Improvement of the Oran Soda PET Packaging Line: Upgrade on Feeding and Format Change
At the Terme di Crodo plant, part of the Royal Unibrew A/S group, an upgrade intervention was carried out on the machine at the PET bottle packaging line for Lemon Soda. The goal of the intervention was to improve the efficiency and reliability of the line, particularly in the bottle feeding phase to the packer.
Intervention Details
The intervention included:
- Installation of a new side guide system on the SMI packer, designed to optimize the flow of products coming from the loose conveyor belts towards the machine inlet.
- Optimization of the format change, with particular focus on managing bottles of different diameters, in order to increase versatility and speed of adjustments.
The expected result was smoother and more consistent feeding of bottles to the packer, minimizing jams and improving the overall efficiency of the line. This objective was fully achieved.
Initial Problem: Solving a Bottle Routing Issue at the Inlet
The upgrade proposal originated from the customer’s need to solve a recurring problem at the machine inlet. The previous system, known as the “stepped” system and built several years ago by the manufacturer, was no longer adequate for current needs: bottle routing was not optimal and required constant monitoring by the operator.
Frequent minor jams occurred, causing the packer to stop and forcing staff to intervene manually. The new installed system features a completely redesigned guiding geometry, with a side guide assembly mounted on a pneumatic structure that allows forward-backward movement to quickly unblock any stuck bottles.
Improvement of Format Change
The format change has been made much easier and faster. Now the entire adjustment of the inlet side guide assembly is done via a handwheel equipped with a tachometer, with specific reference numbers for each bottle diameter. This handwheel controls worm screws and levers that open and close the side guides asymmetrically.
Compared to the previous manual adjustment, this system significantly reduces the time and effort required by the operator. The outermost guides can be easily adjusted using simple clamps.
Duration and Method
The intervention was completed in four days, with the involvement of two specialized technicians. It was carried out during a scheduled production shutdown, planned together with the customer to coincide with a routine maintenance session of the line. This allowed the activities to be integrated without unexpected impacts on production continuity.
