Empty bottle inspection in the age of AI

Quality control | AI, or artificial intelligence – this buzzword is currently being discussed in many contexts. Opinions range from outright rejection to the expectation that AI will do everything better. In fact, it has been observed in many discussions that this complex topic is often only considered in general terms, and the specific details are frequently ignored. Therefore, we will try to take a closer look at the topic for applications of automatic quality control during beverage filling, in particular for empty bottle inspection.

Enzyme-based cleaning strategies for membrane filters

Resource efficiency | Aside from a few select beer styles (such as Kellerbier or most wheat beers), clarity and brilliance are essential quality parameters for clear-filtered beer. Moreover, consumers expect the beer to not change within its suggested shelf life. Beer clarification and stabilization are necessary to meet these requirements.

Hygiene and quality control on filling systems

Contamination | Hygiene deficiencies on filling systems are usually a home-made problem. Even if this sounds like an extremely simple statement to make, nevertheless it’s a fact. But why is this so? And why do quality controllers today often not identify the weak points at their own plant? This requires some explanation, for it’s not for lack of suitable training.

A lean and powerful line for Paulaner

Returnable glass line | The Paulaner Brewery Group has upsized its filling capacity in 2022 with a new returnable-glass line rated at 50 000 bottles per hour. This order, for the Munich-Langwied plant that was built eight years ago, marks Krones’ first filling technology order from Paulaner. The returnables line is as compact as they come and nevertheless offers an operator-friendly layout – on just 1400 square meters of floor space.

Spray shadow tests: Trust is good, but control is …

Cleaning results validated | Spray shadow tests are a useful and proven tool for validation of automatic cleaning systems. This holds true for new installations, changes to existing systems and regular revision. Based on two industrial examples, the usefulness of two different spray shadow tests, both used at VLB, is illustrated.

New energy and line concepts for beer filling

Sustainable filling | One of the vital issues for any forward-looking brewery is this: How can I save energy throughout the production process, in order to put it on a more sustainable footing? The Brewnomic concept from Steinecker, a Krones subsidiary in Freising, Germany, consists of several modules, many of which relate to the brewing process. But systems and lines used in the bottling operation can also contribute to overall sustainability. The Krones Dynafill system combines filler and capper in a single functional unit and contributes to the concept of a carbon neutral brewery.

Machine learning in breweries (Part 1): Success factors and systematic introduction

Data analysis | Increasing digitalisation makes it possible to collect and analyse copious amounts of data with multivariate cause-and-effect relationships. However, brewery operations face major challenges when attempting implementation on their own. This contribution presents findings and solution pattern from the research project “Data-driven Process Optimisation using Machine Learning in the Beverage Industry” (DaPro).

50 years of brewing microbiology: what’s changed?

Brewery hygiene | If we look back on 50 years of brewing microbiology, we gain a number of extremely interesting insights. Can we draw a positive conclusion here or are there also negative aspects that have to be taken into account?

A project of superlatives: Ne w returnable glass line at Cervejas de Moçambique

Successful installation | Using high-tech from KHS, AB-InBev subsidiary Cervejas de Moçambique in Mozambique has now built the biggest and most modern brewery in Africa. The heart of the system is what the customer claims to be the fastest returnable glass line on the continent, whose successful installation and commissioning neither a catastrophic tropical cyclone nor the raging corona pandemic were able to prevent.

Oxygen pickup – new filling technology is the answer

Oxidation processes | Brewers are all too aware of the fact that beer is probably the beverage that reacts most sensitively to oxygen. What is known as the oxidation off-flavor occurs if there is too much oxygen pickup. Trend beers made using the rediscovered cold or dry hopping technique quickly alter their taste with oxygen pickup. Standard light beers are also especially sensitive to oxygen, however. Dark beers, on the other hand, often display considerable flavor tolerance to an oxygen content of above and beyond 0.1 mg/l.

New returnable glass line for Coca-Cola in Mannheim

Highly complex sorting processes | Within the space of just three years, Coca-Cola in Germany has invested around 50 million euros in one of its biggest plants in Mannheim. KHS has contributed a returnable glass line to the project – one that also manages highly complex sorting tasks.