PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2019

BOTTLING / FILLING PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 01+02/19 www.petpla.net 15 air conveyor between the blower and the filler. SMI says that it is a compact and flexible solution for creating bot- tles with either flat or sports caps. The blower has lower energy consump- tion than comparable previous models because its preform heater module is equipped with high efficiency IR lamps. The stretch-blow moulding module features a double-stage air recovery reduces energy costs associated with high air compression. Wrapping and palletising Downstream of the production unit, the LSK 25T shrink wrapper wraps 500ml bottles in 4x3, 5x4 and 6x4 film-only, in double lane 3x2 film- only, and in 4x3 and 6x4 tray plus film collations. The larger, 1,500ml bottles are collated in 4x3 and 3x2 film-only, and 4x3 tray plus film arrangements. SMI says that it is designed for easy format changeovers, within a compact but ergonomic structure that allows installation even in restricted spaces, while remaining easily accessible even to less skilled operators. An LWP 30 wrap-around packer also handles 500ml and 1,500ml with either flat or sports cap in film- only collations arriving from the LSK 25T shrink wrapper. Already packed 3x2 (500ml and 1,500ml) bottles are packed in wrap-around corrugated cardboard boxes in 4x3 and 4x6 for- mats. 1,500ml loose bottles are packed in wrap-around corrugated cardboard in 3x4 and 4x6 layouts. The wrap-around packaging system is equipped with a mechanical device that groups products and forms the cardboard box around the transit- ing bottles without having to stop the machine. The solution is suitable for a package that is resistant to impacts and can protect the product during transport. The cardboard boxes can be graphically personalised to capture consumers’ attention, offering greater opportunities for marketing and pro- motion. The APS 1550P palletising system provides fully automatic load- ing of 1,016x1,219mm USA pallets. Ice Age Glacial Water Company says that increases in demand and sales put unsustainable pressure on its previous system. When it decided to invest in upgrading its production processes, technologies and capacity, it determined that it required a solu- tion that would be able to work with functional efficiently of at least 95%, across a range of different contain- ers and formats. Flexibility was also a key feature, in order that it could react immediately to even the earliest and slightest signal in the fast-changing water industry. The company expects that the trend away from sugary and carbon- ated drinks and towards healthier alternatives will continue, and that minimally-processed glacier water is well placed to meet this demand. www.smigroup.it C L O S U R E I N S P E C T I O N The new CapWatcher ® Q-Line Brings the quality lab to the production line