stage. The unloading robot does not have a great deal of time because It is Sacmi’s intention, with the new IPS (Injection Preform System), to offer the convert- ers and bottlers an alternative to other equipment currently on the market. engineering for a better world GEA Procomac S.p.A. 8KC (GFQNƂ 5CNC $CICP\C 2CTOC +VCN[ 2JQPG (CZ UCNGU RTQEQOCE KV"IGCITQWR EQO YYY RTQEQOCE KV )'# 2TQEGUU 'PIKPGGTKPI 2'6 DQVVNG DNQYKPI CPF ƂNNKPI HQT UVKNN CPF ECTDQPCVGF UGPUKVKXG DGXGTCIGU #UGRVKE $NQY (KNN #$( C EQORNGVGN[ PGY EQPEGRV HQT CUGRVKE ƂNNKPI VJG YQTNFoU ƂTUV TQVCT[ CUGRVKE DNQY OQWNFKPI OCEJKPG YKVJ CP KPVGITCVGF CUGRVKE ƂNNGT CPF ECRRGT Anuga FoodTec - Cologne 27-30 March 2012 - Hall 4.1 Stand A031 D038 The Aseptic Way