Single-sourced: Krones block-layout expertise for cans

Seven years ago, Krones premiered the Modulfill Bloc FS-C. This block solution for cans fills and seams up to 135,000 cans per hour and can handle beer, CSDs, water and sensitive beverages. It scores highly not only in regard to flexibility, performance and efficiency but also offers bottling companies, particularly their operating staff, further attractive pluses. That is because all machines in the block share one control panel and one control system, which substantially reduces manual intervention. What’s more, the block features automatic height adjustment, quick-change handling parts to ensure short make-ready times and combined centring bells that can be used for a number of different can formats. 

On request, the Modulfill Bloc FS-C is also available with a small cleanroom for handling sensitive beverages like tea and juices, which scores highly not only in terms of hygiene but also in regard to its space requirement. Compared to a block solution with free-standing machine guarding, the footprint of the small-cleanroom variant is reduced by about 35 per cent. And the block layout also makes for savings in actual operation because the volume of the hygiene-critical filling and seaming zone is 90 per cent smaller than that of fillers with a large cleanroom roof. That means less filtering aids are needed. 

Modulseam revamped 

As far as the individual machines are concerned, Krones is always striving to improve its filler and seamer. The most recent example here is optimised design features for the Modulseam seamer, such as a drive concept featuring servo-technology in which the drive trains have been subdivided into functional areas. Thanks to this concept, both the process itself and wear and tear can be monitored and targeted measures can be taken to prevent possible failures. What’s more, the machine’s bed has been revamped in order to provide optimum stability despite extreme dynamic loads. A number of further relatively small modifications at the machine bed and the seamer’s base and turret ensure easy operator access for maintenance and cleaning jobs. 

“Our Modulfill Bloc FS-C is the most media-efficient block currently available on the market. Thanks to our isolator concept and the well-thought-out cleaning system, beverage producers benefit from economical use of media. What’s more, our holistically conceived block concept scores exceptionally well with its excellent operator-friendliness, especially when it comes to format change-overs. So that predestines the Modulfill Bloc for all those companies that process a large number of different products in small batches,” explains Sebastian Wittl, product manager for filling technology.