Advercan’s resealable aluminum soda can has a tab that, when turned 180 degrees, recloses the can with a water- and gas-tight seal, revealing a full-color, high-resolution advertising message through the tab opening. Except for a micro-gasket made from sustainable polymers, the assembly, which is fitted to a standard aluminum can, is all-aluminum.
FDA approves DiamondClear oxygen scavenger technology
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Constar Int’l’s DiamondClear oxygen scavenging technology, a proprietary material that is blended into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to give it glass-like clarity, gloss and extended barrier protection. PET bottles and containers with the material can package shelf-stable products, as well as optimize appearance and flavor with extended shelf life.
Dorner Manufacturing’s Hygienic ThermoDrive Vertical Scoop Belting Option features a tool-less tip-up pulley, tool-less disassembly, a stainless steel gear-motor, frame cutouts and stainless steel bearings. The belt is a homogeneous thermoplastic composition with no pins, hinges or link joints. It loads up to 20 pounds per square foot, supports lengths between 3 and 40 feet, supports widths up to 2 feet and maintains speeds up to 233 feet per minute. It is engineered for environments with high-pressure sanitation regulations, and cleans with 55% less water than the average belt.
Heat and Control’s Ishida IX-GA-65100 X-ray inspection system, which features a 25.5-foot wide product conveyor and an inspection chamber that accommodates packages up to 10.62 feet tall (or 15.35 feet tall with optional safety covers), detects foreign objects and product defects in cartons and cases. Product data and changeovers are entered on a 15-inch color touchscreen. Its inspection systems are compliant with ETL and US FDA Title 21 CRF 1020.40 regulations, and it meets IP65 washdown specifications. Its conveyor belts can be removed without tools, and its ductless enclosure prevents damage from condensation and dust.
Innovia Films’ NatureFlex coated biodegradable and compostable
packaging films have achieved CarbonZero status following a lifecycle
analysis aided by an external consultant. CO2balance, which
suggests carbon offset programs, was selected because it met key
criteria and has a local reforestation scheme. CarbonZero status
signifies that a company has engaged in activities to mitigate the
carbon footprint of its products. NatureFlex films biodegrade in soil
and wastewater at ambient temperatures, and are suitable for home and
industrial composting. They are manufactured with raw materials that
are typically 95% renewable, comprising a transparent cellulose base
manufactured from sustainable wood pulp, and biodegradable and
compostable surface layers.
Kliklok-Woodman introduced several machines at Interpack 2008,
including a high-speed top-load carton closer, which turns cartons in
midstream for high-speed (more than 200 containers per minute)
“straight-line” closing; the CELOX mid- to high-speed end-load
cartoner, featuring servo motion profiles, a hybrid and fully welded
stainless steel frame, a modular design, an ancillary device rail-mount
system and more; and the Polaris II bag maker, with a Yamato weigher on
top and other optionals. Software that determines the best bag makers
for factories will also be demonstrated.
Multivac’s reclosable packaging for products like lunchmeat and sliced cheeses is formed from semi-rigid top and bottom films, and features a top web formed with a deep, angled recess that snaps into the bottom web to tightly close the package and allow it hang vertically. Packages can be gas—flushed for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) applications, and packages can be customized for easy stacking and shipping.
LyondellBasell Industries’ Pro-fax X11540-81-3, a custom experimental grade polypropylene (PP), has been chosen by Container Corp. of Canada for use in commercial production of oriented PP (OPP) hot-filled jars and bottles. The jars and bottles feature an oxygen and CO2 barrier coating that improves the oxygen barrier on a 500 milliliter OPP bottle approximately 140 times over an uncoated PP version. It also features a customized 40 decigrams per minute clarified random copolymer for achieving clarity and performance properties without using peroxide to enhance melt flow. Bottles also have improved adhesion properties and can be used in food and beverage commercial applications, which should reach shelves by late 2008.
Dynamic Conveyor’s DynaCon conveyor system offers flexible modularity, allowing smooth transfer of packages off-line at right angles. There are no pushers, diverters or mechanical components, as well as no requirement for pneumatics or electricity.
Fill level inspector features touchscreen technology
Krones (www.kronesusa.com) has introduced the Checkmat 753 HF, which offers fill level inspection for bottles (up to 72,000 per hour) through touchscreen technology. It accepts bottles (not cans) of any size, shape or color, and paper or plastic labels will not affect the measurements. The touchscreen allows user-friendly operator control.
