Case/tray packer

Douglas Machine Inc. added a new horizontal case/tray packer to its line of packaging machinery. The Invex IM offers an economical, high-performance solution for mid-range case packing applications to pack cartons, bundles, cans and bottles into corrugated cases and trays at rates of up to 80 cases a minute, the company says. Featuring a methodology that eliminates the use of less efficient air cylinders and the plowing of flaps, the machine is able to maintain precise control over flap folding, case squaring and glue compression, resulting in higher quality cases and greater reliability, it says. The machine also is flexible and easy to changeover for a wide range of products and case sizes, it adds.

• Douglas Machine Inc., 3404 Iowa St., Alexandria, Minn. 56308; 320/763-6587; douglas-machine.com.

Working with liquid nitrogen

Vacuum Barrier Corp. added a sealed vacuum to its Modulating Valve Liquid Nitrogen Phase Separator and now offers its Modulating Valve and Sensor Control Phase Separators with the choice of either a sealed or dynamic vacuum. The phase separators provide the delivery of low-pressure liquid nitrogen to each use point for on-demand supply, the company says.  Combined with Vacuum Barrier’s Semiflex Triax liquid nitrogen piping, the equipment eliminates two-phase flow to all use points, and all losses of the total system are vented into the atmosphere, it says. Made of austenitic stainless steel and a vacuum jacket, the product also includes a liquid level display, inlet pressure gauge and reservoir safety relief valve, it adds.

• Vacuum Barrier Corp., 4 Barten Lane, Woburn, Mass. 01801; 781/933-3570; vacuumbarrier.com.

Second-life shipping

CTC Plastics created reusable shipping pallets that are 100 percent recyclable. The company uses Lehigh Technologies’ Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP), which is made from end-of-life tire material. MRP, which is made from 100 percent recycled material, is designed to perform like virgin material but costs less, the company says. These pallets offer both a material cost savings to customers and can help them reduce their carbon footprints, it says. The company also promises to buy back any damaged or end-of-life pallets to be used in the next generation of plastic products.

• CTC Plastics, 401 N. Keowee St., Dayton, Ohio 45404; 937/228-2880; ctcplastics.com.

Safety guides

ABB Jokab Safety released two new safety guidebooks and product catalogs: the “Machine Safety Systems and Components Compendium” and the “Safety Switches and Emergency Stops” catalog.  The 564-page “Compendium” offers in-depth information about machine safety subjects and provides guidelines on issues such as strategic machine safety planning, how and where to upgrade, and solidifying the commitment to machine safeguarding, as well as explanations of common safety terminology, information on national safety directives and standards, and the primary safety standards for organizations and information sources. Also included are technical data, installation diagrams and performance metrics for all ABB Jokab Safety products. The “Switches” catalog contains technical and installation information about ABB Jokab’s line of machine safety switches, including solenoid locking switches and non-contact switches, which are designed for a variety of applications. Hard copies can be obtained by contacting jokabnaorderentry@us.abb.com, and PDFs for both catalogs can be downloaded from jokabsafetyna.com.

• ABB Jokab Safety, 6471 Commerce Drive, Westland, Mich. 48185; 888/282-2123; jokabsafetyna.com.

Leak-testing equipment

Air Logic Power Systems (ALPS) LLC launched three new pieces of leak-testing technology: the LF-BLI benchtop lid deflection leak testing system for blister packs and pouches, the LF-S benchtop single-head leak testing machine for filled packages, and the Speed-Glider multiple-station linear system for the leak testing of empty containers. The LF-BLI uses off-line, non-destructive, pressure-sensing technology in a vacuum to detect lid deflection and inspect package integrity for blisters and pouches, the company says. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration-compliant stainless steel tester offers a “gross” and “fine” leakage detection range and can detect micro leaks with guaranteed 99 percent reliability, it says. The human-machine interface (HMI) displays both the test result status and, in the case of non-conformity, the location of the failure. The LF-S also tests one container at a time in an off-line, non-destructive testing chamber under vacuum pressure through a process compliant with the ASTM F2338-09 industry standard. It offers fully automated test cycle sequencing with the manual loading and unloading of containers; high-leak detection sensitivity; and fast, reliable and repeatable test results. Like the LF-BLI, this tester offers “gross” and “fine” leakage detection, and its HMI displays the test result status, including test data and pressure/vacuum curves, and the locations of any failures. The compact, stainless steel machine also is connectable via Standard RS232/USB/Ethernet. The Speed-Glider moving head leak tester is a multiple-station continuous motion linear machine that is designed for inspection speeds up to 250 containers a minute or 15,000 containers an hour for containers that are 8 to 64 ounces in volume with dimensions up to 5 inches by 5 inches by 14 inches. Positive container handling and control is accomplished through the use of a precision timing screw for each container type that also minimizes jams and false rejects and prevents untested containers from passing through the system, the company says.  Common applications for the Speed-Glider include the following blow-molding processes: two-stage injection-stretch blow molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers, reciprocating screw extrusion blow molded bottles, continuous extrusion blow molded (wheel) bottles, and intermittent extrusion blow molded (EBM shuttle) bottles produced on long stroke machines, it adds.

• Air Logic Power Systems (ALPS) LLC, 1745 S. 38th St., Suite 100, Milwaukee, Wis. 53215; 414/671-3332; alpsleak.com.

Design and color solutions

Esko launched two new products to address needs within the printing supply chain: its Suite 12 portfolio of packaging design and workflow solutions, and PantoneLive, an end-to-end color management and color communication solution. Esko Suite 12, which features Esko’s WebCenter 12, Automation Engine 12, Color Engine 12, Studio 12 and the version 12 editions of flagship editors ArtiosCAD, PackEdge, ArtPro and DeskPack, closely integrates all of these flagship tools and engines through mobile collaboration and Web-based packaging management, the company says. The program also includes 3-D functionality for designing and showcasing 3-D packaging. Its Store Visualizer feature also gives designers and their clients a view of the virtual packaging as it would look on a store shelf next to competitive products. PantoneLive, a product of X-Rite, an Esko subsidiary, delivers an end-to-end color management and color communication solution that addresses the needs and requirements of nearly all of the disciplines within the print supply chain. The program can be used to identify accurate color specifications based on available substrates, print processes, inks and application methods; share selected color palettes with others on the design team to ensure accurate color use; and ensure that spot colors are created precisely. The program stores data in a cloud-based environment for easy access and sharing.

• Esko USA, 8535 Gander Creek Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342; 937/454-1721; esko.com. 

Bamboo-shaped bottles

BevMarketing Group Co. Inc. launched a new 16-ounce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Bamboo beverage container. The all-natural, bamboo-shaped bottle is ideal for ambient or cold-filled drinks, such as waters, teas and juices, and offers a differentiated shelf presence for marketing, the company says. With a 28-mm plastic closure only (PCO) finish, the new Bamboo bottle is clear and shatter-resistant and has a strong base for filling line stability, it says. The sleek bamboo shape also offers excellent grippability and pouring ease, and the screw cap complements the packaging shape, it adds. Company branding also can easily be applied to the surface of the bottle and cap, it says.

 • BevMarketing Group Co. Inc., 505 N. Robertson Drive, West Hollywood, Calif. 90048; 323-622-8633; bevmarketing.com.