Overview
PET bottle lines run faster than almost anything else in beverage, and empty PET bottles are extremely light. That combination makes handling awkward: an empty bottle can be blown over by nothing more than the air movement of the line itself, and a fallen bottle at high speed becomes a pile-up in seconds.
Empty bottle transport is usually handled by air conveyors gripping the neck ring, then filled bottles transfer onto table top chain and modular belt where the weight of liquid makes them stable again. From filling onward the line is about accumulation, keeping the filler running while labeller and shrink wrapper work at their own rates.
Where we work on the line
- Blow moulder to filler transfer
- Filling and capping infeed
- Accumulation and buffering
- Labelling and date coding
- Shrink wrapping and multipacking
- Palletising line feeds
Frequently asked questions
Why are empty PET bottles difficult to convey?
Because they weigh almost nothing. An empty PET bottle can be tipped by air movement alone, and once one falls at line speed the bottles behind it pile up immediately. Filled bottles are far more stable, which is why the empty side of the line is handled differently from the full side.
What conveyor is used after filling?
Table top chain and modular belt. Once bottles contain liquid they are stable enough for standard container handling, and the priority shifts to accumulation so that the filler can keep running while downstream machines work at their own rates.
How is accumulation handled on a high-speed line?
With table top chain, where the chain continues running underneath bottles that are held back by a stop or by back pressure. That creates a buffer between machines, so a brief stop at the labeller does not immediately stop the filler.