Sidel Highlights Hygiene and Energy Savings in Beer Packaging at Brau
The Sidel crown feeder’s reliability is based on a simple and patented “waterfall” concept. A cleated belt gently lifts crowns stored in the hopper.
19/10/2007 At Sidel’s Booth 123, Hall 5, hygiene in beer packaging will take center stage. On display will be Sidel’s new hygienic crowner connected by air conveyor to a crown feeder. Alongside this equipment, show visitors will see hygienic and energy efficient conveyors.
Additional highlights include labeling technologies (cold glue and adhesive labeling), energy savings (on a new pasteurizer) and beer in PET packaging.
The unique Sidel Aidlin 24 CR crown feeder
Sidel will exhibit the Aidlin 24 CR crown feeder at its booth. This unique, high-speed system combines storage, elevation, orientation and feeding operations in a very compact design to handle up to 80,000 crowns per hour. The Sidel crown feeder’s reliability is based on a simple and patented “waterfall” concept. A cleated belt gently lifts crowns stored in the hopper. The cleat’s design only allows properly oriented crowns to be elevated, while gravity causes improperly oriented crowns to fall off the belt.
Each element of Sidel’s crown feeding application truly helps to sustain the “clean chain”. Remote feeding preserves the integrity of the filling enclosure because potential sources of physical contamination are isolated and limited. Compared to traditional bowl feeders, the crown feeder’s elevation and orientation systems limit the generation of dust. At the exit, a filtered air system sends the crowns through a gravity chute to the capper or the Flat Top air conveyor for crowns. A dust removal chamber with air ionization and a particle vacuum can be installed above the capper. That option effectively completes the cleanliness chain.
By combining the crown feeder with the air conveyor that transports lines of crowns on a high speed cushion of air, it is possible to locate the crown feeder outside the filling area to increase hygiene and optimize line layout.
New crowner machine
The new Sidel crowner has been designed to meet growing industry needs for cleanliness. Its all-stainless-steel structure withstands frequent external disinfection using foaming products, hot water or chemicals. The crowning heads feature an open design for fast and efficient washing of the crown crimping area performed by nozzles installed at the back. Eliminating the need for lubrication also eliminates another potential source of contamination. Designers have developed a machine that avoids any build-up of glass fragments due to bottle breakage.
Sidel also designed the crowner to satisfy increasing requests to accommodate “ring pull” caps on the same closing turret.
The new Sidel crowner comes in a wide range of sizes ranging from 12 to 30 heads for outputs up to 80,000 bottles per hour.
Hygienic conveyor
Sidel has developed a “hygienic” version of its mechanical bottle conveyor especially for brewing companies.
Sidel analyzed all areas on the machine that can harbor dirt or bacteria (assemblies with nuts and bolts or clamps, mechanical adjustments, hollow bodies, etc.) and substituted more hygienic solutions such as welded parts and solid guides and shafts.
Sidel, in partnership with drive system manufacturer SEW, led an advanced development effort to devise a new drive unit concept. Sidel’s exclusive MOVIGEAR drive system consumes 30 percent less energy than a traditional drive system. The new system has no fan (a source of pollution dispersion) or cooling fins (that can become plugged).
