As explained in issue 74, following the Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21) and taking their social responsibility seriously, many if not all food and beverage packing companies are actively working to reduce their carbon footprint. Since packaging is a substantial part of this carbon footprint, supply chain collaboration is a key for success. Knowing the competitive field of metal, plastics and bio-based packaging, for glass the keys to survival are to recycle and reduce weight (improving the content-to-glass ratio). Reducing weight requires further optimisation of forming process stability.
Swabbing robot co-operation
For 20 years, XPAR Vision has led the development of hot end sensors for improved glass container glass forming. After four years of co-operation with swabbing robot supplier Novaxion from France, XPAR Vision has launched its own BlankRobot equipment.
As its name suggests, the BlankRobot is designed not only for swabbing but for other applications as well. For swabbing, by applying a special lubricant together with a highly precise application, the frequency is reduced to once every three hours, leaving enough time for the robot to perform other functions. As will be indicated within this article, reducing the swabbing frequency from once every 10-20 minutes to once every three hours will open up many opportunities for the glass container industry.