Highly flexible packaging lines

Pilsner Urquell is the principal brand of Plzensky Prazdroj A.S. The company’s output totals about 9 million hectolitres, of which around 5 million hectolitres are brewed in Pilsen itself. Within the framework of structural transformation of the filling capacities, a combined returnable/non-returnable glass line and a canning line have been installed. The combined returnable/non-returnable glass line increases the bottle filling capacity from 36,000 bph to 60,000 bph. The canning line increased the capacity from 20.000 to 36,000 can per hour with an option for upsizing to 60,000 cans/h.
In the dry ends of the two lines, particularly, several different packers, in five packaging lines so far, ensure a wide spectrum of options. The returnables/non-returnables glass line features three packers for non-returnables (including a Krones Wrapapac WTS 60 wrap-around packer) for options like Duodozen, 10-, 20-, and 24-bottle wrap-around cartons, basket, Over-the-Top, Neck-true, 6-bottle Open Carrier, etc. Servodrive technology ensures ultra-efficient production, and short product changeover times, requiring no special tools. The Wrapapac WTS 60 is fitted with extra-large carton magazines, enabling the machine to be operated for lengthy periods without topping up the cartons.
The line also features a Linapac II packer and unpacker for handling the returnable bottles in crates. These machines can be automatically readjusted to new container and pack sizes in less than 10 minutes. The same applies for the Pressant Universal bulk-glass and can sweep-off depalletisers. All palletisers are triple-axis robots of the same 3A type. This simplifies spare parts inventories and upgrades the versatility of the palletising system. For packaging the cans, the canning line is equipped with two Variopac packers from the FS and TFS series.