Agr International has launched the automated, self-contained testing station SPT2-Volume.
The station is designed to provide hands-free, automated volume measurement of glass containers on the plant floor or in the laboratory.
This is said to offer a cost-effective alternative to the tedious hand measurement of bottles.
The system is said to be developed to meet the needs of glass container producers and brand owners that need fast and precise volume measurement but do not require pressure testing.
It is particularly applicable to the producers of non-pressurised ware, including spirit, olive oil and specialty beverage and food containers where volume measurement is critical.
The SPT2-Volume is an extension of the Agr SPT2 product line.
Built upon the same testing platform, this system shares many of the features, including a rugged stainless steel framework, no job change bottle handling system and a Linux operating system.
The system can also be configured to operate autonomously, where it can provide round-the-clock volume measurement without additional labour requirements.
Volume measurement with precision
The SPT2-Volume system utilises positive-displacement as it core technology.
A known volume of fluid is transferred from a temperature compensated, calibrated cylinder into the test container.
At the same time, the fill level is dynamically monitored as the container is filled to overflow.
The positive-displacement method offers a number of advantages over traditional laboratory methods.
The filling technique, in tandem with a high-precision fill-height sensor,
This makes it possible to deliver defined volume and fill measurements at any point within the process, to an accuracy of + 0.5ml.
Measurements can be performed at a rate of up to 120 bottles per hour (350ml bottle).
Other advantages include little or no effect on measurement precision due to water quality, container shape or rate of fill, regardless of the size and volume of the container.
Furthermore, the volume measurement system is self-contained, requires no delicate scales and is not affected by water density, flow rate or vibrations.
Since the SPT2-Volume can perform in-process job changes, it is possible to test bottles from different manufacturing lines.
The customer can also hand-feed a set of bottles as required, with testing protocols unique to that specific bottle type, without the need to stop and reconfigure the system, maximising testing efficiency.
This system can be configured as a stand-alone testing station, integrated into a sampling line in conjunction with a plant-wide process management system or combined with Agr’s OmniLab automated measurement system.
