Streamlined processing

Alex Rivers speaks to CPM and VMI Group about their latest solutions in washing and drying.

The washer and dryer are hugely critical equipment pieces in the whole can production process, and with customer demand for sustainable solutions that offer high speeds and efficiency, comes great responsibility for equipment manufacturers. CanTech International spoke to two leading companies in these areas about the key considerations and developments.

CPM’s business development director, Roman Lozano, explained that “The washer has two primary objectives: to remove all the lubricants and oils from the can making process, and to prepare the can for the further stages, ie decoration. Mobility needs to be enhanced for the can to move quickly around the line.”

CPM’s Torrent Can Washer, which pairs with the Tornado Dryer from Greenbank, is capable of processing up to 8,000 cans per minute. The dryer dries cans in under 60 seconds.

Monitoring this type of high-speed equipment is key, but whereas AI is holding the spotlight in some operations, Lozano said CPM is seeing “a slow adoption from our customers, because this means additional features which carry an extra and often premium cost.”

While Lozano commented that CPM has only “just scratched the surface” with AI aspects of its business, CPM does offer some flexibility in this area. “Some customers will choose a washer with 100 sensors, while others will want one with 500 sensors. It all depends on the level of efficiency required and how much emphasis the customer wants to put on maintenance and downtime,” he said.

The group’s focus is currently on reducing water and gas consumption, as well as creating the largest throughputs on reduced footprints. “From the offset, we were targeting washing and drying cans in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner we possibly could.”

Looking to the future, Lozano said CPM will continue to strive for reduced gas consumptions in its dryers and ovens. “We’re looking at alternative fuels, hybrid oven technology and heat recovery systems.

“In washer equipment, we’re looking at developing an even smarter control system to reduce fresh water consumption,” he concluded.

Bottle can rinsing

VMI Group specialises in washing equipment for the two-piece can industry and has recently launched its bottle can rinser to the American market. The company’s sales manager, Johan Jonkman, spoke to CanTech about the decision behind this expansion.

“As a European supplier to the American market, we needed an added value product, which is what this rinser represents,” said Jonkman. The rinser, which was developed in close cooperation with a Japanese customer, has been present in other parts of the world for around five years.

“Over recent years, bottle cans have been introduced to the market as more of a luxury version of the standard can,” said Jonkman. “This type of package features quite complex manufacturing processes and needs to be washed twice – first as a regular can, and then after it has been shaped into a bottle. Standard cans are washed upside down, but bottle cans cannot be washed in quite the same way due to the shape of their neck, so on our rinser, there is a beam with baskets in which the bottle cans sit – one basket for each bottle can – to stabilise it.”

The VMI Bottle Rinser allows a maximum of 32 bottles in a row, depending on the can diameter. The baskets are always made to measure to every specific bottle dimension. Based on 211 can diameter, the VMI Bottle Rinser can handle around 1,100 bottles per minute. The top spray-bars are in fixed positions while the bottom spray-bars oscillate in sync with the baskets holding the bottle cans, guaranteeing optimum rinsing results.