Zero Gap II™ Infeed Technology for Continuous Low Pressure Product Conveying
July 20, 2007
Related To: Standard-Knapp Inc.
Standard-Knapp, a worldwide leader in the manufacture of innovative packaging machinery, introduces its Zero-Gap II™ Infeed complete product conveyor assembly. Engineered to eliminate line jams during the packaging process, Zero-Gap II Infeed employs electronic sensors to monitor and control product movement, maintaining a constant low line pressure and maximizing machine uptime. A flexible design and gentle handling capabilities make the Zero-Gap II ideal for applications in the soft drink, beer, wine, food, and household product industries. Installed between the upstream product conveyor and the original infeed of the machine, the Zero-Gap II Infeed distributes product from a nested pattern into multiple lanes. As these lanes fill and product accumulates in the low pressure area, the electronic population sensors signal the conveyor to increase its speed, maintaining balance. Each of these lanes continue to carry the product downstream where the lanes begin to narrow and line up with the machines individual lane guides. By monitoring the product lanes and controlling the conveyor speeds accordingly, the Zero-Gap II Infeed allows product to enter these lanes with very low pressure and no (zero) gaps. The Zero-Gap II Infeed operates at speeds of up to 2000 bottles per minute with round containers of all sizes. Changeover is easily accomplished by initial setup parameters which allow operators to complete changes with repeatability and without the need to adjust settings during production. The Zero-Gap II Infeed is compatible with a variety of platforms, including tray packers, shrink bundlers, intermittent motion case packers and rotary packers. Constructed with robust stainless steel and a narrow profile, the Zero-Gap II Infeed features an easy-access configuration with no moving parts.