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FoodBev Media

30 January 2024

Sidel introduces quality control technology for PET bottle production

Sidel introduces quality control technology for PET bottle production

Sidel has unveiled its newest technology for quality control in PET bottle production with the introduction of IntelliAdjust. This smart bottle-blowing control system is designed to enhance customers' ability to consistently produce high-quality PET bottles. It ensures uniform bottle quality amidst diverse production conditions, including preform storage, workshop temperature and relative humidity. Featuring interferometric sensor technology, the system runs within a closed loop, ensuring precise material distribution and keeping uniform production, even for bottles made from rPET. IntelliAdjust's in-line, autonomous bottle control and real-time digitised process adjustments contribute to the optimal material distribution. Moreover, when integrated with Sidel's Evo-On software suite, IntelliAdjust enables the aggregation of equipment data and dynamic analytics features. This combination allows for historical and 24/7 real-time analysis. Stéphane Menard, product manager for blowing care at Sidel, said: “This easy-to-use blowing solution maximises the number of marketable bottles by ensuring that quality control is consistently high". He continued: "IntelliAdjust offsets any production line variations by using algorithms to identify measured thickness deviations and automatically corrects the heating and blowing parameters to ensure consistent quality without any interruptions”. As the demand for extreme lightweighting and higher rPET content in the industry grows, the significance of the blow moulding process is increasing. IntelliAdjust proves to be versatile in this context, as it applies to a diverse range of PET preforms. This range includes translucent, opaque, coloured (non-TiO2) and virgin preforms with up to 100% rPET content. Its adaptability is beneficial for customers aiming to incorporate rPET, considering the multiple sources of supply and the resulting variability in material grades. The system can secure perfect material distribution on the bottle despite resin variability risks. Sidel's newest technology provides manufacturers with the chance to fully optimise the carbon footprint of their PET packaging. This is achieved not only by facilitating increased use of recycled material but also by aiding in lightweighting. The technology ensures stabilised quality across bottles, offering a comprehensive approach to sustainable packaging solutions. With the capability to run at speeds of up to 90,000 bottles per hour, it continuously compares thickness measurements with the expected material distribution. In case of any deviation, the system automatically adjusts the process. This calibration-free system eases the immediate start-up after changeovers by automatically adapting sensor positioning and processes according to each recipe. Its high accuracy minimises the need for added manual laboratory controls.

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