Optimally applied PET bottle closures!
Enhanced angle of application detection at drinktec: enabling preventive closer maintenance!
Non-brand, crooked, tilted or defective: the all-round closure inspection with the HEUFT FinalView II CAP detects every closure defect in-line! This even applies to difficult cases such as faulty asymmetrical tethered caps on non-returnable PET bottles. We have perfected the technology for detecting the application angle of closures, particularly for high-speed disposable PET lines. Without additional components the compact detection unit can now also inspect each closure on the application angle with an accuracy of up to two degrees and provide statistical insight into individual capper head performance.
This is done exclusively by means of the intelligent top-down camera, which is also used for the targeted inspection of the closure colour and logo. It checks the position of a special embossed mark on the closure. At the same time, it takes a top view of an inconspicuous notch in the carrier ring of each bottle, which serves as a reference point to measure the orientation of the bottle itself. Special lighting facilitates the reliable detection of this alignment mark. To ensure statistically reliable results, it is intelligently evaluated and clearly distinguished from similar-looking objects such as water droplets or damages on the carrier ring caused by the capping equipment. Parallel to this, standard integrated side cameras perform millimetre-precise height checks on the filled PET containers to find screw caps that have not been tightened sufficiently and have therefore completed too less application rounds.
Exact angle of application measurement
All the inspection results are correlated. The application angle of each individual PET bottle closure can thus be precisely measured by the new software. On this basis, and taking into account the specifications of the closure manufacturer, it is possible to calculate exactly whether it has not been screwed on far enough or too far, so that it either does not seal properly or can no longer be opened easily.
The latest release of the HEUFT FinalView II CAP can measure the angle of application to an accuracy of two degrees. It is easy to connect to the HEUFT SPECTRUM II VX, for example, which implements a comprehensive filler and closer management. But it can also be linked to the HEUFT squeezer II devices for the leakage check of filled PET bottles.
Timely closer head diagnosis
The results of the angle detection can be statistically displayed using the locator and always assigned precisely to the closer head responsible for the respective error. This is helpful for preventive closer maintenance: The closer heads that repeatedly cause such faults can even be identified and shut down at an early stage using the statistics obtained, so that serial faults or unplanned line stops and the associated production stops cannot occur in the first place. Until the next scheduled line stop, which allows for preventive maintenance, the series fault detection can output signals to deactivate a specific closer head for so long.
The HEUFT FinalView II CAP increases the overall production quality and efficiency of complete non-returnable PET lines with this further developed detection of the angle of application in addition to the gapless all-round inspection of the entire bottle closure including all safety elements. And this is possible without any additional components but solely by means of a software upgrade which can also be carried out retrospectively so that nothing changes regarding the extremely compact dimensions of the detection unit for all-round closure inspection!
Interested? HEUFT's new application angle detection will be demonstrated live at drinktec 2025 in Munich: Stand B4-121/321
