The plastic cups that we get at drinks machines are essentially mass produced products. Nevertheless, when they are being manufactured they have to meet up to twelve strict quality criteria.

Greifensee, Zurich -- (SBWire) -- 12/15/2010 -- Such ambitious objectives can only be attained by means of a multi-layered checking system. Bellaplast has set up checking stations on four work benches in the production area which are equipped with precision balances controlled by METTLER TOLEDO FreeWeigh.Net software as well as other measuring devices. Up to twelve different quality criteria are tested and the values are stored efficiently thanks to the simple and easy to use FreeWeigh.Net software.

Test Plan Control
"This software solution gives us a tangible and significant benefit", IT Manager Manfred Oertle told us when we visited him on site. "Each machine operator regularly takes samples from his current production which incidentally operates uninterrupted from Monday to Saturday mid-day. Immediately after entering the article number on his PC, a corresponding window appears on screen showing the test plan relating to this article. He then works through the individual test criteria's: weight, wall thickness, lip roll thickness, color, etc. All measurements and readings are then transferred into the same, electronically stored test record; we no longer use tick lists."

Accurate Fine Adjustments of the Molding Machine
Machine operator Alexander Ulm arrives at the control station with the latest sample of 54 cups. He lays cup after cup on the electronic precision balance which has a display accurate to one hundredth of a gram. He then measures the wall thickness with a micrometer which transfers his data via cable directly to FreeWeigh.Net. Other testing criteria are entered manually. The new feature that Alexander Ulm likes is the graphic image of the injection molding batch on screen in front of him. Green indicator: cup weight correct; yellow indicator: too light; red indicator: too heavy. The machine operator can therefore see not only whether there are deviations in this batch but also exactly where they have been caused by the form tool. Thanks to this graphic screen image it has now become possible to make specific adjustments on the injection molding machine.

High Material Cost Savings
"These machines have a high hourly delivery rate of approx. 100 000 pieces per hour. This fine adjustment produces real savings in materials for us", says Manfred Oertle. "If there are considerable weight deviations we do not only take action now to prevent later malfunctions in drinks machines but also act to prevent materials wastage. Even a tenth of a gram overweight per cup would rapidly add up to high additional materials costs of 10 kg/hour."

From the 54 cups included in this sample we generate over 500 items of data. Manfred Oertle: "With such an abundance of data it is important to store all the information in our central database under a pre-defined term. If complaints arise we respond even quicker because we have achieved the level of traceability which we in fact always wanted to have for our production process. Furthermore we are certain that all checks are actually carried out."