An alcohol manufacturer required a bottle orientation system capable of turning filled and capped 200 mL rectangular glass bottles 90 degrees from narrow-side leading to wide-side leading before entering a downstream SMI case packer. The container orientation solution also needed to accommodate multiple round bottle formats, including 375 mL, 700 mL, 980 mL, and 1750 mL containers, while maintaining efficient product flow through the packaging line.
To address these requirements, Morrison engineered a timing screw drive unit designed to accept rectangular containers and perform precise bottle reorientation before the downstream case packer. The bottle turning system utilized timing screws to rotate containers into the proper orientation while maintaining positive container control. The system also incorporated bypass timing screws, allowing larger round bottle formats to pass through the same equipment without rotation.
Building on this approach, Morrison designed the timing screw bottle turning system with a stainless steel, low-washdown frame complete with support legs and mounting hardware for integration with the customer’s conveyor. Adjustable infeed guides accommodated multiple bottle formats while a two-position mounting arrangement allowed the timing screw centerlines to be repositioned for different container sizes.
The drive system utilized a stainless steel AC motor/reducer with a 5:1 gearbox to power the timing screw conveyor system at speeds supporting throughput rates up to 250 containers per minute. A mechanical overload clutch protected the equipment from damage in the event of a jam or product upset.
To perform the container orientation process, the unit employed dual 5-inch diameter UHMW timing screws that accepted the rectangular 200 mL bottles and rotated them 90 degrees into the proper orientation for the downstream case packer. The timing screws maintained positive container control throughout the bottle turning process to promote smooth product flow and stable handling. Adjustable guides further stabilized the containers as they transitioned through the system.
To support multi-format bottle handling, Morrison supplied dedicated turning screw sets for the 200 mL Bacardi and Pedro Domecq bottles along with bypass screw sets for 375 mL, 700 mL, 980 mL, and 1750 mL round containers. Color-coded plugs simplified identification and changeover between formats.
A key feature of the design was its ability to combine container turning and bypass conveying within the same platform. This provided the flexibility to process multiple bottle styles while feeding the downstream case packer from a single integrated bottle orientation system.
The completed timing screw bottle turning system provided the customer with a dedicated solution for reorienting 200 mL rectangular glass bottles before case packing while also accommodating multiple round bottle formats on the same production line. By combining bottle orientation and bypass conveying functions within a single platform, the system supported efficient product handling and simplified integration with the downstream SMI case packer.
The multi-format container handling design, adjustable guides, and interchangeable timing screw sets gave the customer the flexibility to process a range of bottle sizes while maintaining continuous operation at speeds up to 250 containers per minute. The resulting container orientation solution delivered reliable product positioning and smooth flow into the downstream packaging equipment.
Learn more about how timing screws can be used for bottle orientation, container control, and multi-format product handling in packaging applications.
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