Non-carbonated filling line
Zhangjiagang City Fanchang Machinery Co. Ltd., China, offers a three-in-one machine, for PET bottles, that integrates the functions of rinsing, filling and capping. Based on advanced technology, CGF14-12-5 is custom-designed according to the filling requirements. The machine incorporates a 1.5 kW main motor and the production capacity for 500 ml bottles is 5,000-6,000 bottles/hour.


Contact: Mr. Polcon, Zhangjiagang City Fanchang Machinery Co. Ltd., Wukesong Road, Sanxing, Jinfeng Town, Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province 215624, China. Tel: +86 (512) 5691 8677; Fax: +86 (512) 5691 8655.


Source: www.fanchang.en.alibaba.com 
Nano wheels improve food packaging
In Germany, researchers led by Mr. Sigurd Hoger at the Bonn University have used nanotechnology to develop a molecule shaped like a wagon wheel. This breakthrough could help in the production of improved food packaging materials – bottles and materials that lighter and stronger, with better thermal performance and less gas absorption, can be produced. Materials with these enhanced properties can extend the shelf-life of products, as well as lower the transportation costs involved in shipping food.


According to researchers, the hub, spokes and rim of the highly symmetric structure are clearly recognizable in images obtained using scanning tunnelling microscope. Two-dimensional particles, such as inorganic alumina platelets, are used as fillers for plastics because they impart excellent mechanical properties to these materials. In the next step, researchers will attempt to grow these little wheels bit by bit by adding more building blocks onto the rim.


Source: www.packwire.com
Palladium insert to scavenge O2
Emco Packaging Systems, the United Kingdom, has developed a palladium insert for more efficient scavenging of oxygen (O2) in packages or filled bottles. However, the insert has to be used in a modified atmosphere gas mix containing hydrogen. The palladium uses hydrogen to bind the oxygen present in the head-space of a package or filled bottle, creating water. According to Mr. John Hirst, Emco’s managing director, the palladium keeps working until all of the hydrogen is used up. The water formed from the process is held trapped between a gas-permeable membrane and a plastic substrate placed in the bottle caps.


Emco developed its palladium insert by designing a method to anchor the metal into a substrate and cover it with a gas-permeable membrane. The membrane is then attached to a plastic base using radio frequency welding. The whole wad can then be fitted into the cap of a bottle, or put into a package.


Source: www.foodproductiondaily.com
Form-fill-sealer with improved cycle speeds
In the United Kingdom, Quin Systems and Endoline have announced the availability of a compact case packing and erecting machine capable of handling 100 picks and 20 cases per minute. Combining Quin Systems’ revolutionary RThetaTM high-speed picking head with Endoline’s 220 series of case erectors, the new Versapack provides a complete, versatile end-of-line packaging solution inside a small 1,800 × 1,750 mm footprint. It provides new options for high-speed packing where automation had hitherto not been possible or economical. Versapack offers installers a flexible choice of layout options, from straight in-line through 90º to reverse case flow, with infeed module options available for rigid and flexible packs. Applications include roll-wrapped biscuits, flow-wrapped wet-wipes and cartoned ready meals.


Contact: Quin Systems Ltd., Oaklands Business Centre, Oaklands Park, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2FD, United Kingdom. Tel: + 44 (118) 9771 077; Fax: +44 (118) 9776 728.


Source: www.prweb.com
Polymer opal films shed light on spoiled foods
Scientists at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and the Deutsches Kunststoff-Institut (DKI), Germany, have developed a flexible plastic film that can be used in food packaging applications. The new polymer opal films use nanotechnology to change colour, a quality that can be exploited to indicate when foods get spoiled. The films have the potential to help food manufacturers prevent recalls and food contamination incidents from affecting their brands.


The films combine natural and man-made optical effects thereby enabling objects to change their colour precisely. The polymer opal films belong to a class of materials known as photonic crystals, which comprise many tiny repeating units. Photonic crystals, used in fibre optic telecommunications, are being considered as a potential replacement to toxic and expensive dyes used for colouring objects – from clothes to buildings. Yet much of their commercial potential has yet to be realized because the colours in man-made films made from photonic crystals depend strongly on the angle of view.


Source: www.packwire.com
Automatic sealing equipment
Humber VHB, a grower of top-quality tomatoes in the United Kingdom, has been meeting seasonal demand by hiring high-specification, automatic packaging equipment. This strategy has succeeded in controlling costs and reducing product waste. Working with the leading packaging equipment manufacturer Packaging Automation Ltd., Humber VHB has upgraded from a semi-automatic PA182 tray sealer to a fully automatic system. Vision 182 is a compact, in-line, automatic machine for heat-sealing reel-fed film lids to pre-formed trays and containers. It packs the tomatoes into clear, pre-formed plastic trays and applies a clear plastic film to which standard, printed self-adhesive labels are applied. The complete line includes a transfer conveyor, check-weighers and a print-and-apply labelling system.


Designed for manufacturers automating existing semi-automatic production lines, the Vision 182 provides quick tool changes, PLC control, an easy-to-use touch screen, menu-driven operation and self-diagnostics for error reporting. The Vision 182 can be equipped with a variable length chain conveyor, tray de-nesters, autofillers, labeller and date code printer facilities.


Contact: MPI Australia, P.O. Box 6530, Silverwater NSW 2128, Australia. Tel: +61 (2) 9648 3011; Fax: +61 (2) 9648 3282.


Source: www.ferret.com.au