PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2013

PRODUCTS 86 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 09/13 www.petpla.net Fit to shrink KHS has announced two new shrink packer developments intended to respond to industry demands for economy and sustainability. Before it actually wraps packaging units, shrink film is unwound from the reel, spread, and then cut to the specified length. KHS’ new Innopack Kisters packaging machines spread packaging film with the help of air-covered diverter rails, which reduce compressed air consumption by as much as 90%, the company claims. The air itself acts as a lubricating film so that the wrapping film is conveyed with as little friction as possible, minimising the possibility of damage. Compressed air is, traditionally, supplied through a number of 1mm holes in the rails, a process that consumes a lot of air. The new development uses diverter rails made of a microporous material, which allows air to flow through very fine hairline cracks. The resulting lubricating effect is much more evenly spread than formerly, which means that less air is needed – up to 90% less, in testing. At the same time, potentially damaging friction is also greatly reduced and, as the new diverter rails prevent crease formation, there is no need to respool the film to meet different process requirements, which helps to shorten changeover time. KHS says that the system can be retrofitted on existing machinery and ROI is in about 18 months. KHS’ new distance sensor helps to maximise film use and minimise wastage, which it says leads to significant material savings. The sensor is calibrated to the size of the reel centre before the machine is started. It contains a laser which enables film to be processed until a layer only about two millimetres thick remains. It has, until now, been common for around a cen- timetre thickness of film – weighing about a kilogram – to remain on each reel. Assuming two-shift production runs for 300days/a, a single-lane machine work- ing at 80 cycles a minute and equipped with the new sensor can save up to 12t of material. Assuming printed film costs €3.20/kg, KHS says that it can help to save more than €38,000/a. The new distance sensor can also be quickly and easily retrofitted into existing machinery. www.khs.com