Gebo Cermex Introduces OptiDry

When it comes to high-quality, high-frequency packaging lines, the presence of just a few drops of moisture can have a dramatic impact on labelling quality, coding and vision inspection efficiency.

In today’s fast-moving industry, where quality constraints are stricter than ever, an effective drying system is a crucial component for most packaging lines. And who better to deliver cutting-edge drying solutions than industry leader Gebo Cermex? The new OptiDry unit combines the latest in drying technology with Gebo Cermex’s long-proven expertise in precision handling, optimizing product flows for unprecedented reliability, flexibility and efficiency.

The presence of condensation on the outer surface of bottles and other containers can wreak havoc on the quality of a packaging line: labels may be poorly applied, coding can be illegible or incomplete and vision inspection efficiency may be impaired. In the case of metal containers the moisture may even threaten the integrity of the product. Gebo Cermex is proud to present its latest innovation, a cutting-edge drying solution offering unbeatable efficiency and full compatibility with the company’s benchmark-setting handling line systems.

OptiDry builds on Gebo Cermex’s decades of experience in the beverage sector, with a system which can handle glass, plastic and metal containers in all shapes and sizes. One of OptiDry’s greatest assets is its superior drying efficiency with independently adjustable nozzle positioning making it possible to precisely target the air flows at the container’s neck, body or both.

This adaptability makes the OptiDry ideally suited to a remarkably wide range of applications: beverages, dairy products, food, home and even personal care products. Further development is already on the cards, as Gebo Cermex’s in-house engineers work on extending the OptiDry range to encompass high-speed can and glass packaging lines.

Technical Profile
The OptiDry system is a perfect example of Gebo Cermex’s technical prowess in action, offering four major technological advances:

Precision drying system – OptiDry uses nozzles not air knives, ensuring the stability of the containers and helping to maintain a constant air velocity. OptiDry also offers superior adaptability: the height, spacing and angle of the support plenums are fully adjustable to ensure that the nozzles are as close as possible to the containers, thus tailoring the system to the precise form of the products. There is also the possibility of taking this customization even further, calibrating the settings for good line regulation with efficient drying operations.

Rapid, simple changeover between container formats – graduated indicators make it easy to reproduce a precise plenum positioning for quick and efficient transition between product batches. Adjusting the nozzles’ positioning is just as easy, either manually using the crank system or automatically with the help of a motorized system.

Minimized energy consumption: the great adaptability of the nozzles and their proximity to the containers guarantee optimized air flow. The system runs with a single fan controlled by a 7.5 or 15 kW inverter.

Gebo Cermex’s noise-absorbent casing makes for greater comfort of use, with a noise level of less than 80 dB.

A brilliant debut
OptiDry received its exclusive world premiere at Drinktec 2013 in Munich last September, and already 32 OptiDry systems are in operation on packaging lines all over the world, from Brazil to Tajikistan.

Jean-Baptiste Grosperrin, Product Manager for Drying Systems at Gebo in Reichstett, is understandably excited about this early success: “OptiDry represents a major step forward for drying systems, offering impeccable results while also boosting overall efficiency. And of course the versatility of OptiDry is a major asset, with clients using the system for everything from soft drinks to food products, with a variety of container shapes.”

After this auspicious start OptiDry is now ready for full international release, with an official launch scheduled at Düsseldorf’s Interpack trade fair on 8-14 May 2014: Hall 13, stand C47.

OptiDry combines Gebo Cermex’s historic conveying expertise with the latest in packaging engineering. Optimized product flow management makes OptiDry more efficient than the alternatives, and it offers superior efficiency thanks to the fact the system can be precisely calibrated to users’ needs.

OptiDry systems are already in operation in a huge variety of situations worldwide, and the technology is soon to be extended to high-speed can and glass packaging lines: yet again Gebo Cermex is leading the way to the future of packaging.