Bottle Unscrambler
Nalbach Engineering Co. expanded on its product
solutions for plastic bottle unscrambling with the release of NECOSORT-III,
third generation unscrambler. The machine sorts a range of bottle types and
its design consists of a rotating vertical hopper and only two moving
parts. NECOSORT-III’s design employs a sorting hopper that is turned
vertically, significantly reducing the overall footprint of the system for
easy integration into tight production areas. Only two moving parts in the
whole system, one of which sorts and moves all of the bottles to the
discharge starwheel and the second being the discharge starwheel itself,
means significantly less maintenance and downtime. The system is tolerant
of damaged bottles keeping high speed production lines such as soft drink,
juice and water filling lines in operation. —
Nalbach Engineering Corp., 621 East Plainfield Road, Countryside,
Ill. 60525; 708/579-9100; nalbach.com.
Sleeve labeler system
Linker Equipment released the SL-Series of Systems for
shrink-sleeve labeling applications. These systems include a stainless
steel conveyor and tunnel, matched to a plc-controlled and servo-driven
labeler. System speeds range from 150 to 300 ppm with the choice of steam
or electric tunnels. — Linker Equipment
Corp., 5 Evans Terminal Rd., Hillside, N.J. 07205; 908/353-0700;
linkercorp.com.
Gravity-fill bottling
Evergreen Packaging Equipment’s BFCG-32/16 offers
an economical solution to gravity-fill bottling needs. This fully CIPable
machine fills 8-, 16- and 32-ounce bottles at speeds up to 400 bottles per minute and includes an integrated screw capper. Extended life
options include HEPA and auto sanitize. The machine’s features are
specifically designed to allow for maximum product shelf life along with
superior in-plant performance. —
Evergreen Packaging Equipment, 2400 Sixth Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
52406; 319/399-3200; evergreenpackaging.com.
Bottle, can spiralveyor
AmbaFlex introduced the SVM (MultiLane) for single row
or mass flow of bottles, cans and containers, showing that spiralveyors are
not just for cartons or trays anymore. The SVM saves floor space by
improving line layout efficiency. It offers high volume throughput; great
for depallitizing or vertical accumulation requirements. — AmbaFlex Inc., P.O. Box 2105, Bedford, Texas 76095-7578;
877/800-1634; ambaflex.com.
Filtration modules
Koch Membrane Systems Inc. released its new SUPER-COR
XL, SUPER-COR XL PLUS and the SUPER-G Plus line of high-performance
filtration modules designed for more compact and efficient juice
clarification systems. The effectiveness of these larger membrane modules
is a vast improvement over the standard SUPER-COR and SUPER-G tubular
membranes. By utilizing the advanced new modules, customers are now able to
recover up to 99 percent of their juice with crystal clarity. The XL series
in the SUPER-COR product line features 12-foot tubes and is a 20 percent
increase over the standard 10-foot length. The new PLUS series available in
both the SUPER-COR and SUPER-G product line features
modules containing more tubes per housing. —
Koch Membrane Systems, 850 Main Street, Wilmington, Mass. 01887-3388;
888/677-5624; kochmembrane.com.
Analytical weighing
Mettler Toledo launched the Excellence Plus XP balance
for analytical weighing. With the synergy of three innovations –
SmartSens, a hands-free user option; SmartGrid, a grid-style weighing pan;
and SmartScreen, a color touch-screen display allowing full compliance
options – the XP balance offers complete weighing performance and
user, sample and data security. SmartSens, the XP analytical, can be
operated hands-free. The two built-in sensors can be programmed
individually enabling the user to tare, open and
batteries contained within the unit and the sensor is
reactive in the 3 to 5 foot range. —
Crew Design Inc., PO Box 400, Kent, Conn. 06757; 877/669-2739;
crewdesign.com.
Tab slitter/ top sealer
A-B-C Packaging Machine
Corp.’s Model 121S is two machines in one – a tab slitter and
top case sealer – with a streamlined design that facilitates quick
installation on the packaging line and consistent operating speeds to 50
cases per minute. The metering belt infeed ensures proper case spacing, and
high traction transfer belting provides positive case transfer. As the case
travels, the slitter mechanisms move on sliding
rods to lift the flaps and cleanly cut the tabs. Four flap control and
closing is accomplished by a combination of mechanical and fixed flap
folders. — A-B-C Packaging Machine
Corp., 811 Live Oak St., Tarpon Springs, Fla. 34689; 800/273-5975;
abcpackaging.com.
Blowing machines
Sidel launched a new generation of blowing machines,
the SBO Universal range. The equipment delivers a 20 percent reduction in
plastic bottle blowing costs stemming from efforts targeting the blowing
machine as well as the development of bottle solutions. Thanks to new
machine kinematics and a new 40 mm. pitch oven to maintain heating times,
Sidel has boosted production output by 12.5 percent, now up to 1,800
bottles per mold. SBO Universal blow molding machines guarantee a yield of
97 percent. A reduction in low levels in the preform infeed system improves
the blowing machine’s yield by at least 2 percent. — Sidel, Avenue de la Patrouille de France,
Octeville-sur-Mer, BP 204, 76053 Le Havre Cedex, France; 33/232 85 81 83;
sidel.com.
Blinker bottle
Crew Design Inc. designed
a Mountain Dew Blinker Bottle, a replica Mountain Dew beverage bottle
complete with cap and four-color label. The bottle is constructed from two
pieces of injection-molded colored plastic that displays on the cooler door
by attaching with two suction cups. An imbedded sensor activates as
consumers move by, flashing two green LEDs that glow within the bottle and
beckon the buyer. Power is supplied by two AA batteries contained within
the unit and the sensor is reactive in the 3 to 5 foot range — Crew Design Inc.,
POBox 400, Kent, Conn. 06757; 877/669-2739; crewdesign.com.
Printing system
Squid Ink Manufacturing’s PZ Pilot Plus
high-resolution ink jet printing system is an affordable new solution for
printing quality marks on a variety of products. The PZ Pilot Plus is an
ideal introductory machine for companies looking for an affordable print
system for printing bar codes, logos and other high-quality alphanumerics
on corrugated cases. It is also available as a non-porous system, capable
of printing on substrates ranging from plastic to glass to metal. — Squid Ink Manufacturing Inc., 1173 Osborne Road,
Spring Lake Park, Minn. 55432; 763/795-8856; squidink.com.
Food safety tips
Daydots is offering a special edition of the Top 20
food safety tips in honor of food safety month in September. The topic for
food safety month is monitoring time and temperature, something that is
crucial to every type of foodservice establishment. Daydots’ Top 20s
provide insight into everything from the most important food safety
products and tips on running a family business to advice on preventing
foodborne illnesses while preparing meals at home. — Daydots, 1801 Riverbend West Drive, Fort Worth, Texas
76118; 800/321-3687; daydots.com.
Shrink-packer
Douglas Machine Inc.’s new Douglas Contour
SPS-75 Shrink Packer’s patent-pending tunnel uses advanced heat and
airflow management technology to deliver wrapped packages for maximum
package integrity and appearance. Contour SPS-75 features include the
Smartrak Steady Stream Infeed System, which removes the gaps that
compromise pack pattern accuracy and continuous product flow; pinless
metering, which uses new technology and servo drives to gently meter
bottled, cartoned, canned and jarred products; and a servo-driven wrapping
wand that provides film control and accurate film placement at speeds to 75
cycles per minute. — Douglas Machine
Inc., 3404 Iowa St., Alexandria, Minn. 56308; 320/763-6587;
douglas-machine.com.
Streamless beer clarification
Pall Corp.’s PROFI system is a new automated
clarification system that streamlines beer filtration without affecting
taste or brand integrity. The system combines centrifuge and membrane
technologies to create a seamless filtration process, especially ideal for
high-volume beer producers. The system also eliminates the use of
diatomaceous earth (DE) from beer production, removing the labor-intensive
filtration and maintenance activities associated with DE systems. — Pall Corp., 2200 Northern Blvd., East Hills, N.Y.
11548; 516/484-5400; pall.com.
Wrap around machines
Krones AG carried out a
design revamp for its continuously operating Wrapapac family of wrap around
machines. The goal and result of this redesign initiative was to optimize
the range’s functions in terms of smooth running, dependability and
improved ergonomics. The Wrapapac W can handle solid board at 60 cycles a
minute for creating packs such as refrigerator-friendly convenience
packages. The machine now features decentralized servomotors, and the
service and operator sides have been kept
separate. — Krones AG,
Böhmerwaldstr.5, 93073 Neutraubling, Afghan-istan, 4 909 401 70-0;
krones.de.
Case erector
Combi Packaging Systems
added two new models to the Combi 2-EZ case erector family. Combi’s
new side belt drive case erectors form and bottom seal cases at speeds up
to 20 cases per minute. The 2-EZ HS erects case sizes from 8 inch x 6 inch
x 5 inch to 24 inch x 16 inch x 18 inch and features a standard 45-inch EX
load, walk-in power case magazine and the Combi HS High Speed 2-inch tape
head. The 2-EZ SB builds case sizes from 8 inch x 6 inch x 5 inch to 20
inch x 16 inch x 18 inch up to 15 cases per minute. This machine features
the standard EZ load, walk-in case magazine and the 3M Accuglide II 2-inch tape head. — Combi
Packaging Systems LLC, 5365 E. Center Drive NE, Canton, Ohio 44721;
330/456-9333; combi.com.
Digital refractometer
Kernco Instruments Co. Inc.
offers four new digital refractometers with features not typically
available on hand-held varieties. This PDX series covers many applications
in beverage plants because of the various ranges offered. Features include
Brix, salinity and nD scales; push-button, menu-driven operations; and high
accuracy, wide ranges. — Kernco
Instruments Co. Inc., 420 South Kenazo Ave., El Paso, Texas 79928-7339;
915/852-3375; kerncoinstr.com.
Rotary orienter
New England Machinery’s model NERO is a Rotary
Orienter System designed for orienting rectangular, oval or square
containers according to symmetry, direction or label/decoration location.
It can also be used for label inspection. The NERO fits over existing
conveying lines and may include as many as 30 orienting stations within a
single turret, allowing the system to orient from 20 to 600 containers per
minute (depending on container size and configuration). The system offers
positive container control process throughout, and gentle orienting to 90,
180 or 270 degrees. It is available with various sensing mechanisms
(depending upon the customer’s application) that can detect
discriminating features for orientation and may include photoelectric
sensors, proximity sensors, UPC scanners or visions systems. The NERO now
comes in an optional servo-driven model. This orienter’s versatility
allows easy changeover and can orient filled or empty and capped or
uncapped containers. Orientation of round containers is also achievable
with this model. — New England Machinery
Inc., 6204 29th St. East, Bradenton, Fla. 34203; 941/755-5550; neminc.com.
Shrink sleeve labeler
Axon Corp. offers a high-speed shrink-sleeve label
applicator capable of production rates in excess of 600 containers per
minute. The EZ-Seal 600SL is the latest addition to Axon’s EZ-Seal
line of heat shrinkable sleeve label applicators. This new machine provides
high production rates at minimal costs for most full body sleeve
applications. Capable of operation in either single- or dual-head mode, the
machine provides added security over single-head applications. With its
small footprint, the Axon EZ-Seal 600 SL fits easily into any production line. — Axon Corp.,
3080 Business Park Drive, Suite 103, Raleigh, N.C. 27610; 919/772-8383;
axoncorp.com.