In canning lines, after the filler, quality tests on the double seal are performed by cutting the sample, requiring the disposal of the product. Subsequently, a comparison is made with a special camera to assess established parameters in the packaging (distances) to determine if it has been sealed with the necessary hermeticity. This process aims to prevent internal gas leaks and product contamination (Figure 1).

Taking as an example one of the industrial breweries considered small in Mexico, which has a single canning line (5 million hectoliters annually), 5,040 “five thousand forty” destructive tests are conducted on finished products (335ml cans) each month. This results in a monthly loss of 1,690 liters of beer, equivalent to 5,065 liters of water.

The use of a system that helps us perform non-destructive tests on the packaging of our beverages is crucial when it comes to saving both the product and, more importantly, water.

This technology is available through X-rays, and with these images, a distance comparison is made in the same way as the mentioned traditional method but with greater accuracy. It also reduces the testing time and the human error factor (Figure 2).

Additionally, in these samples, 5,040 aluminum cans are wasted, which will need to be recycled, involving energy expenditure.

The potential impact for water and product savings becomes very high considering that in the manufacturing of beer, soft drinks, juices, and other beverages, this type of quality inspection is carried out.

Can you apply these benefits in your area of responsibility?

For more information, please contact us at: +52 33 2832 2836

La entrada Non-destructive Testing for Double Seal Inspection in Metal Packaging, Impact on Water and Product Savings. se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.

“On the other hand, “inspection” means checking the cosmetic appearance, features, or the presence of defects, such as inclusions, cracks, or other irregularities. Meanwhile, “testing” is the process of verifying compliance with the functional specification, also through destructive means.

Now that this is clarified, it’s important to note that this article will focus on measurement. Measurement is present in different phases of the glass manufacturing process, primarily in the cold end, as well as in the inline manufacturing process or in a Quality Control Laboratory, using go/no-go gauges, manual pressure gauges, or through semi-automatic or automatic systems.

The use of go/no-go gauges and manual pressure gauges has several drawbacks, such as:

• No quantitative information is available about the size of the problem.
• Results depend on the operator’s skill.
• A set of go/no-go gauges is required for each item in production.
• Costs associated with purchasing, managing, and periodically calibrating a large number of hard gauges.

Manual measurement is an intensive process without data collection, statistics, process trend detection, or complete information available for intervention in the process. In other words, if a problem is detected, there is no information to address it. The most likely consequence is a process that is out of control.

For all these reasons and more, any glass packaging manufacturer will eventually have to face the decision to switch from manual to automatic measurement.

When this decision is made, the next step is to choose the solution from those available in the market.

It should be noted that there is no absolute best solution; the best solution is the one that fits the characteristics of the glass manufacturing plant and the range of items produced. So, what should be taken into account?

Firstly, the investment in an automatic measurement system should last approximately 10 years. Therefore, a wrong decision can have a quite serious impact.

A good practice is to take the time to think about the needs that your production process requires, define the level of automation required (fully automatic or semi-automatic). Also, consider that a fully automatic flexible machine with multiple transport systems, operating 24/7, will drastically reduce the need for labor, leading to a short return on investment (ROI). You should also consider the following:

• Seek alternative solutions and evaluate them carefully.
• Ensure that the machine truly meets your needs.
• Do not only look at catalog specifications.
• Visit the supplier’s plant and conduct tests on the machine.
• Total flexibility to measure everything produced.
• Easy and intuitive programming to facilitate machine use for both inexperienced operators and experts.
• The possibility of future upgrades allows for a machine capable of meeting future needs.
• Verify compatibility and the level of integration with the manufacturing software (MES) used in your plant.
• Do not limit your research to a single supplier. Check the supplier’s references, credibility, and, above all, experience in metrology, as well as their after-sales service.

FIG. 1

Marposs can provide solutions with different levels of automation to meet the needs of any customer and production environment. The solution with the highest level of automation and the greatest number of available controls is VisiQuick, a fully flexible automatic machine with automatic handling (Fig. 1).

This machine enables measurement without any operator intervention and without any significant changes in the workflow, covering a wide range of containers regardless of their dimensions, shape, and color. VisiQuick can measure:

• External dimensions using optical technology (cameras), weight, push-up or base, inner diameter of the mouth, and profile, with Marposs’ patented contact technology.
• Wall thickness using chromatic confocal technology.
• Labeling area profile (concavities and protrusions) with optical technology patented by Marposs.

The VisiQuick system can be supplied with all the aforementioned measurement stations or only with some of them, with the possibility of future upgrades. The system can be powered by one or more bottle/container conveyors.

This solution is highly convenient and efficient, as it allows for the measurement of different container batches without the need for an operator or supervision. VisiQuick can also be fed with samples diverted directly from the production line. An alternative solution to VisiQuick is VisiQuick-mini, a flexible semi-automatic system with manual loading/unloading of containers (Fig. 2). It can measure all external dimensions using optical technology (cameras) and optionally weight.

Both VisiQuick and VisiQuick-mini are suitable systems for measuring various types of containers, including bottles and jars used in the beverage and food industries, pharmaceuticals, as well as in the production of perfumery or cosmetic packaging.

FIG.2

With a single system, glass container manufacturers can accurately and automatically perform all the checks that, with manual gauges, would require four to seven qualified operators and many more. This comes with the additional advantage of collecting data and real-time detection of any production issues.

Both VisiQuick and VisiQuick-mini are compatible with the most popular Production Control Software (MES) in the industry.

In addition to these products, Marposs can assist customers with training, maintenance programs, and after-sales service. Celebrating 70 years of activity, Marposs is present in 34 countries with its own sales and service organization.

For more information, contact us at https://rovisa.com.mx/ or receive personalized attention via WhatsApp at this link:  https://bit.ly/3GzOxDn

La entrada Benefits of automatic dimensional analysis in the glass industry se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.

This becomes a headache for glass container manufacturing plants or for customers using the containers for their products, leading to a lack of trust in the product.

To address this, it is crucial to establish a robust process in the production line where there is a strong commitment from Maintenance, Production, and Quality, each playing its role to prevent such problems.

Maintenance: Focus on prevention by implementing maintenance programs that consider the working time of anything that comes into contact with the container to avoid metal-glass contact.

Production: Be mindful that anything in contact with the container has proper protection, is not worn out, or has not broken or fallen.

Quality: Conduct continuous tests and inspections on the container to guarantee its quality and anticipate potential problems. Obtain information from each test to establish frequencies where patterns leading to container breakage can be observed.

It is essential to have routines shift by shift to record all information, providing evidence of analysis and the implementation of corrective actions to continually improve the process and minimize potential problems.

The record should be in two parts: one for shift-to-shift routines on moving parts that come into contact with metal and glass, and the other for routines involving static parts in contact with the container. The latter routine can be more open, conducted once per day.

Quality should conduct inspections for hydrostatic pressure resistance with well-established routines. In case containers do not meet specifications, perform a comprehensive analysis considering:

• Machine Forming Number
• Mold Number that broke
• Section/Cavity to which the container belongs
• Tape bottles from the same mold to observe:
• Height at which the container broke
• Pattern of breakage

The result of the analysis can be presented in two ways:

1. The container has a problem.
2. The damage was caused during the process.

Containers undergoing hydrostatic pressure resistance testing should first be inspected for visible buckling, which can be observed under good lighting conditions (using a 1000-lumen lamp).

In the analysis, it’s important to determine if buckling occurred in the hot area (container exit from the mold, sweepers, conveyor to the transfer, entry to the annealing oven).

If no buckling is found in the container or if there is no repeated mold number and section/cavity, it may indicate an inconsistency in the behavior of containers not meeting hydrostatic pressure resistance specifications. In such cases, an analysis of the annealing oven should be considered to determine if a specific zone is causing the container issue (which is the focus of this article).

To conduct this analysis, divide the annealing oven lengthwise (see Figure 1), take four consecutive containers, marking each one’s position as right side, center of the oven, and left side. Perform hydrostatic pressure resistance inspections on these containers and subsequently process the data for analysis.

The Arrow indicates the flow of the container.

The “I” indicates the container that will be taken and identified, which was taken from the left side of the annealing oven.

The “C” indicates the container that will be taken and identified, which was taken from the center of the annealing oven.

The “D” indicates the container that will be taken and identified, which was taken from the right side of the annealing oven..

The analysis will involve determining the average for each block of data classified according to each container’s location (Left side of the annealing oven, Center of the oven, Right side of the annealing oven).

You will find that one of the three has a lower average than the others, and by examining the individual values, you can see that it’s the same molds that are present on all three sides but exhibit different behaviors. This is indicative of an issue with the annealing oven, so efforts should be focused on addressing temperature compensation or a problem with the oven’s mesh.

Based on the information obtained, an analysis of the temperatures in the annealing oven needs to be conducted to demonstrate the following:

• Ensure uniform heat flow in the oven. If not, verify that the fans in each zone are operational and that the motors driving the heat flows have the same rotation direction.
• Check for heat loss at the annealing oven joints or any areas where the insulation may be damaged.
• Confirm that the burners are operational and undamaged.
• Verify that the temperature controller indicator shows similar temperatures on the Left and Right sides, with a maximum difference of 5°C, and that the setpoint is similar for each side.

Once the cause is identified:

It’s always crucial to maintain reliable records in each department because they are key to making process improvements and working on quality management.

During meetings, the presence of Maintenance, Production, and Quality with their respective records is vital for conducting joint analysis and making necessary adjustments to achieve process improvement and minimize issues.

Recording the required changes in the documents is essential to prevent the problem from recurring and to ensure that corrective actions are implemented effectively.

Ing. Andrés De la Rosa

Want to know details?

Find us at: www.rovisa.com.mx

La entrada Care of the Container in the Production Line se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.

It is essential for the user to perform internal periodic maintenance with trained personnel. Crucially, implementing regular EXTERNAL PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE is carried out by highly trained and certified specialists, using ORIGINAL PARTS.

To facilitate Laboratory management and keep the maintenance of numerous equipment up to date, the best way to implement external preventive maintenance is through an OPEN SUPPLY CONTRACT FOR PARTS AND ON-SITE SERVICES with pre-established dates. This allows the MAINTENANCE CALENDAR TO BE UNDER CONTROL, improves inventory management and order processing. There are also other advantages, including:

SAVINGS:

Significant reduction in costs:

• A single travel cost can be divided among most of the existing equipment in the plant.
• Lower costs for order processing (automatic with an open purchase order).
• Zero man-hours for travel.
• Preventive maintenance costs are, on average, 30% lower than corrective maintenance over time.
• Well-maintained equipment prevents unwanted process stops, product losses, and financial losses.

TRAINING:

During the technical visit, the user receives continuous training in operation and internal maintenance practices, ensuring that the equipment is always up-to-date and can achieve the best instrument performance.

MORE CONTROL, BETTER ECONOMY, AND OPTIMAL USE

Please contact us to discuss how we can assist you with maintenance.

Sales: ventas1@rovisa.com.mx

Support: soporte@rovisa.com.mx

General inquiries: info@rovisa.com.mx

Support: +523312609281

La entrada Preventive Maintenance: More Control, Better Economy, and Optimal Use se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.

It is crucial to measure the CO2 content inside bottles and cans as it is a quality parameter for beer. This measurement helps identify if the beer is over-pressurized or has a low CO2 content, leading to poor foam quality or insufficient flavor for a specific beer type.

Haffmans addressed this need and, leveraging Henry’s Law, developed equipment capable of measuring the CO2 content within the packaging. The CO2 content in beer can be determined by measuring the CO2 in the headspace. According to Henry’s Law, “The amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is equal to the partial pressure of that gas over the liquid if the phases are in equilibrium.” Haffmans measures the pressure and temperature of the gas in the headspace and calculates the CO2 content based on these parameters.

However, traditional analysis faces two challenges: the need to puncture the container for measurement and the presence of added nitrogen in the beer during the brewing process, causing inaccurate readings due to the mixture of nitrogen and CO2 in the headspace.

The CO2 Selector addresses these issues by employing a different measurement principle, utilizing selective CO2 measurement based on light absorption in a laser passing through the gas phase of the packaging. The amount of absorbed light is proportional to the number of gas molecules in the medium. With this principle, selective CO2 measurements can be made, excluding O2, Nitrogen, and H2 contents in the calculation.

As a result, the equipment offers non-invasive inspection, avoiding the need to puncture or damage the container while having no contact with the contents. It features laser technology that requires no maintenance and can be used with bottles of any color. The CO2 Selector performs both selective and non-selective measurements, works with any carbonated beverage, is fast and repeatable, and has no moving parts, reducing the need for spare parts in maintenance.

La entrada Determination of Contents in Beer (CO2 Selector, Non-Invasive Measurement) se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.

Process Supervision

The measurement of quality control parameters such as CO2, O2, alcohol, extract, and turbidity can be developed in different ways depending on the requirements and size of the brewery.

CO2 and O2 are primary parameters in any quality-oriented brewery. However, the conditions under which they must be measured vary significantly:

Small breweries may only operate on specific days or shifts.

A portable device for CO2/O2 measurement, such as the Haffmans c-DGM instrument, is an ideal tool under these conditions.

The process manager can directly determine critical measurement points, from relevant tanks to the filled packaging.

Significance of CO2

Throughout the beer brewing process, attention must be paid to avoid contamination, unpleasant flavors, or any other damage to the beer.

During fermentation, many changes occur in our wort; the metabolism of sugars results in ethanol and carbon dioxide (CO2), influencing the final taste of the beer.

It is crucial to measure the CO2 content inside bottles and cans, as this is a parameter of beer quality. This measurement helps identify whether the beer is over-pressurized or has a low CO2 content, leading to poor foam quality or insufficient flavor for a specific beer type.

c-DGM Benefits

• High-quality measurement of beer in each container.
• High accuracy in measurements, enabling appropriate and timely decision-making.
• Prevent deviations when introducing your product to the market.
• Save time and money.
• Eliminate downtime in the process.
• Prevent losses of finished products.

La entrada Customer Satisfaction se publicó primero en ROVI Ingeniería.