Krones Rainbow Filler and Inline Sleeve Labeler

Four-color filling and labeling
Krones Sleevematic Inline can do this: on a machine, four different containers are labeled with four different labels at the same time.

In order to comply with the requirements of the dairy industry, Krones AG of Neutraubling, Germany, has developed a four-color filling machine, which is also known as the "Rainbow Filling Machine". As we all know, the dairy industry often makes a product into different flavors and puts it into the market in the form of a product line. With a filling machine designed to handle this situation, up to four different products can be filled simultaneously.

For each fourth filling valve, a similar product, ie, the same "color" product, is configured to realize a multicolor filling method. In addition, different beverages will first come out of the four product containers filled with sterilizing gas and then enter the rotating four-channel dispensing device on the filling turret. The product can in turn enter the conveying pipe through the dispensing device and reach the filling valve. The entire process must be performed under absolute aseptic conditions.

Add aseptic design

Krones has long realized the concept of a sterile four-color filling machine by means of a VODM volume filling machine with an inductive flow meter. One of its innovations lies in the unique structure of weighing bottle holders. On the other hand, it is a module used for the combination of four-color filling machines. This module is dedicated to the disinfection of bottles and can be achieved through gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). An absolute dry sterilization effect without condensation.

At the outlet of the filling machine, in addition to the exclusion of the system for checking the filling height and the closure, there is also a laser device for batch marking the contents of the container back and UV-encoded at the closure, which ensures different containers. Mixed with different charges does not occur. In addition, there are cameras that constantly monitor the progress of the process.

The bottles are transported via a single rail to a 4-channel discharge tray. There, the camera first reads the code on the bottle. Afterwards, the system sorts the bottles on the four transport lanes, and the buffer station sends the bottles to the labeling place. At the labeling site, there is another camera to check the correctness of the classification.

Sleevematic Inline: Four Different Products Simultaneously in a Linear Sleeve

The Inline Sleevematic launched at the drinktec trade show is a single machine for four different containers with four different labels. The four-color filler previously installed fills these four products in PET bottles. Then, the straight Sleevematic Inline labels the filled bottles in their correct Sleeve label in the correct order. The 4-color Sleevematic-Inline is set to work at 18700 bottles per hour.

After the shrink sleeve is put on the container, it enters the steam heat shrinkage channel to undergo heat shrinkage treatment. In this regard, Krones has also redesigned: Krones's new structure is to let the steam nozzle in the transfer of instant adjustment of the different bottle curve contours, and rapid eruption of steam heat shrink sleeve. Sleevematic Inline can quickly change different bottles in 15 minutes.

According to different packaging needs, whether it is a single variety or a variety of packaging, the system will package the product in a combined packaging mode or a tray in bulk after the labeling is completed.

Source: Krones AG