Customer Container Handling Challenge 

The customer needed to convert a single lane of warm-filled plastic juice bottles into two lanes for downstream case-packing. Containers arrived in slugs from a backlog and required 90-degree rotation to wide-side-forward orientation before being split into two lanes. The challenge involved handling pliable, warm containers while maintaining consistent orientation and spacing for efficient packing.

Morrison Solution 

To meet the customer’s needs, Morrison designed a highly integrated system that performs turning, metering, and dividing in a single coordinated motion. This is achieved through a dual servo timing screw drive system mounted on a servo-driven swing gate mechanism. The timing screws rotate the containers 90 degrees from narrow-side-leading to wide-side-leading, while simultaneously metering them to consistent spacing and dividing them into two lanes.

This consolidation of three distinct functions into one system not only streamlines the container handling process but also:

Offers a compact and efficient layout for multiple applications, which integrates seamlessly with the customer’s existing equipment
Significantly reduces the overall footprint of the machine by eliminating the need for separate modules for each function
Allows for the ability to divide containers into more than two lanes utilizing the swing gate mechanism
Maintains appropriate orientation and spacing for accurate case-packing

Construction 

The system includes:

Change parts for two container sizes (64oz and 96oz)
Four AB VPL servo motors: two for the timing screws, one for the pivoting swing gate, and one for conveyor movement
An 11-foot stainless steel conveyor with a chain elevation of approximately 53 inches
Lexan guarding with integrated safety switches for operator protection
Deluxe adjusters for easy in/out and up/down positioning
Shingle infeed guides to support warm, pliable containers and maintain consistent flow

The conveyor design also allows for future upgrades, including splicing into the customer’s conveyor system if needed.

Results

The system supports throughput rates of up to 260 containers per minute for 64oz bottles and 170 containers per minute for 96oz bottles. It accommodates warm plant conditions (75–85°F) and provides flexibility for future upgrades. The integrated approach simplifies container handling, improves lane separation accuracy, and supports efficient case packing with minimal manual intervention.

By combining turning, metering, and dividing into one synchronized process, Morrison’s solution delivers a high-performance, space-saving system tailored to the customer’s operational needs.