A Posimat customer, a global leader in cleaning products, made a commitment to sustainability by introducing rPET bottles (PET bottles made of recycled plastic, also called PCR post-consumer recycled PET), alongside their traditional vPET (virgin PET) bottles for their trigger spray products.

Continue reading to discover how POSIMAT overcame the challenges of handling rPET bottles while significantly improving the efficiency of existing packaging lines.
BACKGROUND

A Posimat customer, a global leader in cleaning products, made a commitment to sustainability by introducing rPET bottles (PET bottles made of recycled plastic, also called PCR post-consumer recycled PET), alongside their traditional vPET (virgin PET) bottles for their trigger spray products.

While these bottles appeared identical to the human eye, their performance on existing packaging machines told a different story. The transition to rPET led to a significant drop in the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of customer’s packaging lines, primarily due to frequent stoppages and inconsistencies during the unscrambling process.

Comparison of virgin PET and recycled PET bottles in a POSIMAT packaging line
CHALLENGES

Although rPET and vPET bottles may look visually identical, their material differences caused varied behavior in the customer’s existing machinery. The primary issues faced included:

  • Increased Friction and Static: rPET bottles presented higher friction and accumulated more static charge, causing them to stick and not slide properly within the unscrambling and feeding systems. Adding anti-static additives when manufacturing the bottles would have solved the problem but would have significantly increased cost.
  • Inconsistent Vision System Reads: The existing vision systems struggled to accurately read and identify rPET bottles due to slight variations in clarity and color compared to vPET, leading to misfeeds and line stoppages.

These challenges significantly reduced the line's efficiency, causing downtime and a dramatic decrease in the OEE, affecting overall production output and operational costs.

POSIMAT'S SOLUTION

The customer turned to POSIMAT to help resolve these issues. Leveraging its expertise in bottle handling, POSIMAT customized the unscrambling system to better accommodate the unique properties of rPET bottles, ensuring seamless integration with the customer’s existing lines.

POSIMAT bottle unscrambler integrated in a high-speed packaging line for recycled PET bottle handling
recycled PET bottles running efficiently through a POSIMAT bottle unscrambling system
KEY MODIFICATIONS IMPLEMENTED BY POSIMAT
  1. Enhanced Vision Systems with Backlighting and Camera Adjustments: To address the inconsistency in bottle recognition, POSIMAT upgraded the existing vision systems with specialized backlighting and new camera configurations. This adjustment improved the ability to distinguish between rPET and vPET bottles, ensuring accurate orientation and feeding into the line.
  2. Optimized Feeding Systems: POSIMAT made specific modifications to the unscrambling system, re-setting the configuration for each type of material to reduce friction-related issues. This allowed rPET bottles to flow smoothly, avoiding jams and stoppages.
RESULTS

After implementing POSIMAT's tailored solutions, Customer saw a remarkable turnaround in their packaging line performance:

  • Increased OEE: The OEE of the line dramatically improved, reaching levels comparable to when only vPET bottles were used. The frequent stoppages were avoided, resulting in a smoother and more consistent production flow.
  • Enhanced Bottle Handling: Both rPET and vPET bottles now run efficiently on the same line without requiring constant adjustments, thanks to the improved vision systems and optimized feeding mechanisms. No operational time has been added to the changeover. No quality marks have appeared on the finished rPET products due to the higher coefficient of friction.
  • Sustained Commitment to Sustainability: Customer successfully maintained its commitment to using recycled materials without compromising operational efficiency, reinforcing their sustainable production goals.
CONCLUSION

The customer turned to POSIMAT to help resolve these issues. Leveraging its expertise in bottle handling, POSIMAT customized the unscrambling system to better accommodate the unique properties of rPET bottles, ensuring sPOSIMAT's ability to customize and adapt existing systems played a crucial role in the customer’s success with rPET bottles. By addressing the unique challenges posed by recycled plastics, POSIMAT not only helped restore the line’s efficiency but also ensured that his customer could continue its sustainability journey with confidence. This partnership exemplifies how innovative adaptations can bridge the gap between sustainable materials and existing industrial processes, making POSIMAT a valuable ally in the push for greener packaging solutions.eamless integration with the customer’s existing lines.