A new fully automated screw cap closing system for blow moulding and filling companies has been developed by Augsburg-based plant manufacturer Getecha. It offers greater flexibility and high process reliability.
The New development with modern control and sensor technology and precisely controllable servo drives solves the problem of Getecha some of the most common problems in the automated capping of plastic canisters. It is already running successfully as a two-line solution at a plastic canister manufacturer.
With the automated Sealing plastic canisters often lack precision, flexibility and mechanical „finesse“, explains Getecha. The consequences: leaky screw caps, crushed sealing rings or a great deal of effort when changing canister sizes.
Compact system fits two points of canister handling
The compact system solution from Getecha - including conveyor technology, it occupies an area of 2,000 by 3,500 millimetres - promises to improve this situation. Closure process are carried out precisely, repeatably, with precisely metered force and gently. The torque, tightening torque, rotational speed and number of revolutions of the motors can be programmed exactly. This ensures the functionality of PE sealing rings, for example.
At two points on the canister handling system, the Screw cap closure solution from Getecha can be used: when fitting and loosely screwing the caps into the threaded closure of the empty canisters directly behind the blow moulding machine and for the final, liquid-tight sealing of the full containers after filling.
High repeat accuracy and short cycle time
The mode of operation is similar in each case: while the Canister The caps are fed in via a short conveyor belt, separated by an ascending conveyor and a spiral conveyor and conveyed to the Screw module fed. Each individual canister is pneumatically fixed in the defined position and then approached from above by the screwdriving module. Screwing is then carried out quickly, with high repeat accuracy and with due consideration for the threads and sealing rings.
According to the manufacturer, the cycle time is ten to 15 seconds, depending on the canister size. Dynamic torque programming and a control mechanism for the screwdriving process are integrated. Defective threads are recognised immediately. A leak test is available as an option.
Process different canister sizes without conversion
Getecha emphasises the high Flexibility of the system out. Different canister sizes can be processed without conversion. The adaptation to different Cap types requires only minimal effort. Canisters with varying heights of 300 to 600 millimetres and widths of 150 to 300 millimetres can be processed. Only the footprint of the canisters is a fixed size and must be identical. The throughput is up to 330 canisters per hour.
The integration of the Screw cap closing machines into the user's IT and control infrastructure. The system can be connected to a customer's host computer or the network. It can then work in synchronisation with the timing of the preceding production.
The Process data different Closure scenarios with different canisters, caps and screwdriving dynamics requirements can be archived in the system control or in higher-level IT systems. The optional installation of printers, labelling and scanners is part of Getecha's range of services.
