Compact class
The compact KHS can filler is becoming increasingly popular with small and medium-sized breweries. This space-saver has now also grown in capacity; it processes up to 50,000 cans per hour and scores on quality and efficiency.
The large can filler from KHS is not the only successful model in the company’s canning portfolio. The Innofill Can C, developed specifically for the craft brewery target group in 2017, is proving just as popular. To date this was only available for the smaller capacity range of between 5,000 and 15,000 cans per hour. Its plus points are its flexibility (it manages containers holding between 150 milliliters and one liter) and its hot filling option, enabling practically all kinds of beverage to be canned.
Adaptability also has high priority for this machine: it’s becoming increasingly important to also facilitate hot filling with regard to processing further down the line – a requirement that the revamped KHS can filler meets. Beer is canned at a temperature of 18°C, for instance, and carbonated soft drinks at 20°C to prevent the formation of condensation. The cans packaged in cartons, on trays or in packs of six stay dry; the packaging material doesn’t become soggy, gather mold or allow microbiological deposits to accumulate.
One of the filler’s most outstanding features is its compactness: the filler, seamer, service module and control cabinet come pre-assembled on delivery so that the plug-and-produce system can go into operation more or less immediately.
Power for the line
With its small footprint, the high-tech can filler holds increasing appeal for medium-sized beverage producers. KHS thus decided to also offer a version of the Innofill Can C for the medium capacity range. For this purpose, the pitch circle has been enlarged from 720 to 1,800 millimeters, enabling machine outputs of up to 50,000 cans per hour to be achieved on 60 filling valves. With this capacity the Innofill Can C can now therefore also be integrated into lines with higher outputs, especially in combination with process engineering such as the Innopro Paramix C blending system, flash pasteurizer or CIP module. This means that beverages can also be processed and canned in the medium capacity range on space-saving KHS systems right down the line.
Even more hygienic: electropneumatically powered bells with PTFE expansion joints to seal cans.
Up-to-the-minute technology in a small space
Despite its small footprint the Innofill Can C is packed with cutting- edge technology – just like its big brother the Innofill Can DVD. The compact model boasts the following technologies:
- Low oxygen pickup with lower CO₂ consumption
The highly efficient filling system with the patented CAN+ CO₂ purging process permits low oxygen pickup levels. The amount of CO₂ consumed is also reduced by 40% compared to standard systems. - High filling accuracy
The filling valves on the computer-controlled filling system are equipped with electromagnetic induction flow meters. They ensure uniform filling levels and that headspaces of exactly the same size are created in the cans. - Reliable product quality
Using PFTE as a sealing material more or less completely rules out flavor carryover from one product to another. The material can be cleaned easily and very effectively. This results in better hygiene levels and cuts the amount of cleaning media used. - Sophisticated hygienic design
The bells used to seal the cans are powered completely electropneumatically – without the conventional cams and rollers in the sensitive hygiene area. The bells are also sealed here using a PFTE expansion joint. In combination, this does away with the need for water lubrication. - Energy-efficient drives
As on all KHS machines servomotors and servodrives of the highest energy efficiency are also used for the compact can filler. - Fast format changeovers
The bells on the standard machine process can neck types ranging from 200 to 206. Simple format changeovers and a direct connection to the service module shorten conversion times when switching over formats and products. - Integrated seamer system
The Innofill Can C includes a can seamer from Ferrum AG, a company of international renown in this field. In addition to a system with three seamer spindles versions with six or eight are also available for higher outputs – these with automatic height adjustment.
The Innofill Can C is another good example where KHS provides state-of-the-art technology and innovations proved many times over in practice for all sizes of operation – also for small and medium- sized breweries.
The opposite is also true however: the technology of the electropneumatic bell lifting and lowering mechanism was originally specifically designed for the compact machine. It’s proved so effective here that it’s now also being used on the upgraded version of the big machine, the Innofill Can DVD.
