NJM Packaging will introduce the redesigned beltorque high-speed capper at Pack Expo Las Vegas/Pharma Expo in September 2015.
Equipped with the servo-driven, patent-pending cap elevator-feeder, which features adjustable cleats and indexes on demand, NJM has increased the speed of this continuous-motion capper by 50%.
Rivaling the high speeds of complex rotary cappers, the in-line beltorque caps up to 300 bottles per minute with simple mechanics, fast changeovers and low maintenance to ease use and reduce the total cost of ownership.
Specifications
Unlike traditional in-line cappers that use discs or spindles, this two-station capper-torquer uses two pairs of belts to gently rotate and tighten caps.
Using patented technology, one drive synchronizes the linear displacement speed of the container with the rotating speed of the closure, even when the cap stops turning.
This maximizes product quality by eliminating damage to the cap knurling and cap finish.
It also minimizes slippage to achieve more consistent torque values, which prevents leakers and reduces rework associated with out-of-tolerance rejects.
Tooling minimizes skewed caps
The beltorque Capper handles round, oval, square and rectangular bottles made of plastic or glass from two to 12 inches (50 to 305 mm) in height and from 0.5 to 7 inches (12 to 175 mm) in diameter with caps made of plastic or metal that are up to 4.75 inches (120 mm) in diameter.
Beltorque can orient and place challenging flip-top screw caps as well as gear-shaped and rubberized arthritis screw caps and snap-caps (with an optional snap-cap applicator) in addition to traditional caps, without damaging the cap surface.
To accommodate a new cap design, NJM can manufacture the new tooling in at least a week to help speed new products to market.
An optional torque reader measures applied torque and triggers a reject device to remove capped bottles that are under and over the thresholds set for any given cap.
This displays the applied torque of each capped bottle and the history of the last 30 containers on the touchscreen control panel.
An optional cap inspection station identifies skewed or missing caps, missing foil and fallen bottles and triggers the reject device.
To meet the needs of each application, NJM can equip beltorque with a centrifugal bowl for tall caps or its new elevator-feeder for all other caps.
The patent-pending servo-driven elevator-feeder offers a sequential on-demand advance that indexes the elevating conveyor.
This smooths and speeds the operation while reducing compressed air use by 50% to reduce energy costs.
Unlike traditional cap elevator-feeders with fixed cleats, NJM’s new elevator-feeder features cleats that adjust to the cap diameter to maximize throughput.
By electronically adjusting its cleats to automatically match the cap size via preprogrammed recipes, small caps are elevated more quickly.
These innovations enable beltorque to achieve capping speeds of up to 300 bpm.
Beltorque is designed for fast, easy and accurate changeovers, which can be accomplished in less than five minutes without tools.
The transfer from the elevator-feeder to the chute is telescopic so no height adjustments are needed on the chute.
The cap pick-up change-part sets the width of the chute like a jig to further simplify changeovers.
The height of the machine, which is set during each bottle height change, is electronically displayed on the color touchscreen as a numerical value, which is easier to read than a scale.
Torque is controlled with a control
The standard five-cubic foot (0.14-cubic meter) cap hopper and the optional nine-cubic foot (0.25-cubic meter) cap hopper feature a lockable clean-out door to quickly and easily remove caps during changeovers.
To reduce maintenance, beltorque’s chute and change parts are precision-machined from solid aluminum and stainless steel, which improves durability compared to parts made from sheet metal that warp during setup.
Other than the servo-driven elevator-feeder, motors are AC, which reduces maintenance compared to DC motors.
The capper features an Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI, heavy-duty construction, a stainless steel cabinet and support frame.
There are two options for the Lexan guarding.
NJM can equip beltorque with a spacing wheel, star wheel or feedscrew, as needed.
The capper can be mounted on a standard bottle conveyor and features a compact footprint that is nine feet long.
