Oil-free compression

Rogers Machinery Co. Inc. introduced its Kobelco KNW Series, which provides ISO 8573.1 Class 0 compressed air quality, resulting in better products at a lower production cost, the company says. Delivered ready to run and designed for 24/7 operations, the oil-free, rotary screw compressors are available in air- or water-cooled configurations. Because the products do not utilize any lubricants in the compression area, no oil is sent downstream, avoiding contamination of products or processes, it adds.

Rogers Machinery Co. Inc., 14650 SW 72nd Ave., Portland, Ore. 97224; 800/394-6151; knw-series.com.

Dual delivery features

Combining the mobility of a dolly with the functionality of a static pallet, Orbis Corp. offers the Pally for new and enhanced material handling capabilities. The dual feature allows materials to be rolled from the truck directly to the retail store aisle without down stacking, resulting in greater end-to-end supply chain versatility, the company says. The Pally also converts from mobile to static with just one press of the pedal. Additionally, an optional locking handle allows the device to be pushed or pulled, while its contoured deck handles and lightweight structure enables ergonomic handling, it adds. Designed for a long service life in a variety of rugged distribution environments, the Pally is ideal for small-format retailers because it supports frequent product deliveries and can easily maneuver in tight spaces. It also helps to foster the staging of eCommerce products designed for store pickup, it adds.

Orbis Corp., 1055 Corporate Center Drive, Oconomowoc, Wis. 53066; 262/560-5000; orbiscorporation.com.

Engineered for blending success

Ross Systems and Controls (SysCon), a subsidiary of Charles Ross & Sons Co., launched its NEMA 12 Control Panel that seamlessly operates a Ross V-Cone Tumble Blender, it says. Two variable-frequency drives are internally mounted for controlling the tumbling vessel and intensifier bar. Additionally, the main disconnect features a lockout provision, a color touchscreen display with viewing and control functions, individual start/stop/speed and jog controls, a cycle timer, system emergency stop pushbutton, and a safety gate switch circuit, it adds. The control panel also utilizes a human-machine interface that communicates with variable-frequency drives for start/stop/speed control while also monitoring the output frequency and motor current. It also utilizes a cycle timer function that stops both motors when time elapses.

Ross Systems and Controls (SysCon), 34 Westgate Blvd., Savannah, Ga. 31405; 912/238-5800; rosssyscon.com.

Packaging innovations

Axon, a division of Pro Mach, introduced three new machines at Pack Expo in Chicago. The products highlighted are a shrink sleeve and tamper evident machines as well as a compact energy-efficient steam tunnel. Each machine delivers performance, reliability, flexibility and ease-of-use, the company says. The product introductions are the latest in a series of technological innovations that the company began two years ago as a strategic initiative to improve shrink sleeve and tamper evident technology productivity, it says. Designed for high-speed production, the new SLX full-body sleeve and tamper evident applicator features a Rockwell CompactLogix 5380 PLC, a Rockwell 5500 human-machine interface and five servo motors. The SLX also has a new patent-pending, high-precision and single-lens translucent film-delivery system, which offers an improved web tension system for film control along with a new digital-format monitoring system for quick, error-free changeover, it adds. Additionally, the SLX platform with thin-gauge film capability can handle film thicknesses from 25 to 70 microns at production speeds of 800 bottles a minute when using 30-micron film. The SLX also can be equipped with a lighting system that enhances operator productivity and reduces downtime, it adds.

Axon, 3080 Business Park Drive, Suite 103, Raleigh, N.C. 27610; 919/772-8383; axoncorp.com.

Increasing PET bottle stability

The Sidel Group announced the release of its updated StarLite PET bottle base and the launch of its StarLite Nitro version to aid still beverage production lines utilizing nitrogen dosing. The new base ensures bottle resistance and stability, even under extremely high temperature conditions, while also providing benefits in terms of lightweighting and energy saving, it says. The new non-petaloid StarLite Nitro base features a unique shape that is designed to increase base resistance and stability, fostering PET bottle rigidity by enhancing resistance to the internal pressure created by nitrogen dosing, even in harsh conditions, while also lowering package weight and energy consumption, it adds. Additionally, the package design doesn’t compromise product safety and maintains all of the benefits of the StarLite base for the production of still and carbonated beverages bottled in PET. In addition to improved PET bottle quality, the new Nitro version decreases the amount of raw material needed to create finished PET bottles and allows the same PET bottle design to be used for beverages produced with or without nitrogen dosing. The new base is available for bottles ranging in size from 0.2 to 2.0 liters and works with regular, ultra-clean and aseptic filling, it adds. Additionally, bottles produced with the new base will be more resistant to extreme temperatures in conditions as high as 50 degrees Celsius, demonstrating a 50 percent decrease in base rollout during frozen conditions, the company says.

Sidel Group, 5600 Sun Court, Norcross, Ga., 30092; 678/221-3087; sidel.com.

Lifting the lid on packaging tests

To help beverage manufacturers better understand and quantify the force needed to use a ring pull, Stable Micro Systems unveiled a new Ring Pull Rig to allow manufacturers of food tins and beverage cans to measure the force needed to lift a ring pull and open a container. The new development could signal the end of consumer frustration with trying to open metal packaging that is too stiff or where the ring pull detaches from the lid, the company says. The new rig works by locking the product in place on the TA.XT plus texture analyzer and attaching a hook adapter to its ring pull. The hook is pulled upward, mimicking the action of a person opening a can, while measuring the force needed to lift the ring pull and break the seal. The universal design of the Ring Pull Rig means that non-circular shapes also can be accurately analyzed. Additionally, the flexibility of the Exponent software enabled the development of a special test for tins that require a two-step pulling action, it adds. The Ring Pull Rig also can be enhanced with the use of the company’s Acoustic Envelope Detector, which captures and measures the “fizz” sound of a carbonated drink, while the Video Capture and Synchronization System allows the user to replay the data frame by frame for in-depth analysis.

Stable Micro Systems, Vienna Court, Lammas Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1YL, United Kingdom; +011/044-01-483-427-345; stablemicrosystems.com.

Portable testing

Omega Engineering Inc. introduced its new, portable handheld data logger that delivers high performance and functionality, it says. The OM-DAQXL Series offers eight or 16 universal analog inputs, fast sampling rates, large data storage and a 7-inch thin-film-transistor color touchscreen display featuring an intuitive user interface, easy channel configuration, data logging and play back, and more, it adds. The multi-channel input data logger is well-suited for a wide range of applications including research and development and industrial labs, chemical, water treatment or HVAC process monitoring, and strain measurement during physical testing of materials, the company says.

Omega Engineering Inc., 800 Connecticut Ave., Suite 5N01, Norwalk, Conn. 06854; 888/826-6342; omega.com.

NEWS

United Kingdom-based DS Smith Plc announced the proposed acquisition of Indianapolis-based Parish Manufacturing Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of bag-in-box systems and custom packaging for liquids, it says. The acquisition complements DS Smith’s expertise and leading position in the flexible packaging and liquid dispensing markets under its Rapak brand, it adds. Subject to certain customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2017.

Cognex Corp., Natick, Mass., announced that it has expanded its 3-D vision capabilities with the recent acquisition of two companies specializing in 3-D machine vision technology. On Oct. 27, 2016, it acquired Jena, Germany-based EnShape GmbH, a maker of advanced 3-D vision sensors and software, while it completed the acquisition of Girona, Spain-based AQSense, a provider of 3-D vision software, on Aug. 30, 2016. Each company’s 3-D vision engineers also have joined the Cognex team, it adds.

Denso Robotics, Long Beach, Calif., published a new 52-page product catalog, which features the company’s lineup of small assembly robots, which have reaches from 350 to 1,300 mm, payload capacities of as much as 20 kilograms and repeatability to within 0.015 mm, it says. The catalog is available as an interactive online version or can be downloaded at densorobotics.com/catalog. In other news, the company announced the promotion of David H. Williams to the newly created position of director of original equipment sales, marketing and strategic planning.

Bergisch Gladbach, Germany-based Zanders GmbH announced the appointment of Tobias Müller as its new marketing manager. He is responsible for the overall marketing of the company’s high-quality specialty papers and boards for labels, packaging and graphic applications, it says.

The fourth, and so far largest, staging of drink technology India, PackTech India and FoodPex India reported that the exhibition, which took place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, achieved record results. It featured 298 exhibitors, a 25 percent increase compared with 2014, who presented the latest technologies and solutions for the Indian market to nearly 12,100 visitors, an 18 percent increase, it says.

Cincinnati-based Ampac, a division of ProAmpac, announced that its Pull Tab beverage pouch now is available in the United States. First launched in Switzerland for a local juice brand in 2014, the Pull Tab pouch also is an alternative format for alcohol beverages and now features a 375-ml format in addition to the original 200-ml size for fruit juice-based drinks, it says. The 375-ml format features a straw hole and easy-to-open tab and also can be placed in the freezer, it adds.

Kenworth Truck Co., Kirkland, Wash., opened a new full-service dealership in Effingham, Ill. The 21,000-square-foot, full-service dealership features a 12-bay service shop and a 2,200-square-foot parts department, it says. Kenworth of Effingham sits on a 4-acre lot at 1010 Outer Belt West. The new dealership also significantly expands the availability of Kenworth customer support between St. Louis and Indianapolis, it adds.