PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2013

PET products 46 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 07+08/13 www.petpla.net Automatic burst expansion tester Versatile says that its JJ139 automatic PET burst expan- sion tester. increases testing frequency while reducing labour costs significantly. It is equipped with a 16 head load and performs automatic testing of hold, expansion percent- age, expansion ml/cc, and burst pressure, which means that operators do not need to spend hours in front of manual gauges. The company claims that data output quality is also improved by the JJ139’s automation of the entire measure- ment test cycle, which means that data is completely free from operator influence. Other features of the machine include ethernet, usb and RS232 port for program updating/ data exports, a 15” colour LCD touch screen and a rugge- dised V2 embedded microprocessor, which requires no PC. Coca-Cola Amatil in New Zealand has installed Versatile Technology’s JJ139 www.versatiletechnology.com.au SFR Evolution The latest rotary stretch-blow moulding machines from Sipa are claimed to be faster, more versatile and more efficient than their predecessors. The SFR EVO 3 model range is available in versions with 6, 8, 12 and 16 cavities. A new 10-cavity platform and larger units, with 20 and 24 cavities, will be launched later in 2013. Developments in the machines include new designs in the clamp unit and in the cams, which help to achieve a maximum output rate of 2,250bph/cavity. The more com- pact blowing valve block has 35% less “dead air” volume. Mechanical compensation is also available in the blow- ing process. In traditional pneumatic compensation, the total stroke is made with high pressure blowing air; the new new mechanical system uses high pressure blowing air only on the final fraction of a millimetre. The company says that this leads to a major reduction in air consump- tion, particularly with smaller bottles. The SFR EVO 3 ’s ‘green’ ovens offer reductions in electrical consumption of up to 40%, compared with previous generations. Process conditions are kept stable by new lamps, along with spe- cial materials and coatings for the reflectors. Electrically- driven stretching rods are also available. Sipa asserts that they are more versatile than pneumatic drives in fine- tuning the process. Stretch rod timing, speed, accelera- tion and distance are all controlled from the machine con- troller (HMI). Electric drives also enable the company’s Sincro Bloc integrated blowing and filling system to match blowing operations to different filler speeds and to elimi- nate the need for a stretch rod decelerator and stretching cam, which helps shorten changeover times. These are also cut by a new mould changeover system. Sipa claims that the SFR EVO 3 is now easier to convert from produc- tion of hot-fill to cold-fill containers because the cooling circuit is now built into the cavity. www.sipa.it Green light for GreenLyte US company Portola Packaging, Inc., has announced the introduction of GreenLyte plug-seal, high-density poly- ethylene (HDPE) 38mm closures for single and multiserve, hot-fill and aseptic beverage packaging applications. Por- tola claims that its new product presents a cost-effective alternative to traditional two-piece PP closures typically used for juices, ready-to-drink teas, isotonics, enhanced waters, low-acid nutraceuticals, and aseptic-filled beverage products. The company asserts that the one-piece design reduces cost through lightweighting, liner elimination and the lower cost of the material itself. The liner has been eliminated through a change in design. Portola Packaging says that it is among the first North American manufacturers to commercially produce linerless closures that can meet the requirements of hot-fill, extended shelf life and aseptic applications. www.portpack.com DryBlock final packaging Italian packaging specialist Ocme says that its DryBlock integrated final packaging system offers a solution that takes up less space than its predecessors, and eliminates synchro- nisation problems associated with bottle in-feed at shrink- wrapping machines and at palletiser infeed. The system takes up less space because it requires fewer conveyors, less accumulation and eliminates the need for dividers. It is capa- ble of handling either cylindrical or non-cylindrical bottles, including square packages, as well as being able to deal with different quantities. Outfeed can be on single or double lanes and a single operator can run a line for 36.000bph. It can be delivered completely assembled ready to be installed. www.ocme.it Dehumidifier Moretto’s OTX Spyro hopper features a number of changes from previous models. The new shape is designed to solve falling flow problems and is claimed to allow more efficient management and control of the drying process. The company says that it provides a stable airflow and even temperature, leading to optimal treatment of each granule and enabling significant energy savings, compared to conventional hoppers. The new hopper features ‘shockproof’ Spyro finishing, which is claimed to improve damage resistance. www.moretto.com