PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2018

BOTTLE MAKING 12 PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 07+08/18 www.petpla.net “Smart” bottling lines to be more competitive Italian company SMI S.p.A.’s latest range of bottling and packaging machines are equipped with Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 (4IR) compliant technologies. The intention is to enable customers to install “smart” solutions that will help to improve production effi- ciency, operational flexibility, energy saving and ease of use and control. Its EBS K Ergon rotary stretch blow moulder and Ecobloc K Ergon integrated system feature a compact footprint, which bring advanced solutions within reach of smaller bottling plants. The EBS K project has won a number of awards for SMI from Italy and across Europe. An example from the range will be showcased at the Brau Beviale exhibition, to be held in Nuremberg, November 13-15, 2018. The new rotary blow moulder is available in 2, 3 and 4-cavity models and is suitable for manufacturing PET containers up to 3 l with a capacity of 1,000-9,000 bph. SMI says that it com- bines the advantages of rotary tech- nology with speeds usually associated with linear stretch blow moulders. Compact and integrated The letter ‘K’ in the EBS K Ergon range title comes from the German word “kompakt” and highlights the machine module’s reduced dimen- sions. The preform heating tunnel is integrated with the stretch blow moulding blowing wheel in a single, very compact module, which can be installed in even the smallest bottling lines. The tunnel features a horizontal preform feeder chain and optimised ventilation and aeration system. The infrared (IR) lamp heating units are equipped with thermo- reflective panels made of a highly energy-efficient composite material, mounted both in front and behind them. This solution ensures more effective reflection of the IR lamps’ heat and, consequently, a more uniform distribution of heat over the entire surface of the preform. The inside of the tunnel is also equipped with an aluminium diffuser, to pro- vide optimal temperature control and prevent overheating problems. The machine frame containing the tunnel and the blowing wheel is equipped with safety doors that are slightly rounded, providing more space inside the machine to perform cleaning and maintenance tasks easily and safely. Electronic power for precision The stretch blowing wheel is equipped with motorised stretch rods, controlled by electronic drives. They do not require mechanical cams. SMI says that this solution ensures precise control of the stretch rod’s path and position, as well as saving energy. This technology makes it possible to change the stretching speed without switching cams and greatly reduces vibration stress on the blowing wheel, compared to traditional solutions. The Ergon range has a completely electronic production process and transmission system, using brush- less motors equipped with integrated digital servo-drivers. This design is said to be offering customers low operating and maintenance costs, low energy consumption and eco-friendly processes. The stretch blow moulding system uses high-performance, low-dead volume valves. This facilitates shorter preblowing and blowing times, boost- ing machine efficiency and bottle quality. The system’s control and auto- mation is by the established MotorNet System, which ensures the main- tenance of processing parameters throughout the entire manufacturing cycle and enables the direct modifica- tion of machine settings, thus simpli- fying format changeovers. Blowing pressure is automatically regulated according to bottle format, completely eliminating manual adjustments. The new machine has a two-stage air recovery system as standard.