PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2017

INSPECTION 14 PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 03/17 www.petpla.net Inspection systems at a glance Check first! As part of a holistic approach to quality con- trol in preform production, PETplanet Insider showcases in its very first market survey this year (issue 1+2/2017) technical facts about preform inspection systems. On the follow- ing pages, our special on ‘inspection systems’ covers trends and practical methods of quality inspection systems relating to the PET bottle. The first article of Pressco Technology covers new chal- lenges in the all impacting PET bottle inspection; for the company these challenges include faster line speeds, light-weighting of bot- tles and closures, increased use of post-consumer regrind (PCR) material; and close-coupled blow-fill lines. At the K trade fair 2016, Dr Gerd Fuhrmann from Intravis told us about the LayerWatcher which is able to visualise the structure of layers in preforms, using measurements with infrared light. The non-destructive imaging device delivers an accurate picture of a virtual cut through the preform wall. Spencer Whale, Technical Sales Manager of Plastic Pack- aging Torus Measurement Systems sums up that the plastic packaging industry continues to push the boundaries of technol- ogy and innovation. The report focuses on the pressure on plastic converters to produce more environmentally friendly & low cost solutions resulting in advanced packaging designs. According to him this has increased the need for more stringent quality controls with a focus on traceability right the way through the process. Vertical resistance, pressure resistance, creep, CO 2 retention, performance in filling, transportation and storage are all affected by a bottle’s wall thickness: The company FocalSpec introduces their unique sensor technology for wall thickness measurement. Sacmi shows their new and updated version of the high speed preform inspection system: PVS-3. The system uses polarised light for detecting any inclusions. The beauty & home, food & bev- erage and pharma packaging AptarGroup uses Sesotec metal separators to protect its machines and avoid product contami- nation. Metal separators are used in the production of caps for beverages and other liquids. AGR inducts us in the core of its automated laboratory test cell which is a precision pick and place with an industrial robot that manages sample selection, placement of samples into the appropriate test station and the transfer of samples from one sta- tion to the next. The brand Rivella has been relying on Tanner systems including the Ultra Clean Aseptic line containing the components for loading, conveying, sorting and inspection of the preforms. The line extends over two floors and feeds the aseptic blowing filling bloc with the checked preforms. IMD s team asks: how can a closure truly be 100% inspected without a conveying system hiding a part of it? Customers invest in a vision inspection system with five or even six cameras but they do not inspect the most visible aspects, namely the face of the closure. The solution: flying caps! INSPECTION S P E C I A L stf·sorting line stf·washing line professional plastic recycling solutions – made in germany The stf· group is the leading manufacturer of plastic sorting and washing machinery, especially for PET post-consumer bottles, with more than 60 turn-key plants and several single machines delivered worldwide. stf·group Industriestr. 1-3 94529 Aicha v. Wald – Germany fon +49 8544 960-110 mail contact@stf-group.de web www.stf-group.de scan for vCard stf ·group