Automated changeover for the beverage and packaging industry

Application Overview

What was needed: Reduction of changeover times

Customer requirements: Food safe, synchronized adjustments across entire bottling line

igus solution: Apiro modular gearbox system

Success for the customer: Eliminated 46 manual points of adjustment, reducing changeover time by over 95%

Automated changeover is increasingly being used in modern packaging machines and production lines. The modular gearbox system makes it easy and space-saving to integrate lane adjustments, curve adjustments and lateral guides of conveyor systems into existing systems. Most of the simple assembly can be carried out while production is ongoing, so that downtime is minimized.

The Swiss drinks manufacturer Rivella using automated changeover.

Problem

Apiro gearboxes used in Rivella production line

Beverage manufacturer Rivella AG is the producer of one of the most popular soft drinks in Switzerland, Rivella. As part of the changeover process in its bottling lines, 48 manual adjustments needed to be made all along the line. This required time-consuming labor that brought production to a halt. In order to minimize this changeover time and maximize production time, Rivella sought a faster solution for their changeovers.

Solution

Apiro gearboxes used in the Rivella production line

Rivella’s search brought them to igus® and their Apiro modular gearbox systems. With the Apiro, nearly the entire bottling line can achieve synchronized adjustments. Where 48 individual adjustments were needed prior to the change, after switching to Apiro there are only two adjustment points. This cuts down the total changeover time by 95%, turning the process into one that takes mere minutes.