Innovation NEws
REA JET Presents Nondestructive Laser Marking of Thin-Walled Plastics IN
order to save costs and material and improve the environmental performance, the wall thickness of PET bottles has constantly been reduced. REA JET is now presenting a new laser system that is capable of marking thin plastics without the risk of perforation. To meet stability requirements a specific wavelength is used and the important barrier and burst pressure properties are preserved. For the beverage industry the consumable- and nearly maintenance-free laser REA JET CL is available with safety class IP65 for use in humid environment. . Average CO2 laser systems normally use a wavelength of 10.6 µm to generate an engraving on PET bottles. Outdated or inappropriate laser sources can severely damage thin container walls. In contrast, the REA JET CL can also be operated with the specific
wavelength of 9.3 µm that foams up plastics during the marking process. Thus a perforation is avoided and the stability of the material is kept. A further advantage of this wavelength is the significantly better legibility of the marking. The foamed material appears whitish, while an engraving remains transparent and a contrast is only caused by shadow. The quality of laser marking not only depends on the material surface but is also influenced by the configuration of the laser system with parameters such as the selection of the emitted wavelength, the used lens and the adjustment of the marking speed. REA JET develops and manufactures all coding and marking systems. The experts therefore are able to customise the laser until the desired marking quality is achieved. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/66496
KHS InnoPET Blomax Machines with Newly Developed Preform Inspector U
nder the name of Innocheck PPI (PET Preform Inspection), KHS GmbH is now offering a multistage preform inspection program which it has developed in house. This recognises faulty preforms, finds foreign objects in preforms and detects the tiniest damage. The Innocheck PPI therefore assists operators with their quality assurance and helps to ensure a trouble-free, efficient stretch blow moulding process with a detection rate of almost 100%. The German supplier of filling and packaging systems has been equipping its KHS InnoPET Blomax stretch blow moulders in series III and IV with inspection devices for many years. This equipment detects errors and damage to preforms and containers. Around 40% of all stretch blow moulders are now fitted with an inspection system. With immediate effect KHS is now integrating its own Innocheck PPI preform inspection unit developed in house into its plant engineering. This supplements the Innocheck portfolio which also includes the successful Innocheck PCI PET container inspector. “In conjunction with our preform inspection unit this tried-and-tested system now forms a high-quality turnkey system. With it we’re again boosting the product quality and ease of operation in the stretch blow moulding process, whether with a new system or one retrofitted into existing Blomax models,” explains Meike Schulz, line development and product management. The new Innocheck PPI preform inspector thus considerably improves quality during PET bottle manufacture. Visit: www.packagingeurope.com/News/66873 | 4 | Packaging Europe