Standard-Knapp offers several packaging options for craft brewers

Standard-Knapp, a manufacturer of innovative packaging machinery, has several packaging options for craft brewers looking to expand or improve the efficiency of the current packaging workflow.

The Versatron Case Packer with lowering head module is ideal  brewres looking for gentle, positive handling of their product, but it is rugged enough for 24/7 operation. It is an ideal solution for the partitionless packing of products made with glass, aluminum, PET or other materials. Partitionless packaging allows for the use of less material in packing, in the move toward sustainability.

The Versatron provides fully-programmable pick-and-place motion, achieving positive placement fully into the bottom of each case. The slide-out change part lowering head is equipped with color-coded change parts and pneumatics for quick, error-free changeover.

The lowering head module can be equipped with various gripper heads to provide safe, consistent damage-free placement of product into each case with zero drop. Depending on of size of the product, the lowering head can operate at 30 cycles per minute, the fastest rate among lowering head machines. Designed primarily with wine, liquor, and beer containers in mind, it can also handle locking shape containers.

The Versatron is designed with more Lexan doors and panels for increased visibility, so that operators can perform preemptive, walk-by maintenance, and it is equipped with easy to use human machine interface (HMI) as well as other standard Standard-Knapp product features.

The Standard-Knapp Pic-N-Place module functions as its name might suggest, by picking the product from the infeed conveyor and gently places it into the bottom of the empty case. This module can be easily retrofitted onto existing 939S and 949S Versatron case packers.

Standard Knapp’s 2-axis servo controlled Pic-N-Place module features a variety of heavy-duty grippers for soft handling and optimum control of the entire pack of product. Engineered to grab a product in the most secure position or spot, the Pic-N-Place module acts similarly to a human’s arms offering smooth operation. The gripping action and the distance the product travels into the case is set from the easy to use HMI. The color-coded docking station provides easy change over, a slide-on lock, and couplings designed for positive, no error connections.

The 939EZ Versatron Case Packer is kind of the little brother of Standard Knapp’s industry standard Versatron family of case packers. With the same flexibility and adaptability as other Versatron case packers, the 939EZ is equipped with an air-over-oil lift table, which controls the descent of product into the case, and a simple indexing case feed which maintains design simplicity without sacrificing control and speed. The 939EZ can operate at speeds of up to 30 cases per minute.

The 939EZ Versatron is equipped with a variety of rugged and durable case packer change parts, all designed for safe, easy, and consistent 15-minute changeover. Standard-Knapp’s patented Snap-in Grid technology makes changeover an easy, one-man operation for a variety of product sizes. Product riding strips are made of extremely durable material and are fitted with unique slide-in design for automatic alignment.

Lightweight and strong lane guide spacers ensure the perfect width for each product. The Standard-Knapp changeover cart provides sturdy, mobile storage for easy to identify, color-coded changeover parts. The cart holds two complete sets of change parts and offers quick and easy access for fast changeover. Optional equipment and features include a pneumatically controlled flap opener for RSC cases and a PanelView 1000+ graphically driven HMI.