New packaging technology for Vöslauer
– Compact, powerful and perfectly integrated
As part of the comprehensive modernisation of the 'Franz' PET line at Vöslauer Mineralwasser, Profipack was commissioned to supply and install new unpacking and packing machinery. The challenge was that the existing Kettner unpacker and Krones packer had to be replaced with more powerful systems within a very short timeframe, despite the extremely limited space available.
Vöslauer's objectives were clear: maximum compactness and short downtime, as well as replacing the outdated machines. Profipack was awarded the contract thanks to its bespoke design, space-efficient layout and tried-and-tested commissioning concept.
Installing the machines presented a particular challenge. The new unpacker had to be installed with millimetre precision using a truck crane, passing over the upstream pallet transport system and empty pallet magazine – a feat of precise coordination. The space available for the packer was also extremely limited. Here, a high-pressure washing machine had to be temporarily dismantled to allow the new machine to be brought into position.
Despite these difficult conditions, Profipack managed to replace each machine in just 10 days. The packer was replaced in the first quarter and the unpacker in the second. Thanks to precise planning and preliminary test runs, commissioning went smoothly and the line was able to start operating immediately.
Details of the system supplied
packer-unpacker
The two new machines have been precisely tailored to the requirements of the ‘Franz’ PET line. They handle:
9×1 L crates (long-side-leading orientation)
24×0.5 L crates (sort-side-leading orientation)
Future conversion to honeycomb crates already taken into account
The new packers achieve:
1.0 L PET bottles with star bottoms: 27,600 bottles/hour
0.5 L PET bottles with star bottoms: 32,200 bottles/hour
→ 15% higher output than the subsequent filler
Particularly noteworthy is the extremely compact footprint of the machines with a machine frame of only approx. 4 × 2 m (plus magazine). This compact design was crucial in order to fit the machines into the existing line environments.
The mechanical and control integration into the existing infrastructure was also implemented smoothly thanks to the close cooperation between Profipack and Vöslauer.
Vöslauer Mineralwasser GmbH
Vöslauer Mineralwasser GmbH, based in Bad Vöslau, Lower Austria, is one of Austria's best-known mineral water brands. The company attaches great importance to sustainability, quality and efficiency – both in its products and in its production processes.
With the modernisation of the ‘Franz’ line, Vöslauer is once again focusing on future-proof packaging solutions and proving that high-performance technology and sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive.
