PETpla.net Insider 10 / 2016

INSPECTION 28 PET planet Insider Vol. 17 No. 10/16 www.petpla.net In addition to reducing process variation and ensuring uniform bottle production, the Agr automated control system provides a critical stream of information that supports a proactive approach to blowmoulder mainte- nance. Sanpellegrino technicians look at data captured by the Process Pilot to uncover process trends over several days of production. Deviations can signal potential trouble spots, indicat- ing, for example, the need for mainte- nance on a particular blowing station or problems developing in a mould. “This helps us drive maintenance where it’s needed,” Chimetto says. There are now five Agr systems managing material distribution on Nestlé PET production lines through- out Italy. Lightweighting, Round 1 The Process Pilot has allowed Sanpellegrino to move its lightweight- ing plans forward with confidence, knowing that in the new bottles the right amount of material will wind up in the right place. Lightweighting has long been a Sanpellegrino goal, not only for savings in material costs, but also for advancing the corporate sus- tainability programme. At the same time, “what is right for the consumer is not automatically the lowest weight,” Chimetto remarks. It is critical for the customer to have the same repeated experience grasping, opening, and handling the bottle in order to protect the brand and retain market share. The first light- weighting project designated for the Sanpellegrino/Agr collaboration was an effort targeting a 22% reduction in total bottle weight - a massive oppor- tunity for material cost savings. The focus was a half- liter round Levis- sima bottle pro- duced on a Sidel Series II Combi blowmoulder with blowing and filling integrated in one system. Despite the blowmoulder’s stable operating history, at produc- tion speeds approaching 40,000bph, this “was not a straight-forward task,” Chimetto recalls. The processing window nar- rows significantly on lighter bottles when they are produced on faster machines. “We need to strike the right balance between performance and weight. There is no margin left - every bottle must be blown properly,” he comments. The impact of poor bottle quality shows up immediately in downstream handling. Bottles that are not prop- erly blown can fall over, interrupting or stopping operations in the capper and labeller, wasting valuable produc- tion time. Bottles that are not strong enough to support the vertical load create additional stress in the labe- ling, while, if the neck has “suffered” from excessive heating, the capping functions are also badly impacted. From a marketing perspective, the consequences are just as serious: substandard bottles that lean create a very poor customer experience. Sampling bottle quality is not the answer in the high-production environment. According to Chimetto, “You must do either a very robust and aggressive sampling effort, which is marginally effective and labor inten- sive, as by the time you do the sam- pling and measurement, the bottles are already in the capper and labeller. Or you equip the blowmolder with an automated measurement and man- agement system such as the Process Pilot. If you do not do this, you take risks that either result in a drop in efficiency or customer complaints, or both.” Together Sanpellegrino and Agr refined the parameters for the half- liter bottle, bringing it into full-scale production in 2010. “With the Process Pilot installed on this line, managing the process, we were able to reduce the weight of our half-liter bottle to 9.5g while maintain- ing a very stable process,” notes the packaging manager. Lightweighting, Round 2 Sanpellegrino recently took deliv- ery of three additional Process Pilots. One of these will be mated with the new Sidel Matrix Combi blowing/fill- ing/capping systems as the company upgrades older lines originally config- ured with independent blowmoulders, airveyors and fillers. As part of the corporate-wide move toward stand- ardised production lines, the Combi platform was attractive for its smaller footprint, gentler handling of bottles before filling, and eliminating the need for airveyors. One of the first applications for the new equipment line-up is remov- ing further material from a 2l square bottle, reducing the weight down below 28g. Given Sanpellegrino’s vast bottle volumes, the weight sav- ings promises a significant return on investment, but, once again, there are a few production issues to resolve. “A square bottle is very difficult to produce. Unfortunately, they do not make a square preform,” Chimetto quips. It is not only the stretching of the round preform into a square shape that presents a challenge. Attaining exacting standards of material distri- bution is critical for bottle performance and the customer experience. Weigh- ing two kilos when filled, the bottle has to be convenient and reliable in consumer use. “Just to lift a bottle of this size requires some squeeze to ensure a proper grip,” he explains. “What hap- pens when the cap is removed? We must take into consideration the feel, Nestlé Waters Levissima plant