RNA feeder keeps one shot line up to speed

RNA feeder keeps one shot line up to speed

Following the launch of the "One-shot" range of Redex fuel additives, world leaders in car care products, Holt Lloyd of Winsford, planned a new high-speed filling line to meet demand.

With the anticipated filling speed of the new line being over 120 bottles per minute, it was clear at the outset that automation of the feeding and orientation of the new user-friendly long neck bottles was a necessity. "We had been feeding manually on to the in-line filling line", explained Holt Lloyd's production engineer David Mrkalj, "and production staff were just about managing at 90 bottles per minute. A speed increase of a third was impractical using this method. We had been talking to RNA about using their bowl feeders for other applications. When this project came up, they suggested that we should consider a centrifugal feeder to provide the speed of feeding that we needed."

An RNA pre-feeder and centrifugal feeder was supplied in July this year and has proved to be totally successful, with the input to the line easily matching the speed of the 18-head rotary filling machine. "RNA Automation won the contract mainly on the basis of meeting our specification ­ although price, quality and delivery were also factors. The installation and commissioning all went very well", said David Mrkalj, "and we are,filling some 50,000 One-shot bottles per shift. The line achieves its specified speed easily ­ in fact, we have run it at 160 bottles per minutes for a short period and it coped very successfully."

The new "One-shot" range from Holts comprises small bottles of Redex petrol, Redex diesel and Redex petrol Injector treatments ­ enough for one tank of fuel. In addition,Holts "One-shot" screenwash is also filled on this new line. Bottles are loaded at floor level into the hopper of the RNA elevated pre-feeder, which then drops them into the centre of the centrifugal feeder at a controlled rate. The quietly spinning turntable pushes the bottles into the periphery where they are captured, neck down, by the purpose-designed tooling. This was designed and fitted at RNA Automation's factory in Birmingham. The bottles are gravity-fed down a C-track, where they are turned through 180° and presented top up to the start of the filling line. From there they progress on to the rotary filling machine and finally a six-head rotary capper.

 RNA feeder in use at Holt Lloyd, Winsford

"The feeder is very quiet", commented David Mrkalj, "even at full speed. I'm delighted with its performance, which gives us additional capacity if we need it."

The new line is used for filling the three new products in rotation, without any need to change the centrifugal feeder's tooling. The product line was launched last year, with substantial promotion, and has proved to be a major success for Holts.

Holt Lloyd also manufactures the leading brands Holts, Start Pilote, Dupli-Color as well as Redex. Holt Lloyd's products solve specific problems such as radiator leaks or punctures, give weather protection and improve the look of the car; and are the leading brands in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

For further details Tel:0121 749-2566; Fax: 0121 749 6217.