Proco Machinery has redesigned its automated flame treater for bottles and large containers with many new features, including a fully automatic control that ignites the flame only when required.
“We used to have a pilot light, where a small flame is on all the time below the burner,” said Siva Krish, Proco VP of sales and marketing.
The automatic ignition control uses a spark to ignite the flame. This results in major energy savings and lower operating costs, the company said.
The new flame treater also is equipped with new built-in safety features, such as electronic sensors that monitor the flow of containers into and out of the flame area. In the event of a jam, the flame stops, and an alarm sounds to alert plant personnel of the problem.
“It gives continuous feedback to the PLC to know that the conveyor is running, and if there is any problem with the motor or if the conveyor is going to stop, the system shuts off automatically to make sure the bottles are not getting burnt by the flame,” Krish said.
Other features include a smoke sensor at the top of the unit and a hood to exhaust smoke. An infrared flame sensor ensures there is no fire on the bottles. The unit includes a safety enclosure with interlocking safety doors that shut down the system if the doors are opened during operation. A new HMI gives operators additional features and monitoring capabilities. The system is engineered to provide maximum flame control and efficiency, the company said.
The flame treater heats bottles and containers prior to decoration or the application of labels to ensure better adhesion.
“The concept of flame treating is the same,” Krish said. “What has changed is the requirements in the industry. People want more-robust safety features. People want more, aesthetically. People want more controls. It used to be all timers, but now it’s all completely sophisticated with a PLC with a touchscreen. The concept of flame treating has never changed, but how you approach the flame treater has changed.”
The Proco Flame Treater is versatile and can be adapted for a range of products, including drums as large as 45 gallons. Burners can be adjusted in height and width. Angular adjustments can be made for irregular or tapered containers.
Proco offers two models. A two-burner system is designed for flame treating rectangular containers. A four-burner system is for round bottles. The four-burner system has a container-turning mechanism that rotates the containers, ensuring the bottles are treated fully.
Standard units come equipped with a stainless-steel conveyor measuring 6 inches wide and 6 feet long. It has adjustable guide rails and a variable-speed motor. The height of the unit is easily adjusted using a handwheel on top of the main column.
The unit is fitted with wheels that allow it to be moved easily throughout the plant.
Bruce Geiselman, senior staff reporter
Contact:
Proco Machinery Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, 905-602-6066, www.procomachinery.com
Bruce Geiselman | Senior Staff Reporter
Senior Staff Reporter Bruce Geiselman covers extrusion, blow molding, additive manufacturing, automation and end markets including automotive and packaging. He also writes features, including In Other Words and Problem Solved, for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding. He has extensive experience in daily and magazine journalism.
