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Customised product turners, e.g. for the beverage and food industry
Save up to 70% costs with the igus 3D printing solution while increasing system efficiency
In the filling process in the food and beverage industry, the filled containers are rotated multiple times. Beverage cans, glasses and tins are turned before filling for cleaning and several times after filling, e.g. for applying the best-before date or for making sure they are tight. Conventionally manufactured product turners made from bent rods or wire baskets equipped with plastic profiles or milled plastic blocks or plates are expensive to procure, involve long delivery times and are also heavy and unwieldy during format changes. Inadequate designs often lead to jamming during operation, and the plastic profiles used wear out so quickly that they must be permanently sprayed with water. With the 3D-printed product turner, igus offers a unique solution: the material-saving design is optimised for maximum throughput without jamming and makes the component up to 90% lighter and more ergonomic. As it is manufactured from wear-resistant iglidur tribofilament, it is suitable for operation without spray water and allows for time-efficient and cost-effective format adjustment. A standard range for 180° turners for all common beverage can formats is available from stock; individual solutions for various container sizes and fittings can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively.
Product used
Product turners made from the high-performance iglidur i150 filament are manufactured in the in-house igus 3D printing service using the FDM process. Thanks to the design freedom and speed of additive manufacturing, the product turners can be flexibly adapted to any can and container shape.
