PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2017

PET products 42 PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 03/17 www.petpla.net Camera system for fill level and cap inspection The growing market for PET applications motivated Filtec to develop an inspection system for fill level and filler manage- ment systems. Currently many customers are using X-ray, gamma rays or HF high frequency (also called radio frequency) technology for the inspection of the correct fill level. All technologies have their pros and cons. While X-ray and gamma system have a very accurate measurement, these systems require a licence to operate the machines. HF systems are less accurate but do not require a licence. All of these systems are limited regarding cap inspec- tions. The trend for lighter caps in order to save material costs increases the risk of high or tilted caps, causing a loss of pres- sure in the bottle. Using a standard sensor to detect a high or tilted cap is said to be not very reliable even if the smallest cap defects or broken tamper bands are detected. Thus Filtec developed the VISIONtec, a camera system for fill level and cap inspection. Using high-resolution cameras enables the system to detect – without any radiation or need of licences – the smallest variation of high fill and low fill as well as high/tilted caps and broken tamper bands. The optional filler valve monitor software informs the operator which filler valve caused a low fill and which capper head created a high or missing cap. This reduces the maintenance time of the filler significantly. Wizards for the changeover process, onscreen manuals and change parts lists are intended to facilitate work processes for operator and maintenance staff. The height adjustment for different bottle types is fully automatic, driven by servo motors at the touch of a button. The same modular machine can also be used for label inspection and sorting applications. This way the plant can standardise on one technology saving costs on operator train- ing and spare parts. The simple tunnel design can easily be installed on existing filling lines. www.filtec.com Maximising packaging versatility For the brewing and beverage industries, flexibility in end-of-the-line packaging is an increasingly important con- sideration. Often individual containers have to be first placed in multipacks, and these then packed in an appropriate sales or outer package. Since both the multipacks and the end- of-the-line packages are subject to changing consumption trends and will vary for different target groups, consumption occasions or export nations, maximised flexibility is imperative. The basic idea involved is that a single machine replaces up to six conventional individual machines linked by convey- ors. With the Varioline of Krones, a combination conjuror, packaging processes involving up to three stages can be handled by a single machine. The consequence is space savings, reduced maintenance work and fewer operators. The modularised Varioline kit consists of three modules, which can be combined to form a customised packaging system. These three units, the cartoning, feed and basic modules, feature an identical basic construction, to create a modularised design concept that ensures flexibility for the future. The machine can handle up to 52,000cph. The Vario- line packaging systems can also be block-synchronised with other machines, such as a Variopac Pro shrink-wrapper, so that besides carton packaging pure and simple the packs can also be wrapped in film. This option is already up and running at three clients, who have thus created maximised flexibility within a machinery block. www.krones.com The leakage check Greater precision when identifying minute leaks: the detection accuracy of the Heuft squeezer QL is claimed to be consider- ably higher compared with other Heuft systems for checking the tightness of plastic containers. The system is of particular interest to fillers of dairy products as the quality inspection focus is on sensitive products such as fresh milk, whey and yoghurt drinks or probiotic beverages. The Heuft squeezer QL even detects microscopically small leaks reliably, says the company. The detection accuracy is four times as high with regard to the size of the hole. This is achieved with a special belt drive which applies a precisely controlled amount of pressure to the containers. These pass through freely with belts which are three times as long as those of the other two versions of the device. This is in order to identify leaks by examining the internal pressure of the container using a comparative fill level measurement in a non-compressed and compressed condition. The longer inspection period provides more detection reliability. A servo control system adjusts the height and the pas- sage width of the belt which is only on one level and the posi- tion of the measuring bridges for the fill level detection completely automatically. This makes it possible to inspect larger plastic containers and elimi- nates maladjustments during a brand change due to operator errors. The belt adapts itself independently to the changed container shape at the push of a button. All the brands which have been read in can be reproduced completely automati- cally. The Heuft squeezer QL also offers proven functions for a closure inspection. www.heuft.com