Of all the steps that go into the mass production of bottled beverages, the most important might be the step in which bottles are sealed with caps. Capping errors can cause serious quality control issues, in some cases forcing beverage producers to abandon whole packs of bottles. Not only does a loose or missing cap make bottles unsuitable for shipment, it can also allow contaminants into the beverages that make them unsafe for human consumption. That’s why it’s important for beverage companies to invest in a reliable sensor solution that can detect capping errors and eliminate them before bottles reach the final packaging phase.
To prevent costly capping errors and ensure reliable quality control, we recommend our Locon line of LCC-M30 capacitive sensors or the CSK-1301 line of capacitive sensors from Contrinex. At Locon, besides producing our own brand of sensors and accessories, we’ve also been a proud distributer of Contrinex products for decades. Thanks to their industrial-grade nickel-plated brass housing, these sensors can easily withstand the wear and tear associated with regular cleaning tasks in bottling plants.They can also be easily adjusted to accommodate the unique dimensions of different blotting lines.
By installing a single sensing unit over the bottling conveyor, these capacitive sensors can quickly and reliably detect missing bottle caps based on changes in permittivity.
The sensor can be adjusted to recognize a pre-set value that is indicative of a properly-capped bottle, and recognize missing caps when passing bottles deviate from that value. As soon as a capless bottle is detected, it is removed from the line before moving on to the next phase of packaging. The sensors can also be used to count individual bottles, thereby ensuring they are sorted into the appropriate quantities for packaging.
Want to learn about these capacitive sensors, or any of the other sensing solutions we offer at Locon? Contact us online or give us a call today at our toll-free number to speak with a representative.