Gerolsteiner: "Under and over" with a system!
At the new bottling lines for its own glass bottles Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG not only relies on HEUFT QA equipment but also on its line competence.
The fountain company has already had the best experiences with detection and labelling technologies from Burgbrohl in its refillable glass line 3. It was therefore crystal clear that they were also to be used in the two new bottling lines 4 and 5 for the Gerolsteiner 0.75l individual bottle. HEUFT systems now take over
- the sorting of the empty bottles,
- the cap absence check,
- the empty bottle inspection,
- the fill level check, the fill management and the closure inspection,
- the floater and glass-in-glass detection in full bottles, as well as
- the labelling and label inspection.
Smart layout for conveyors from HEUFT
The HEUFT engineering team created the layouts for both lines in close cooperation with the Gerolsteiner project planning department - and supplied the equipment for a smooth container transport:
- HEUFT conveyor belts in hygienic design gently convey the bottles from the unpacker through the entire wet section to the packer.
- Automatic internal chain cleaning and T-CIP in microbiologically sensitive areas keep the belts permanently clean.
Line control and belt control in division of labour
The HEUFT synchron creates full control and efficiency:
- The higher-level HEUFT synchron DP line control communicates with the integrated machines, the dryer section and the hygiene center on the basis of a network. By means of automatic data synchronization between different line components such as the empty crate buffer, the new glass infeed and the machines it ensures an uninterrupted and efficient filling operation even during high rejection rates or brief faults.
- Separate HEUFT synchron TXI modules realize a gentle control and quiet regulation of the sensitive single-lane conveyor areas in front of the unscrewing device, filler and labeller.
Low consumption, reduced operating effort
Belt motors only run when they are actually needed. This reduces energy and media consumption and ensures a lean carbon footprint! Light barriers and the smart distance tracking of the conveyor control system determine whether and for how long bottles are in the segment concerned.
Space-saving HEUFT LAMBDA-K rejection systems feed reusable Gerolsteiner individual bottles back into the line circuit via return conveyors without the need for an operator. They transport defective containers directly to large containers outside the lines for automatic disposal.
Custom-fit designs for full efficiency
To achieve efficient container handling in both lines, they have particular layouts:
High-capacity line 4
With 43,000 bottles per hour, it is the fastest of the three returnable glass lines in Gerolstein and combines
- sufficiently dimensioned full and empty buffer areas,
- with the operator-free return of rejected bottles.
High-efficiency line 5
It is the result of the excellent cooperation between the Gerolsteiner production and project planning departments and the HEUFT engineering experts. The high-efficiency line is convincing due to its operator-oriented layout with short distances. It also offers the following advantages among others in a very confined space:
- The entire wet section can be handled conveniently and simply with a total of only three employees (at the filler, bottle washer and labeler/packer).
- All areas of the line are easily accessible at ground level, and there is largely no need for access ladders.
What at first glance looks like a wild " under and over " of conveyors and belts is in reality a well thought-out design with a system behind it! The Gerolsteiner individual bottles move swiftly and efficiently on different levels through line 5, where 36,000 of them are filled every hour.
Full product quality, maximum automation
To do this, they not only have to conquer curves, 180-degree switchbacks and serpentines, but also steep inclines and declines. Thanks to optimum belt mechanics and precise belt control, the bottles can neither slip nor fall over.
Even at high line speeds, top-level packaging and product quality is ensured. And at the same time an exceptionally high level of automation and overall efficiency!
