Technological leadership demonstrated
HEUFT is the driving force providing the best available technology regarding container inspection, transport and labelling. The who´s who of the international drink and liquid food industry were able to see this for themselves at the drinktec 2009 exhibition in Munich. Besides the intelligent further development of proven systems several innovations could be experienced in action during the middle of September which caused a sensation in the industry. Above all the particularly compact HEUFT TORNADO D flex 2-in-1 labeller and the HEUFT beetec servo direct drive for conveyors attracted a great deal of attention amongst fillers and competitors.
HEUFT SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH is able to draw totally positive conclusions about its exhibition presence at drinktec 2009. A decrease in the total number of visitors was not evident on the HEUFT stand. On the contrary: the crowds were above average during all six days of the exhibition. On the one hand this was due to the fact there was really something to see in contrast to the exhibition appearance of many of the other exhibitors: from an empty bottle inspector to a leakage check, from a returned case inspection to a final product check - all the devices were presented live and in action. HEUFT was even allowed to show highly efficient X-ray systems for detecting foreign objects in operation due to their unequalled low radiation values. On the other hand the new developments emerged as the number-one topic of conversation at the exhibition. This was particularly true as regards two world firsts: the HEUFT TORNADO D flex labelling machine and the HEUFT beetec servo direct drive.
Body and back labelling with only one unit
The HEUFT TORNADO D flex makes body and back labelling possible with only one single labelling station. This unit applies a self-adhesive label alternately on the front and the back of the containers. For this they not only rotate once but twice in the bottle carousel. This is carried out by means of specially constructed guide starwheels. The HEUFT TORNADO D flex as the first labeller of its kind has a functioning mould seam detection which carries out a servo-controlled container alignment for particularly accurate labelling without the formation of bubbles. This modern camera technology can also be used for other inspection procedures. Furthermore other modules for a thorough final inspection of the newly labelled containers can be integrated. The compact, reasonably priced machine is an ideal extension to an already existing wet-glue labeller.
Intelligent servo direct drive for conveyors
The HEUFT beetec uses up to 30 percent less energy than conventional drive systems. The integrated servo control accelerates the container conveyors within fractions of a second and if required decelerates them again just as quickly. The direct drives work particularly efficiently when networked: they achieve a particularly dynamic control characteristic with maximum speed precision and minimum energy consumption when linked per "daisy chain". Frictional losses are eliminated due to the fact that the conveyor drives can manage completely without gears: the energy is converted into movement directly and highly efficiently. The recovery and direct refeeding of the braking energy reduce consumption dramatically. The HEUFT beetec regulates the conveyors which are networked among each other extremely promptly, precisely, harmoniously and efficiently using the integrated servo technology, an on-board conveyor control, the control signal transmission by Ethernet and the coupling of local triggers and signals. Its construction is particularly hygiene-friendly and therefore is not only suitable for the intensive control area but also for the aseptic area. The exhibition success of the HEUFT beetec, presented for study purposes, was so resounding that series production is anticipated for the middle of next year.
HEUFT as the driving force
Other new products at the exhibition such as the HEUFT FinalView FO for a particularly precise final container inspection or the two new fully automatic leakage checks, the HEUFT squeezer QS and the HEUFT squeezer QL, further developments such as the HEUFT InLine empty bottle inspector equipped with a new finish detection or the perfected HEUFT eXaminer XA full container inspection were also received with great interest by the numerous top decision-makers of the international drinks industry who attended. Intensive conversations with our product and sales managers, firm enquiries and initial business transactions there and then have made drinktec 2009 a real success. HEUFT has succeeded yet again in establishing itself as the driving force and technological leader regarding container inspection, transport and labelling.