PETpla.net Insider 06+07 / 2014

PRODUCTS 48 PET planet insider Vol. 15 No. 06+07/14 www.petpla.net Palletiser with low-level pack feed The twin-column Innopal PB1NF palletiser from KHS is a single-station palletising machine with level compen- sation which processes up to 500 layers per hour and has a low-level pack feed. The machine has a cross conveyor built into the front end of the palletiser which can be opened. A barrier construction is used in place of the previous integrated bar construction. This means that after placing the last layer onto the pallet, the cross conveyor no longer has to be raised and wait there until the finished pallet has been discharged from the system, as has been the case to date. Instead, the cross conveyor can travel down to table level before and the new layer picked up during the change of pallet which increases the palletising speed. The Innopal PB1NF is said to also have the benefits associated with a low-level pack feed on palletisers. One of these is that neither a platform nor inclined or spiral conveyors are needed which has the advantage of reduc- ing investment costs and providing good accessibility and ease of operation. Upstream of the Innopal PB1NF palletiser a KHS inline robot grouping can be used where two four-axis Innopal RK4 robots prepare the layers with precision. Pack manipulation elements, such as turn- ing stations, are not needed. Besides cutting costs as a result, other definite benefits compared to conventional systems are gentle pack handling, flexibility, reduced space requirements, less maintenance and fast changeo- vers, says KHS. www.khs.com Single station palletising machine with level compensation packing plastic containers, cans or glass bottles in film, cartons or trays Ease of opening Closure Systems International’s (CSI’s) Aqua-Lok mini 26mm TC (tall cap) is said to provide 57% more grip surface than other 26mm short-height profiles for ease of opening by consumers of all ages. The HDPE closure was designed to provide a balanced combination of bottler savings and enhanced consumer satisfaction. The taller cap is fully com- patible with the popular ultra short-height 1914 PET bottle finish. This new lightweight, 1-piece closure is suitable for bottled water, ready-to-drink teas and other still beverages. By increasing the height of the closure side wall, the CSI designers expanded the knurled gripping area of the clo- sures, making them easier to open, while still fitting the 1914 bottle finish, says CSI. Other features of closure include an extended plug seal for advanced tamper evidence, providing band break prior to seal loss. This seal geometry not only protects the product integrity, but also maximises consumer security. www.csiclosures.com