News

Highest precision in full bottle inspection
especially for swing-top bottles and therefore unique worldwide

In the beverage industry, the inspection of empty bottles plays a decisive role in ensuring the highest quality standards. Especially for bottles with crown caps, screw caps, twist-off caps and swing tops, a precise inspection is essential in order to recognize contamination, damage or production errors at an early stage. AMS Getränketechnik has developed innovative solutions in this area that take the inspection process to a new level, especially for bottles with swing tops.
 
Proven camera technology is used to inspect bottles with crown caps, screw caps and twist-off caps. This makes it possible to check bottles for the smallest cracks, foreign objects or irregularities in shape. This system is customized and modular in terms of the number of camera detections. The following bottle areas are recognized: Mouth, thread, bottle neck, side wall, bottle base and residual liquids. The systems from AMS Getränketechnik offer high speed and accuracy, allowing the inspection process in the production lines to run efficiently without affecting throughput.
 
AMS Getränketechnik pays particular attention to the inspection of swing-top bottles, which present their own challenges due to their special design. Swing-top bottles are not only different in shape, but the swing-top itself must also be inspected for damage and hygiene. Thanks to design of our machines, we not only check the entire bottle, but also the complete swing-top closure (swing-stopper, sealing rubber, contour & logo).
 
The performance range varies depending on the machine size. Our smallest inspection machine FVI-DGI8 (with 8 bottle positions) runs at a rated output of 6,500 bottles per hour. With the largest machine, outputs of up to 18,000 bottles per hour can be achieved.
 
Thanks to this high level of flexibility and efficiency, we were able to convince the managing director of Marchfelder Storchenbräu. From February 2025, its swing-top bottles and swing-top caps will be fully inspected in Marchfeld in Lower Austria. The output of this machine is adapted to the line capacity of 6,500 bottles per hour. We will be happy to report in detail on the commissioning in the next issue of the newspaper.
 
With this game changer in the inspection sector, we would like to convince more bottling plants to use it for empty bottle inspection, not only for swing-top bottles but for all types of bottles. If you have any questions or enquiries about this machine, please do not hesitate to contact us!

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Swing-stoppers Flying High in the Swiss Engadin

VThe history of the Engadiner Brewery began more than 130 years ago, in the heart of the Engadin, where rugged mountain peaks and clear mountain lakes dominate the panorama. The brewery has always been committed to first-class brewing and regional ties, with the aim of capturing the purity and freshness of the alps on every bottle of Engadiner. After several takeovers and relocations between 1945 and 1970, the brewery was re-established in 2008 and quickly made a name for itself on the Swiss beer scene. Initially a small family business, the company has grown steadily over the years. Despite the challenges of industrialization and the changing beer culture in Switzerland, the brewery remained true to its artisan tradition and always focused on quality and regionality.
 
Daniel Käslin, Managing Director of the brewery, has set himself the goal of preserving these values and at the same time equipping the brewery for the future. Through the hard work of the entire team at Engadiner, the range has been expanded, new technologies integrated and the sustainable brewing process optimized. At the end of 2020, the previous site in Pontresina reached its capacity limit and the team had to outsource beer production to a brewery in Davos Monstein due to a lack of alternatives.
 
After 14 years of searching for a location, a suitable site for the new brewery was finally found in 2023. Together with Philipp Wagner, Managing Director of Technology, the goal of building a new brewery complex was finally realized this year. The project includes a new brewhouse and a state-of-the-art bottling plant. The new facility fulfils the increasing demand but also has the additional advantages of low energy consumption and high efficiency. Not only will beer be produced at the plant, in the future a range of lemonades, Staibock Gazosa, will also be available. In close cooperation with AMS Getränketechnik, the swing-stopper closing process has also been modernized. A new swing-stopper closing machine with a rated output of 6,000 bottles per hour guarantees maximum precision and quality, so that every bottle is not only visually appealing but also optimally preserves the flavor of Engadiner beer and Staibock Gazosa lemonades.
 
With this innovation, Engadiner Brauerei AG is building a bridge between traditional and modern. A beer with a swing-stopper not only promises a special drinking experience, but also emphasizes the brewery's deep connection to the Engadin nature and its heritage. Beer lovers can look forward to a unique product that combines history and flavor.
 
A ‘heartfelt thank you’ goes out to the entire team at Engadiner Brauerei for their great co-operation during the two-week commissioning of the AMS Swing-stopper closing machine.

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A New Swing-stopper closing machine for M. Ketterer Brewery in the German Black Forest

For more than 140 years, the M. Ketterer family brewery have been producing quality beers in Hornberg in the Black Forest. They currently brew seven different types of beer, bottled in the eye-catching and characteristic green swing-top bottle known as the Ketterer ‘Fläschle’. In November 2023, in order to cope with the increasing demand, the brewery ordered a new BV24 closing machine from AMS Getränketechnik.
 
The deciding factors in the decision for a new machine were; the modern hygienic design, the high closing rate, production reliability, long-term availability of spare parts and service.
 
A short description of how the machine functions is explained below:
 
The filled bottle is transferred from the conveyer into the infeed star and onto the main carousel. In the carousel the bottle is rotated via the means of a belt which orientates the Swing-stopper against a guide rail. The bottle then passes through a tunnel which lifts and rotates the cap into the correct position before the head positioner places it on the bottle. Afterwards the bottle is then closed by a cylinder and transferred back to the conveyor by the outfeed star. The tension in the swing-stop closure is also mechanically controlled in the outfeed star to ensure the bottle is correctly sealed, ensuring the renowned high quality of Ketterer beer. This process takes place at a machine speed of up to 18,000 bottles per hour, equalling 5 bottles per second.
 
Following prior training at the AMS Getränketechnik manufacturing site in Austria, the machine was successfully commissioned in April 2024 to the brewery's complete satisfaction. We at AMS Getränketechnik would like to extend a very special thank you to the entire team at the M. Ketterer family brewery for the trust they have placed in us and the great cooperation they have shown over the course of the project. Without a doubt, we can only confirm the values of the Ketterer family that have been anchored for generations.

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When brewing becomes an experience

In the middle of the picturesque Thuringian countryside in Germany, surrounded by rolling hills and lush forests, lies the Brauner Hirsch/Sophienhof inn - a true gem for nature lovers and connoisseurs. The inn is known for its traditional Saxon and Thuringian cuisine and its own in-house brewery, offering a unique culinary experience.
 
The Braune Hirsch has a long tradition and is widely known for its cozy atmosphere and craft-brewed beer. Guests can not only enjoy the hearty cuisine, but also take part in guided tours of the brewery and learn more about the art of brewing beer. The brewery places great importance to regionality and quality, which is reflected in the seasonal beer specialties that are very popular in the region.
 
Behind the success of the inn is the dedicated manager Thomas Kuche. With a lot of passion and a clear vision, he has made the Brauner Hirsch/Sophienhof a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. Due to the success of the brewery, the decision was taken to expand its capacity with a new state-of-the-art bottling line, a crucial part in the automation and modernization of the line was the acquisition of an AMS swing-stopper closing machine. Not only has the new line an increased capacity but it has also made the production of beer more efficient and environmentally friendly. The new machine from AMS makes it possible to seal the popular swing-top bottles faster, with increased precision and improved reliability - an important step in guaranteeing the quality of the beer all the way to the end consumer. The BV8 swing-stopper closing machine is fitted with the latest hygiene technology, 8 bottle positions and has a rated output of 6,000 bottles per hour. The BV8 was commissioned at the brewery in June 2024 and has been running smoothly ever since. We would like to thank Thomas Kuche and his team for their trust and great cooperation!

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New Swing-Top Opening Machine and Swing-Top Closing Machine for the Rieder Brewery

In 2003 AMS delivered a 16-position swing-top closing to machine to the Ried brewery in Austria. Since then, the machine has reliably processed millions of swing-top bottles. A credit to the excellent maintenance over the years, using predominantly AMS replacement parts and upgrades.
 
Product quality standards at the brewery are first and foremost and played a major role in the decision to build a new bottling line. Helping in ensure that these high standards can continue to be meet in the future.
 
Negotiations for the new production line, with a rated capacity of 16,000 bottles per hour, started in spring 2023. We were invited by managing director and master brewer Josef Niklas to present our “state-of-the-art” 20-position opening and our 24-position closing machines. Both machines have fully automated cleaning systems and the closing machine takes full advantage of the AMS hygienic design concept.

Production at Kulmbacher Brewery tops 132.000 bottles per hour

The success of the Kulmbacher brewery and AMS Getränketechnik have been closely linked for more than 20 years. During this time, we have had the privilege to deliver nine closing and four opening machines. Each one helping meet the increasing demand.
 
From the thirteen machines that have been built over the years, 9 are still in operation at Kulmbach and the two BVM30 machines built in 2001 are now in operation at the Würzburger brewery in Würzburg.
 
In 2014 a new production line was put into operation with a capacity of 30,000 bottles per hour. However, after a short period of time, the new line was already at capacity and in 2017 production capacity was further increased with an additional line capable of 50,000 bottles per hour. The new line included two 40-position swing-top closing machines and a 10-position opening machine.
 
During the corona pandemic, due to the restrictions placed on the food service industry, sales increased dramatically and pushed both lines to their limits once again. In 2021 the decision was made to expand the existing site. With the catchy name “B52”, an additional swing-top production line with a capacity of 52,000 bottles per hour was built. Increasing the total capacity at the Kulmbacher brewery to 132,000 bottles per hour. That means that every hour, 6600 crates or to put it another way, 165 pallets of beer are transported to their warehouse ready to be sold on. We are extremely proud to be a small part of this extraordinary output. This drive to increase efficiency and output has also helped us over the years to improve the output of our machines. An example of this is our 20-postion opening machine which was recently commissioned at the brewery.
 
It's not just output that is important in Kulmbach, hygiene is also a top priority. Over the years, in combination with brewery’s laboratory, AMS have strived to improve upon the design of the machine’s cleaning systems and the cleanability of machine parts. Regular spray-shadow-tests were carried out during commissioning and helped guide future developments in the machines.

It's not just beer in swing-top bottles

Alain Brugalières, recognized that agriculture had to change in order to remain sustainable. In 1983 he founded the French food manufacturer Vitamont, based on the simple idea of locally sourced, organic fruit juices. Initially demand was low, but in the 1990’s the first EU regulations on organic farming were introduced and with a few food scandals along the way demand started to increase.
 
Today Vitamont offer over 130 different fruit juices, including a range of soft drinks in swing-top bottles. Until recently all Swing-top products were mounted and closed by hand, a rather labour-intensive task. The management at Vitamont decided to invest in automating the process and spring 2021 placed an order with AMS for a fully automated swing-top sorting & mounting machine, and a fully automated swing-top closing machine. Both machines operate with a nominal output of 2,250 bottles per hour.

From a successful beer seller in the 1930's to a traditional Belgian beer brewery in 2020's

The history of the Caulier brewery begins in the interwar period with Charles Caulier, who was an industrious beer seller in the south of Belgium. With the help of his family, he expanded the business to a considerable size over the following decades. In the early 1990s, the Caulier family decided to brew and market their own beer, a bespoke high fermentation blonde. The beer was named Bon Secours after the small village were Charles Caulier first started selling beer.
 
In the preceding years Brassiere Caulier have extensively expanded their range and bottle almost exclusively in swing-top bottles. Due to increasing demand and the age of their existing closing machine, the decision was taken in 2022 to purchase a new BV24 swing-top closing machine from AMS. The decisive factors in the decision were; the hygienic design, closing rate, AMS service, and production reliability. In addition to the sloped, electro-polished “ARCH” machine table, the new machine is also fitted with hygienic design format parts and new “open” closing elements with improved cleanability. All three features are now standard on AMS swing-top closing machines.

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Birra Amarcord invest in increased capacity and full automation for swing-top mounting and closing

Back In 2008, AMS/KOSME commissioned a rinser-filler-multicapper block, at the then up-and-coming brewery Birra Amarcord in Italy. In 2022 due to an increasing demand for swing-top beer, and after 13 years of reliable service, the decision was taken to invest in the existing production line and increase capacity to around 9,000 bottles per hour. To achieve this, a new AMS swing-top closing machine and two fully automated swing-top sorting and mounting machines were purchased.
 
The new 12 position swing-top closing machine has a rated nominal capacity of 9,000 bottles per hour. The swing-top sorting and mounting machines were specially developed for the Amarcord project. In an AMS first, two swing-top sorting machines were combined with one “double” mounting machine (you can find out more about this new development on page 17), achieving a rated nominal capacity of 4,500 bottles per hour per machine group.

ALLGÄUER BREWERY STARTS UP THE NEW FILLING LINE WITH AMS-MACHINES
AND IS UPGRADING THEIR EXISTING LINE WITH AMS

A BV40 closing machine with 40 closing heads and a RBÖ10 rotary opener with 10 opening positions have been running there for 13 years to their complete satisfaction. Since the sales of swing-top bottles have increased significantly in recent years, the management of the Radeberger Group decided on a new bottling line with a line capacity of 25,000 bottles per hour for the brewery location in Marktoberndorf. The new swing stopper filling line contains a new swing stopper closing machine with 40 closing heads and a newly developed rotary opener with 20 opening positions. The topic of „stopper head and rubber seal inspection“ is very important for the Allgäuer Brewery. A corresponding solution should not be missing in the new filling line. That’s why a newly developed DGI40 inspection machine with 40 heads, which inspects the swing stopper heads and rubber seal, raises bottling to a safer standard. These 3 machines were delivered in spring 2021 and successfully commissioned in the new bottling line.

The existing AMS swing stopper machine of the older generation will be completely upgraded mechanically and electrically to a current standard for the next few years. Also the hygienic standard will be raised again. We would like to thank the Allgäuer Brewery and the Radeberger Group again for their trust.

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