New KHS Innocheck LFL Empty Bottle Inspector for the Beverage Industry

New KHS Innocheck LFL empty bottle inspector Reliable, Hygienic, Simple, and Virtually Maintenance-free New KHS Innocheck LFL empty bottle inspector fulfills visions Flawless bottles for optimum filling processes - a must for all bottling operations. In this connection, reliable inspection equipment is very simply indispensable, above all for refillable bottle lines. Dependable inspection equipment means detecting and rejecting bottles that do not meet the specified quality requirements. This includes not only damaged bottles and bottles containing residual liquids or foreign substances but also those with visible flaws such as signs of apparent wear. With its newly developed Innocheck LFL empty bottle inspection system, KHS relies on a system that successfully combines simplicity, hygienic design, and maximum inspection assurance. Innovative KHS inspection equipment very specifically follows the inspection technology used in the pharmaceutical industry, a sector of the market well known for its maximum inspection demands and a policy of "reliability without compromise". Reduced conversion effort for bottle changeover The Innocheck LFL is a linear empty bottle inspector. In comparison to the rotary-type machine, the main compelling features of a linear inspector include low cost of investment as well as reduced mechanical changeover effort required for changing bottle styles at the same level of inspection reliability. Unlike rotary-type machines, linear empty bottle inspectors require no changing of bottle guide parts. The only mechanical readjustments necessary involve turning a handwheel to adapt the transfer lane to a position stored in memory. All other necessary resettings are in a computer program ready for automatic retrieval at the push of a button. Consistent hygienic design The Innocheck LFL uses two belts running in parallel to guide the bottles. These plastic belts are surface-sealed and therefore easy to clean. No belt pulleys are used; a decision was made very specifically in favor of hygienic-design V-belts. The Innocheck LFL principally combines all key characteristics of hygienic design. The open-type machine construction with its smooth surfaces and few corners allow easy access for thorough machine cleaning. The hygienic design is enhanced further by sloped runoff surfaces and the consistent use of stainless steel materials. Outputs of up to 60,000 bottles/h. The Innocheck LFL is exceptionally versatile; it can be integrated in any - glass as well as plastic - bottling line and is capable of inspecting bottles with a control excursion at an output of up to 60,000 bottles/h. It provides capabilities for complete bottle inspection including bottle mouth inspection, outside bottle wall inspection, inside bottle wall inspection, bottle base inspection, and residual liquid checking. Outer sidewall inspection The first inspection step of the Innocheck LFL: inspection of outer sidewalls. A light source illuminates the surface of the bottle on one side of the bottle while a reflective optical system of a camera mounted on the opposite side records the image of the sidewall. Besides the sidewall inspection, this inspection station is capable of handling an additional function that involves measuring the format of each individual bottle. Any bottles not satisfying the prespecified production criteria are reliably rejected even before they reach the belt conveyor. In the high-capacity range of more than 40,000 bottles/h, a separate format check is installed upstream. Belt drive for exact speed control 'Good' bottles are subsequently held between two belts running in parallel. Servomotors drive these belts at different rates of speed. Using servomotors means hygienic design, low maintenance, and extremely precise speed control. Maximum-precision speed control of each belt is necessary in order to ensure that each bottle is rotated to an exactly defined angle between the first sidewall inspection and the second sidewall module located immediately downstream to the belt conveyor. This is essential in turn to accomplish complete inspection of the sidewalls of each bottle including the bottle contact points. The bases of the bottles do not touch down as they are conveyed by the belts. One of the prerequisites for further necessary inspections. Inspection of the inner sidewalls and bottle bases and the residual liquid check follow the bottle mouth inspection. The light sources for checking bottle mouths are located above the bottle and those used for inspecting inner sidewalls and bottle bases and the residual liquid check are mounted underneath the bottle. Using high-resolution CCD cameras means high-noise-immunity digital image transmission. Bottle mouth check The bottle mouth inspection involves inspecting the sealing surfaces. The ring flash of the sealing surface inspection flashes light on the container mouth from above; the reflected image is recorded by a CCD camera and subsequently analyzed. This method detects flaws such as chipped sealing surface areas, shell fragmentation at the bottle mouth, faulty threads, and scuffing on the sealing surface. Inner sidewall inspection The size of the inspection area is determined by the geometry of the bottles to be inspected. Nearly 100 percent of the inner sidewalls can be inspected for those bottles with soft transition points in the neck area. This makes is possible to reliably detect flaws hidden behind lettering or extreme scuffing that remain concealed to the outer sidewalls inspection. Detection of transparent blemishes is another subject area associated with the inner sidewall inspection. Example: remnants of plastic film still contained in the bottle. Bottle base inspection The bottle base inspection divides the bottle base into zones that can be defined using various algorithms and separate sensitivities. Inspecting the bottle base areas of plastic bottles additionally involves checking for stress cracks. Infrared and high frequency residual liquid check is standard When it comes to checking for residual liquids, the Innocheck LFL relies on two different methods. Maximum reliability is the motto in this instance as well. The infrared residual liquids check detects all substances that absorb infrared light. The high-frequency residual liquid check uses various relative permittivities to differentiate liquids. This method reacts particularly sensitively to traces of caustic in bottles. Both of the different physical methods of liquid measurement harmonize outstandingly and represent a basic function of the Innocheck LFL. Selective separation of containers The second outer sidewall inspection in the Innocheck LFL that guarantees complete inspection of all sidewalls is followed by separation of inspected bottles in various bottle diversion channels. These channeled-out bottles are differentiated in production bottles and rejection bottles. It is also possible however, to redistribute these channeled-out bottles further. Such as dirty bottles to be returned to the bottle washer, defective bottles for immediate waste disposal, and test bottles diverted to a separate accumulation segment. Test bottle cycles assure production quality Test bottles are used within predefined cycles to repeatedly test the inspection machine and ensure that it is in proper working order. For this purpose, bottles with defined flaws are introduced to the process, run through the machine, and subsequently analyzed to determine if all faulty areas are detected. Special markings on the test bottles ensure that they are also channeled out to the test bottle segment provided. The expected test results are always immediately compared with the actual test results. The test bottle program fulfills the user's obligation to assure production quality. It is recommended to run the test bottle program at the beginning of production operation and after changing shifts and machine operating personnel. The test bottle inspection intervals can be optionally stored automatically in the system. Suitable for refillable and non-refillable bottle lines Although the Innocheck LFL has been designed primarily to inspect refillable bottles, it is capable of inspecting variously sized and shaped bottles made of diverse materials. It is also feasible to use the Innocheck LFL to inspect non-refillable containers - glass bottles in particular. Possible problem areas arising with non-refillable glass bottles involve damage incurred during the bottle manufacturing process and damage sustained during shipment, e.g. bottles containing glass threads and damaged bottle mouths. High ease of use With the Innocheck LFL, a system is available to the beverage trade that meets maximum demands for safety. Each inspection function reliably and accurately assesses the bottle quality. The system stops automatically should one of the inspection functions fail. The user is immediately provided the relevant information and a corresponding error report. The Innocheck LFL is designed for exceptional ease of use. All required system parameters are displayed on a monitor simply and clearly arranged. For reasons of safety, a hierarchical password structure checks the access authorizations of operating personnel. Optional direct online support Another important advantage of using the Innocheck LFL: utilization of ReDiS. ReDiS means Remote Diagnostic Service and on request provides accurately detailed analyses of all machine components from KHS headquarters as well as direct assistance online. It is advisable to implement ReDiS to take care of, among other things, any expected reprogramming. If the customer intends to process a new bottle size in the Innocheck LFL for example, then the related electronic changeover work can be programmed from KHS headquarters after a ReDiS communications link has been established. Likewise feasible: downloading updates via ReDiS. Besides increased machine availability through quick online support and the related greater competitiveness, ReDiS also offers another very significant advantage: tremendous savings potential. In most cases, the presence of a service technician on site is not necessary due to selectively employed online support. Well thought-out down to the last detail Conclusion: With its Innocheck LFL, KHS launches an empty bottle inspection system to the market that has not only been well thought-out down to the last detail but also offers maximum safety and at the same time exceptional ease of operation and flexible design. The hygienic concept and high serviceability of the system are additional compelling aspects. http://www.packaging-industry.info