Heye International is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its Technical Assistance Agreement with Mexican glassmaker Sivesa. Over those 50 years, Heye has been Sivesa’s trusted technology partner as the glassmaker grew, became part of the Crown Holding, Inc. and added a second glass plant (Vichisa S.A de C.V.) in the north of Mexico.

The two firms signed their first Technical Assistance Agreement on March 27, 1973, which has been renewed time and again and continues into the second half of this decade. The TAA encompasses every stage of a project, from strategic concept to commissioning and operation. A key component remains training local staff and passing on the know-how of Heye specialists.

Heye’s introduction of narrow neck press and blow (NNPB) to the plant in 1979 resulted in a significant boost for Sivesa in Central and South America. NNPB capability distinguished Sivesa from its competitors and enhanced the firm’s exports.

Since then, NNPB’s efficiencies have been matched by its sustainability. Every glassmaker has woken up to the challenge of climate change and the role lightweight recyclable and reusable glass packaging plays to combat the crisis.

MEETING A GROWING MARKET FOR BEER AND SOFT DRINKS

In subsequent decades, Sivesa expanded and modernised, adding new furnaces and increasing capacity to supply the packaging required by the beer and soft drinks market.

A VISION FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION

Sivesa strives for energy efficient furnace design, predictive maintenance to reduce spare part stock requirements and further lightweighting. Heye is researching and testing to see how light it is possible to make a glass beer bottle and retain safety under pressure.

Standardisation is also pushed forward by increasing modularity of the glass manufacturing equipment and by further digitisation.

This is no surprise. Customers most frequently ask Heye how they can make production more sustainable and repeatable, preventing critical defects and machine downtime. In the decade since Heye last celebrated an anniversary with Sivesa, the company has been leading a massive leap in digitisation. Modern Heye equipment features a host of automated sensors to reduce line errors and increase repeatability. Together these boost pack to melt numbers.

50 years provide strong proof of mutual respect and trust.

We thank our friends at Sivesa and Crown for the trust they have placed in Heye over the years and look forward to continuing this strong relationship!

At the end of November 2023, Heye experts are travelling to Asia and will be introducing leading edge products and services to four countries of the continent.

Many interested parties have registered for the symposia and Heye is delighted with the lively response. ‘We go straight to our customers and, together with our regional sales partners, offer them our support on site and provide them with solutions for efficient, sustainable and high-quality production and inspection technologies,‘ highlights CEO Hans-Peter Müller. Under the motto ‘Smart solutions for your glass plant‘, Heye welcomes participants to all four venues.

‘In future Heye will continue to focus on local symposia in different regions so we can meet the customers where they are most at home,‘ says Hans-Peter Müller.

Check detection is one of the most important quality inspections during the production of glass containers. The Ranger 2 has been developed to give you the opportunity to fulfill the quality expectations of your customers.

FULLY MODULAR AND SCALABLE SYSTEM

A Ranger 2 system consists of one camera, collecting five images simultaneously via five lenses and fiber optic light guides, the illumination unit and the control unit with the software for image processing, including the decision “container okay or not okay”. Based on your budget and needs, you can start with one system and add any number of parallel systems whenever you want. A typical and recommended configuration would be four parallel systems, each dedicated to and optimized for one of the following types of checks:

+ horizontal

+ shoulder

+ vertical

+ bottom

Each system runs independently and does not need to be synchronized with the others. So there is no influence or need to compromise between the systems. This allows an individual optimization of all settings (illumination etc.) for the respective type of check. If one system is not available or not adjusted optimally, the others are still fully operational.

INTELLIGENT CLOUD MASKING

Every container produced must be regarded as a unique object and any check detection concept has to respect this. For this reason each Ranger 2 system is using our Intelligent Cloud Masking. Bearing in mind that each article is distinctive, the Ranger 2 system is designed to investigate each one independently. Accordingly, each container serves as a reference for itself but, moreover, the inspection zones are dynamic in nature. The Ranger 2 system is therefore able to detect different variations of checks as well as to recognize new variations of them during production. The SmartLine’s data interface controls all the major parameter settings of the job. Six output channels give the operator detailed feedback on the inspection results. The user-friendly operator interface, combined with powerful software support, makes the set up quick and easy. An image recorder allows analysis of the inspection results during operation and background calculation shows the operator the influence of any adjusted parameters.

ADVANTAGES

+ Full modularity and scalability

+ Fibre optics for flexibility and perfect adjustment

+ Each Ranger 2 system independent from the others

+ Better pinpointing of defects and boundary effects

+ Traceability on detected defects

+ Analysis of large areas

+ Reliable identification of light reflection

+ Easy and quick setup

+ Automatic adjustment of the sensor bar

+ Storage and recall of set-ups

+ Powerful software tools to assist the operator

+ Highest level of repeatability and reliability

+ High speed (per system: up to 400 images/article, for example: 1600 images by a configuration of 4 parallel systems, no limits beyond that

Plunger cylinder sensor technology is a well-proven function of the Heye Process Control system, supervising and closed-loop controlling press-blow and NNPB production processes. Until now, however, these benefits have not been possible for glass container production via blow-blow operation. The new Heye GobMaster system closes this gap, ensuring that sophisticated process control integrates the benefits of visual gob measurement.

Heye Process Control 4.0 is a closed-loop solution for the pressing process of all plunger mechanisms within an IS machine. Simultaneously, it keeps the gob weight stable. The technology displays a number of forming events on several selectable charts and permits the improvement of parameter setting by comparing data.

Early recognition at the start of malfunctions increases production efficiency. The integrated plunger cylinders ensure certain gob parameters for press-blow and NNPB production. For heavy and premium articles produced using blow-blow operation, however, this technology cannot be utilised. Consequently, glass container manufacturers have increasingly requested access to gob supervisory and adjustment technology for blow-blow production as well. The Heye GobMaster satisfies this requirement.

FUNCTIONALITY AND BENEFITS

The camera-based system offers the possibility to determine and control the gob weight and favourably exploits the additionally generated data for all production processes. Two cameras placed underneath the shears act as sensors, generating digitalised gobs. The software logic determines geometric data of these digital 3D models, such as length, diameter, position and tilt angle. This data ultimately calculates the gob volume and weight.

In real time gob weight and gob shape are measured and weight deviations above or below the production limits can automatically be rejected. Weight deviations are automatically corrected through the Heye tube and plunger drive systems.

Production runs operating the blow-blow process benefit the most from this recent technology. However, the added value for press-blow and NNPB production runs is also obvious. With GobMaster technology, gob shape and gob fall are measured, which is impossible using the plunger cylinder functions alone. Gob shape and weight become reproducible, which results in a stable production process, ultimately improving efficiency and quality. There is no waste of energy or raw materials due to data inaccuracies.

ANSWERED BY EXPERTS

Heye International experts confirm that the GobMaster can be retrofitted to existing equipment: Where a Heye Process Control 4.0 system is already available, the latest version can easily be retrofitted via a plug-and-play device. But it is also available as stand-alone version and various upgrade paths depending on the existing equipment.

The GobMaster itself consists of two high speed cameras, a control unit and a monitor. Furthermore, the settings of the Heye Process Control system can easily be adapted to several gob weights running simultaneously on a single machine (assortment production). This underlines the high flexibility of the system and shows its sophisticated functionality.

In Heye International’s dedicated Cold End Competence Centre in Nienburg, Germany, a team of experts develops and manufactures the latest inspection technologies for the container glass industry. The facility’s modern and structured production layout and its proximity to the Ardagh Group’s Nienburg glassworks make this an attractive place for innovative progress and professional expertise.

The company’s flagship, Heye SmartLine 2, has been designed and developed by Nienburg experts and has proven itself to be a robust and reliable inspection and sorting machine. The integration of the latest technology combined with robust electrics and electronic control systems, characteristic of the SmartLine 2, are often praised by customers. It can be configured in several different ways, with up to six inspection stations available.

TOP PRODUCT RANGER 2

Check detection is one of the most important quality inspections during container  production. The Ranger 2 has been developed to fulfill the quality expectations of your customers. This system uses our sophisticated Intelligent Cloud Masking. Based on Artificial Intelligence, this special feature has proudly been developed by our Heye Cold End experts in Nienburg.

COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE FOR YOUR COLD END: WENSPECT

As the leader in check inspection solutions and starwheel inspection machines, we have joined forces in a unique synergy with camera inspection machine supplier IRIS. The best of each company has been combined for the benefit of our customers. The result is WENSPECT. Our customer focus, know-how and leading-edge technologies redefine glass inspection and offer you a complete and intelligent inspection line.

A GROWING TEAM

Our success proves we are on the right track and requires proper resource planning in terms of clever minds for sustainable capacity planning for our Nienburg site.  That is why we are looking for skilled personnel in different fields of activity: Whether you are a developer of optical testing systems, a team leader in electrical assembly or a specialist for inspection machines – if you like to work in a committed team for an internationally active and growing company just get in touch with us or sign up for any other jobs at Heye International GmbH. We look forward to receiving your application!

TEAM SPIRIT

Our employees are our most important asset and we are proud of all the achievements and developments at both the cold and the hot end. Every employee contributes to this #greatplacetowork and makes it special.

HAPPY TO BE PART OF IT!