PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2013

PET products 38 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 05/13 www.petpla.net Bottling of still water under ultraclean conditions KHS has launched a new mini hygiene housing for the ultraclean filling of water in PET bottles. The base of the mini hygiene housing is closed. The filling area is completely sealed and thus protected from any outside influences. The system takes up 30% less space compared to standard systems. The mini hygiene housing is designed for equipment where the stretch blow moulder is monoblocked with a filling machine. If required, it can also be used where bottles are fed in by an air conveyor. When using the mini hygiene housing sterile air is permanently applied to the transfer stars leading to the filler section. Here, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are integrated into the system to provide a constant supply of ster- ile air. In the filler and capper area the flow of sterile air, which is kept at a slight overpressure, is conducted parallel to the bottle flow up to the point where the bottles leave the system. Pressure control and pressure monitoring equipment can be included as options. The air in the system is removed through openings in the upper and lower area of the machine. After the capping process the sterile air can be optionally extracted and discharged. The setup includes an Innofill NV filling system which processes various sizes of bottle holding from 0.1 to 3l at rates of between 15,000 to 72,000bph. Systems for different types of bottle necks are available. The Innofill NV non-contact filling process features a free-flow filling valve. The closure system is an Innofill SV-ACF, a computer-controlled screw capper. Capping movements are separated into rotational and vertical motions. Cleaning nozzles for automatic sanitising of the system have been installed. The system is fitted with glass doors. The transfer stars and filler and capper have separate servo drives. The filler/capper monoblock encased in the mini hygiene housing and stretch blow moulder are controlled by the KHS operator panel with an integrated RFID system. www.khs.com PET Power flips its lid PET Power is expanding its standard range of closures to include a flip-top closure for its 82mm PET jars. This special closure, whose dispensing hole is covered with a lid, can be supplied with or without an Induction Heat Seal (IHS liner), which provides tamper-evident protection. Tamper Evidence can also be created by a sleeve over the entire pack. The 82mm neck finish is generally used for 500 ml and larger jars. The flip-top lid, in combination with the IHS liner, makes the jar suitable for a range of foods, including herbs and other powdered products. The closure is supplied in a range of standard colours, but any colour variant can be supplied, subject to minimum order quantity. Samples of the cap (with or without a matching jar) can be requested by email from PET Power. www.petpower.eu Dispensing valve Bericap has announced that it has acquired the assets and technology to manufac- ture a dispensing valve, which it has named BeriValve. It is manufac- tured from TPE mate- rial, which means that it will not contaminate the PET recycling stream. BeriValve has been on the market for several years prior to the acqui- sition by Bericap and is to be found in applica- tions such as ketchups, chocolate sauces and bodycare products, as well as being used in the pharmaceutical industry. The company says it can be used with all viscous products, including some containing solid pieces. Bericap offers a range of hinge closures for insertion of the BeriValve and also has the capacity to develop customised closures. www.bericap.com Thermoscan spins up According to Blow Moulding Technologies (BMT), tempera- ture is the most important variable in the blow-moulding pro- cess but industry has had no means of determining an accu- rate measurement of it – until now. BMT’s recently-launched THERMOscan device is claimed to enable PET convertors to measure the temperature of the preform post-heating, enabling better understanding of the process. THERMOscan is the only instrument currently available that scans both the inside and outside surface of the preform. A plot of profiles of both surfaces enables the operator to make more informed decisions about oven setup. The company says that its technology can help to improve process set-up, product design and resource manage- ment resources, among other opportunities. BMT was formed in 2012 as a spin-out from Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has already secured sales to leading companies in the field, including converters and machine manufacturers. The research group that developed it has a strong track record in the field of research of the stretch blow moulding process. and is responsible for a number of innovations and improvements in the knowledge of the process. www.bmt-ni.com