Greater Efficiency and Quieter Operation for GlaxoSmithKline

An aseptic bottling line at GlaxoSmithKline’s Coleford factory has been upgraded recently with a new enclosed ‘JetPlate’ bottle drying system from ACI that has proven to be more efficient and quieter than its predecessor.

Handling 330 and 500ml PET bottles of Ribena, Hydro Active and Lucozade Sport at line speeds ranging from 300-600 bottles/min, it replaces a configuration of simple airknives.

Principle reasons for the airknives failure were difficulty in ensuring correct setup for different bottle types and following cleaning/maintenance, noise and containment of moisture.

Unlike airknives, ACI’s JetPlate requires no adjustment after installation. Further, air flow is designed to ensure water and spray is driven downwards to prevent possible product re-contamination. Finally, the JetPlate system is housed in a compact enclosure (1500 x 950 mm footprint) which serves to reduce noise levels and help contain airborne moisture.

According to Andrew Markey, Product Stream Support Engineer, the ACI JetPlate bottle drying system has improved the bottle drying significantly, providing consistent results which benefits the down-line operations of label application and product coding.