Standard Knapp targets craft brewers with its ‘soft catch’ packer
The machine has a two-axis servo system for a packer to gently catch the product as it descends into the case.
Green Flash Brewing Company
It operates at speeds of up to 45 cases per minute for all bottle sizes within the craft beer industry and is capable of handling plastic, corrugated, HSC, RSC, Tablock, and tray cases.
The company recently installed one of its machines at Green Flash Brewing Company in San Diego, California. The brewery was founded by Mike and Lisa Hinkley in 2002.
“With its push-button height adjustment feature, the lift table moves the case to the up position and waits until the grid is full, after which riding strips shift to the side to initiate the bottle descent,” said Hinkley.
The lift table simultaneously moves the case downward on a velocity curve that achieves the same speed at the point of contact.
The machine has a variety of options, including right-angle or counterflow casefeed, color touch screen, flask handling and label protection strips.
The “soft catch” feature ensures the gentle handling of bottles, reducing damage and breakage and waste costs.
Standard Knapp recently displayed its 939S Versatron Soft Catch Servo Case Packer at the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America in Philadelphia (May 3-6).
It also showcased its 939EZ Versatron Case Packer; 939S Versatron Pic-N-Place case packing module and Retrofit Grid system and change parts.
The 939S Versatron Pic-N-Place case packing module reduces breakage and protects labels using two servo controlled arms and a gripper head to pick the product up off the product infeed, move it over the lift table and lower it into the case.
It is designed for partitionless packing and handling of lightweight glass, aluminum and PET bottles.
The Retrofit Grid system uses Standard-Knapp’s Snap-in Grid Technology for changeover and maintenance for a variety of product sizes.
