Bottle unscrambler and feeding conveyors

Bottle unscrambler: orientation sensor and outlet guides

The pocket wheel turns bottles out of the hopper one at a time. As each bottle leaves its pocket, the orientation sensor checks which way it is facing. A wrong-way bottle is pushed back into the unscrambler by an air blast; correct bottles pass between the two outlet guide plates onto the conveyor. A green cleated bulk feeder conveyor drops bottles into the bowl, and a level sensor in the bowl stops that feeder when the bowl is full. If the feeder stops, check first for a stuck bottle in the feeder, then the level sensor (F-13).

1. 1Fit the change parts for the bottle size.
2. 2Clean the bowl level sensor and test it: the bulk bottle feeder must stop when bottles reach the full level and restart when the level drops (F-12).
3. 3Clean the orientation sensor lens and check its bracket is tight.
4. 4Aim the sensor at the point where an upside-down bottle differs from an upright one.
5. 5Check air pressure and that the blow nozzle points at the bottle; confirm blow time 0.3 s and blow delay 0.02 s (reference).
6. 6Feed several bottles deliberately the wrong way: each must be blown back into the hopper (F-09).
7. 7Feed correct bottles: none must be blown back (F-10).
8. 8Loosen the two outlet guide plates, align them with the pocket exit so bottles slide straight out without catching, set the gap for the bottle, and tighten (F-11).
9. 9Turn the wheel in Jog mode and watch every pocket release cleanly.

Conveyor: guide rails, stop sensor and speed

On the conveyors, most bottle jams come from three settings: the guide rails, the bottle stop sensor and the belt speeds. Set all three at every bottle change and check them at every start-up.

Guide rails

1. 1Place a bottle on the conveyor.
2. 2Loosen the rail clamps on both sides.
3. 3Close each rail to the bottle, leaving about 1–2 mm clearance per side. Not too tight (bottles stop), not too loose (bottles wedge 2–3 abreast).
4. 4Set rail height on the bottle body, below the shoulder.
5. 5Check the rails are parallel over the full length and continuous across every transfer.
6. 6Tighten all clamps; slide a bottle along by hand to confirm it moves freely in a straight line.
7. 7Record the rail setting for the bottle size.

Bottle stop (accumulation) sensor

1. 1Clean the sensor lens and reflector.
2. 2Check the bracket is tight and the sensor points at the bottle body.
3. 3Hold a bottle in front of the sensor and confirm the LED changes state.
4. 4Run bottles until the queue reaches the sensor: the bottle feeder must stop.
5. 5Remove bottles: the feeder must restart.
6. 6If it fails any step, do not start production (see F-07).

Belt speeds

1. 1Set both conveyors at the desiccant feeder to the same speed (reference 25 Hz).
2. 2At other transfers, set the downstream conveyor equal or slightly faster.
3. 3Watch bottles cross each transfer: no tipping, no piling, no large gaps.
4. 4Record the final speeds in the BPR.