Empty Jug Inspection

The system for inspecting reusable water jugs is a highly sophisticated device, designed to guarantee the maximum quality and safety of containers intended for reuse.

Since these are return containers, it is necessary to verify that they have not been used improperly and that any residues, chemical or biological, are not present inside them, thus avoiding contamination of the water in the subsequent filling phase and safeguarding the health of consumers.

Furthermore, jugs that are not correctly checked could also be not intact from a structural point of view; that is, they could present breakages or micro-holes which would cause leaks once refilled, leading to inconvenience and further costs for replacement and maintenance.

The inspection process begins with a leak test by measuring the pressure decay, applying a controlled pressure and monitoring its maintenance. This technique ensures that the container has no micro-cracks or weak points that could cause water leaks. This avoids distributing non-compliant bottles of water, which could cause damage during filling, transport or to dispensing devices at customer premises.

Immediately afterwards, the system sucks the air present in the jugs. Special sensors, sensitive to odorous compounds, quickly detect the presence of traces, residues or even simply odors of harmful substances such as: solvents, hydrocarbons, ammonia, sulphurous odors, food odors, detergents, etc.

The sensors are placed in the inspection bell which isolates the neck finish of the individual jug and, thanks to this measurement, allow very high levels of sensitivity to be reached even to the smallest traces of contaminants, thus guaranteeing that the water that will fill the containers is pure and safe for consumption.

The system inspects eight jugs per cycle: during the inspection, the next eight containers enter the machine, creating constant buffering. The eight elements leave the inspection chamber and the following ones enter at the same time, thus creating a continuous cycle that does not slow down the line. A downstream ejection system ensures that only compliant jugs continue towards the filling phase.

This automated system increases operational efficiency by reducing the time and costs associated with manual and potentially erroneous checks.