Packaging
Fill levels straight as a die
Monday 15. November 2010 - Gentle filling with the Krones Modulfill VKPV-CF
Friedrich Lütvogt GmbH & Co. KG from Wagenfeld in Lower Saxony had some very special stipulations regarding filling level accuracy for its bottled products. The company owns its own mineral water bottling operation, called Auburg Quelle, but also bottles soft drinks as a co-packer, and will in future be able to bottle beer and beer-based mixed drinks as well. Special bottle geometries in the product range demanded a filler capable of delivering fill levels straight as a die. In an enlarged-neck bottle, for example, where beforehand there had repeatedly been substantial fill level fluctuations, which were a visual irritant, particularly in the case of bottles for the catering trade.
Thats why the Friedrich Lütvogt company, when the question of investing in a new machine came up, opted for a Modulfill VKPV-CF from Krones AG, a filler that was originally designed for particularly gentle and low-oxygen-pick-up filling of still and sparkling wines. In the Modulfill VKPV-CF, the pressure conditions can be matched precisely to the needs of the product concerned. The machine can be operated with single or double pre-evacuation, or none at all if so desired. Before the bottles are filled, the pressure inside them is increased to match the pressure level in the ring bowl. As soon as the same pressure obtains on both sides, the short-tube filling valve will be opened. A swirl insert then imparts a rotational movement to the product, which causes it to flow along the wall of the bottle, thus ensuring gentle, low-foaming filling
Filling accuracy in the tenth-of-a-millimetre range
But the Modulfill VKPV-CF has another major advantage, one thats particularly appreciated by Auburg Quelle: the integrated fill level correction feature guarantees filling accuracy in the tenth-of-a-millimetre range. The fill level can be changed automatically using the program selection feature on the touch panel.
At Friedrich Lütvogt GmbH & Co. KG, three closers are provided, one for crowns, one for aluminium screw-caps, and a third for plastic closures. So its precisely the right filler for the needs of the Auburg Quelle, which attaches high priority to maximised flexibility coupled with superlative quality, and after the fair will be installing the Modulfill VKPV-CF on show at the Brau Beviale at its mineral water bottling facility in Wagenfeld.