The new packaging solutions of Sidel, from the design of the bottle to the palletising

The aseptic packaging is used to allow a long conservation of sensitive beverages (milk, dairy products, juices, teas, energy drinks or aromatised waters) at room temperature. The principle of this packaging is to prevent any contamination of the container by means of micro-organisms during and after the packaging. The drink will soon undergo a thermal short course guaranteeing a long conservation at room temperature environment without adding additives.For this reason, Sidel at Interpack presented a full range of solutions for the aseptic packaging of sensitive products distributed at room temperature in plastic bottles.

One of these solutions is the new aseptic filler Sensofill FMa, designed to offer more flexibility and easier to use. This filler, available in single machine or in Combi configuration, brings together the functions of blowing, filling and capping in a single enclosure. When the Sensofill FMa lies in the Combi, offers the choice of the procedure of wet decontamination of bottles with Peracetic acid or dry decontamination of preforms them by oxygenated water vapor. Sidel thus presents a complete offer adapted to the needs of the client.

In the configuration with the rinser (wet decontamination), single machine or in Combi, the internal and external decontamination procedure of bottles is done using a jet of high-pressure Peracetic acid (APA). The rinsing water sterile and hold ensures limited chemical waste and reduces water consumption. Add, for greater certainty, the advantages of the system multirruedas of Sidel that each bottle is treated by various valves and each neck is completely sterile. The temperature of decontamination is compatible with the reduction of the weight of the bottle.

The Sensofill ™ FMa with rinser is particularly adapted to different productions (great variety of beverages and bottles), they need a strong flexibility. In fact, you can make changes in products and formats from the outside of the sterile area without loss of sterility. In addition, production is made from 72 to 120 hours without a new sterilization thanks to a perfect mastery of the environment: the new concept of welded insulating camera 100 percent airtight and the overpressure of sterile air are reinforced by air flows in the area of filling.

In industrial production since the first quarter of 2008, the first filler Sensofill FMa, installed in Spumador in Italy, packaged isotonics, and juices.

In order to reconcile the fragility of the packages and the growing demand for flexibility, Sidel has created a new system of preparation of layers of palletizing, replacing the classic system of 'top' in which the rotation of the package is generated by an impact. The new system consists of a conveyor tape which they reach the packages and one or more robots in the sides which place them. The robot is equipped with clamps to collect packages and positioned them at the same time continuing its displacement. The system of the robot grippers moves and/or tour packages without separated from the surface of the conveyor and places them in a precise way to exactly reproduce the default layout of palletizing.

This system is called 'positive rotation' since the rotation of the package is not generated by an impact on any top. The surface of the conveyor is flat which prevents any oscillation of packages and reduces the risk of rollover. Thus, the new system considerably reduces the risks of damage to packages.

Greater flexibility: format changes are simple and fast. While conventional systems require manual intervention, the new Sidel system allows automatic changes from the control panel. This creates greater flexibility that adapts to the frequent changes of format. Thanks to its modularity (possibility to add robots, modify the spacing), also adapted more easily to complex schemes of palletizing and at high speeds.

The system can be used for packages of PET, cans or glass bottles.

Sidel and Philips have collaborated in the implementation to point of new infrared lamps for the furnaces of the blowers. The key: 15 per cent of electricity savings.

The Park of blowers Sidel (5,000 machines in production) offers a not inconsiderable energy savings potential. Thus, thanks to new infrared lamps to the oven, electricity consumption can be reduced accordingly: lamps represent between 90 and 95 percent of the electricity consumed by a blower.

Philips has developed a lamp that consumes 1,700 watts instead of the current 2,000 exclusively for Sidel. Because of this, the principle of reflection of light has been improved: an opaque reflector allows a greater concentration of infrared radiation. These lamps offer a reduction of 15 per cent in electricity consumption of the oven, which improves the performance of the oven, 5 percent without affecting the quality of the bottle. It is not necessary to make any modification of the oven or the process.

Finally, another product that Sidel has presented at Interpack is the FlexLine, first bottling line designed for the production of ultra light bottles of water at high speed. Technical breakthrough respectful of the environment that opens the door to the generalization of this type of bottles.

Production of ultra light bottles represents a real challenge at every stage of manufacture, from the moment in which bottles are designed so these are arranged on pallets. However, more and more manufacturers wish to the lowest possible cost to produce PET bottles of water that have a minimal impact on the environment and that, at the same time, enhance the product.

In October 2007 Sidel presented at the Salon Dusseldorf K NoBottle, a concept of bottle which combines elegance and maximum lightness: 9.9 g to 500 ml. The secret: the Flex technology, which allows to unite the flexibility of the plastic with the memory of the way, which makes it possible that the bottle is more resistant at delicate stages of the transport, packaging and transport. Thus, Flex provides the NoBottle all the features necessary for a production and distribution on an industrial scale.

Currently, and in order to optimize the production of the NoBottle on an industrial scale, Sidel proposed the FlexLine. This line can blow, fill, cover, label, packaging and palletizing bottles of less than 10 g, at a speed of 43,200 bottles per hour. To build the line, Sidel has applied its technologically more developed equipment and that better adapt to the packaging in light bottles. A key element of the FlexLine is the Combi. To group together the functions of blown, filled and capped, the Combi allows to overcome the limitations of the transport of empty bottles, and is shown as a result, particularly suitable to produce ultra light bottles. All stages of production, from blowing up the palletising, have been tested and optimized; In addition, adjustments have been introduced on each machine in the line.