Krones Smart Line

Going into the future of filling equipment
At drinktec 2005, Krones demonstrated for the first time the newly developed Smart Line production line. Acculink accumulation buffer system using chains, the blow molding machine and a labeling unit synthesis of dynamic mechanical unit, filling the bottles at the forefront of the technology revolution.

Future beverage filling equipment will be structurally different from the well-known assembly line. Decades ago, filling a set combination of unit equipment was still just a vision, and now to be further towards realization, and is a big step. Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany, has recently developed a Smart Line production line. People who have seen this equipment can immediately realize that this is a major breakthrough in the revolution of filling and packaging technology. The "Wizard" of this new technique is that a single machine, such as blow molding machines and labeling machines, filling and packaging machines, through a dynamic buffering system can be combined into a mechanical unit.

This technology is made possible by relying on a highly efficient bottle handling system that runs through the front and rear and maintains a constant gap. With this leading technology, users can enjoy the benefits of a combination unit, such as simple operation. At the same time, the dynamic buffer storage system can also eliminate the disadvantages caused by the failure of a single machine in one set. A filling system with a well-established system is that the dynamic storage buffer module within the system counteracts the failure of a single machine.

Efficient handling of bottles in dynamic buffer systems

From the straight-line heating module of the blow-molding machine, through the labeling machine up to the filling machine, the entire unit performs efficient bottle handling everywhere. With a dynamic mechanical buffering system Acculink, the technical efficiency of the combined unit is optimized. The positioning and dimensioning of the buffer section are perfect, and an additional set of adjusting device power devices is added to reduce the number of buffer sections. With this equipment, the air delivery device is redundant and can be removed. The Acculink cushioning system's operation is completely independent of the shape and size of the bottle. Even the quality of preforms that require special attention in air transport has little impact.

Acculink Accumulation Chain Holds Container Spacing

The Acculink cumulative chain relies on an endless chain job. The chain is installed in a channel and runs between the exit of one machine (such as a blow molding machine) and the inlet of the next machine (such as a labeling machine). The chain is wound spirally on a vertical fixed shaft. A shuttle shuttle system turns the chain as needed to determine the length of the storage buffer.

Acculink's cumulative chain storage devices are mounted horizontally and take up very little space in the equipment. The way to transport the bottle is through the neck clamp. Keep a certain distance between the bottles. The Acculink transfer star wheel located inside the blow molding machine grabs the bottles one by one at intervals. The next transfer star wheel conveys the bottle to the labeler at the same interval. The contact between the bottle and the bottle is the same as between the normal air conveyor bottle and the guide rail. Thanks to this frictionless transfer method, scratches on the surface of the bottle can be completely avoided.

Ten-square-meter two-minute buffer

Low energy consumption is another distinct benefit of Acculink's Accuchain stacking chain. The chain is driven by only two motors. One is at the blow molding machine outlet and the other at the labeler. The basic working principle of rolling friction is at least 140 meters in length, and only two servo drives are required. In contrast to this, to achieve similar storage buffering, an air duct requires about 15 to 20 drives. The chain of the buffer system is completely maintenance-free and suitable for CIP cleaning. One of the benefits of this system is that it takes only two minutes to buffer a 10-m2 area.

Due to the significant reduction in the buffer area, the Smart Line production line occupies approximately 45% less space than the conventional production line. For example, a power of 0.5 per hour to 60,000 liters device unrecoverable plastic bottles, the production line requires general area 1750 m2, and only about 960 m2 Smart Linie.

Source: Krones AG