PETpla.net Insider 07 / 2017

PREFORM PRODUCTION PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 07/17 www.petpla.net 24 Reduced drop height of preforms into tipper brings benefits Gentle and quiet Less noise, improved quality: KHS Corpoplast GmbH has developed a new system for preform processing. With the InnoPET Silent TipTainer PET preforms are fed to the sorting unit espe- cially gently. This results in a considerable reduction in the amount of noise around the tilter. “With the Silent TipTainer we’re achieving a much lower preform rejection rate than has been the case to date,” explains Alexander Heller, technical project manager and devel- oper for preform conveying systems at KHS Corpoplast. The reason for this is that the drop height of the PET pre- forms into the tipper has been greatly reduced. Where the rejection rate was previously at 3%, just 0.25 to 0.3% of all preforms are now damaged during tilting or by bumping into one another as they fall. The lower drop height and smooth tipping in stages not only mean that preforms are handled more gently and that there are fewer breakages on the necks; the adapted tipping process also results in perceptibly lower noise levels. KHS measurements record a maximum of 80dB(A). The closed system also ensures that values of up to 110dB(A) are no longer standard. By reducing the amount of noise pol- lution occupational safety is improved further for operators working near the tipper. Best product quality is obtained by filling the optimised box tilter silo unit by up to two preform loads. At a higher preform density damage can be caused by the pre- forms falling onto one another. In the compact and hygienic Silent TipTainer the risk of contamination by dust or other foreign matter is reduced. Retrofits on existing lines possible The system is not just installable on new lines; it can also be retrofitted in existing and older plant engineer- ing. All that the customer’s individual setup may require is a suitable soft- ware update. The Silent TipTainer is also flex- ible in its operation; the elevator can be connected inline or on both sides of the Silent TipTainer and operated from the right or left. At Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG the system has already been in operation for six months where the low preform rejec- tion rate is especially appreciated. “Converting from the conven- tional box tilter to the Silent TipTainer reduces the number of rejections on downstream control units and upholds our high demand for quality while lowering rejection rates,” states Dieter Kuhl, head of Non-returnables Pro- duction at the mineral water bottling plant in Gerolstein, Germany. In addi- tion, known flaws on the neck, which can lead to a loss of CO 2 among other problems, have also been reduced. www.khs.com In converting from the conventional box tilter to the Silent TipTainer Gerolsteiner upholds its high demand for quality while lowering rejection rates. Gerolsteiner also invested in KHS sys- tems for efficient mineral water bottling in 2016. Gerolsteiner has been using the Silent TipTainer for more than six months now. The main features of the Silent TipTainer are its greatly reduced noise level and gentle preform handling.