High-speed bottling line for Bocksbeutel and Bordeaux bottles

With a new combined line for Bocksbeutel and cylindrical bottles, the winegrowers’ cooperative Winzergemeinschaft Franken (GWF) in Kitzingen (Germany’s fourth-largest winegrowers’ cooperative) is taking a technological great leap forward. The new line will replace two existing ones dating back to the 1980s. Rated at 11,500 bph, it is probably among the fastest Bocksbeutel lines in the world.
Its handling range of Bocksbeutel bottles in the 0.75-l and 0.25-l sizes, plus 1.0-l and 0.75-l Bordeaux bottles, provide the plant with maximised flexibility. The Mecafill VKPV-CF filler, with its motorised vent tube adjustment feature, is optimally equipped to cope with the line’s change-over requirements, With options for fill level correction with CO2, the filler provides all the requisite preconditions for low-oxygen, high-precision filling. The Variojet rinser, gable-type table-top and cleanroom enclosure ensure superlatively hygienic conditions.
Because of the different bottle formats involved, larger pitches are needed for the filler and the modularised Topmodule labeller. In addition, the buffering time and the speed of the conveyors had to be appropriately matched: SynCo container conveyors under high-precision contribute here towards functional optimisation. The use of Raptec handling parts at the filler and multi-functional starwheels for the cylindrical bottles at the labeller help to streamline the procedures involved in format changeovers. Two Accutables create buffering time for the Bocksbeutel bottles, so that there are no restrictions here on the line’s output.
The filling concept is rounded off by integration of a VarioClean CIP system.
At the dry end, GWF has opted for 2 Pressant Universal machines for the sweep-off and palletising functions.