At drinktec, the KHS Group will be presenting its SmartCan filler/capper block, developed jointly with Swiss machine manufacturer Ferrum, for the first time. The system is designed to provide added value in the areas of flexibility, efficiency and operation.
Whereas beers and carbonated soft drinks used to be the main products filled in cans, the trend has been moving increasingly towards more sensitive products such as iced teas, plant-based drinks, juices, smoothies, near-water products or non-alcoholic beer and mixed beer beverages for some time now. In line with this development, the hygienic requirements of beverage bottlers are growing, and their technology partners - both system providers such as KHS and specialists such as Ferrum - are adapting to meet them.
With their filler-capper block SmartCan by KHS/Ferrum, the two companies are now presenting a seamless combination of their respective machines for the first time, which has an optimised hygiene concept and together ensures greater flexibility, higher efficiency and simple operation.
With a view to its successful can fillers, which are highly regarded in the market, KHS is coming up with a number of innovations, especially in the medium and high capacity range, which have already proven themselves in the modular filler platforms for PET and glass bottles. Instead of using conventional cams and rollers, for example, the tulip guide is pneumatic. This ensures a smooth filler silhouette that is easier and quicker to clean.
During development, KHS paid particular attention to the hygienic space of the filler section in the block: on one side it comprises raised jacket plates, while on the other side the housing boasts a significantly smaller product space around the filler carousel: following the so-called donut principle, it encloses this in a ring shape. It reduces the volume of the hygiene area by around 40 per cent and ensures an optimal and targeted flow of sterile air around the sensitive zone.
Source: KHS
