Innovative aseptic carton drying solution
Air Control Industry (ACI), a leader in drying solutions for the food and drinks sector, has launched a new aseptic carton drying system. The unit is set to cut costs, improve drying speeds, and open opportunities for small production lines to add aseptic cartons to their drinks packaging range.
- Removes in excess of 99.3% residual water
- Dries up to 6,000 cartons per hour thanks to ‘no twist’ tech
- Small size (970mm long) opens up the aseptic solution to small production lines
- The system delivers reduced running costs and low energy consumption
- Blower-driven technology provides a clean, safe drying solution
Providing a ready-to-go drying solution, the ACI aseptic carton drying system is compact and efficient. Designed to remove in excess of 99.3% of all residual water on cartons at an industry-leading rate of 6,000 packs per hour, the system measures just 970mm and is designed for small production lines limited by space.
An important innovation for the sector, the system uses air knife technology to dry the bottom, top and sides of the cartons, tilting them to ensure optimal drying. This function removes the need for a twister solution, which slows the number of cartons that can be effectively dried per hour. It also ensures that cartons are ready for date coding, further packaging, and enhances hygiene through the prevention of bacteria growth.
The ACI drying system uses blower-driven air-knife technology to remove water without damaging or distorting the packaging. It provides a clean, oil-free product, unlike compressed air solutions that often leave traces of oil. In addition to achieving high drying efficiency levels, ACI’s aseptic system offers significant reductions in running costs compared to compressed air solutions through lower energy consumption blowers.
Faster and simpler to install than other solutions, the ACI carton drying system is a single unit that bolts into place and does not require the conveyor to be split. It also provides spray containment and noise reduction thanks to stainless steel covers over the bottom and side drying elements. Combined with acoustic foam, this reduces the noise profile to less than 85dB(A).
Featuring thumb screws, the system is quick and easy to adjust for commission or product changeover and only requires the top drying section to be adjusted. This feature prevents accidental or incorrect adjustment that might otherwise reduce drying efficiency.
Stephen Thurgood-Perry, ACI Export Manager, commented: “Our highly skilled design team has taken knowledge from our work with one of the world’s largest food packaging and processing companies to refine our latest aseptic carton drying solution. The outcome is a smaller, faster, and more efficient system that still delivers an industry-leading dryness level.
“We’re proud to say that this is the first drying system specifically designed to address all of the issues that face the aseptic packaging industry. That has resulted in a revolutionary new solution that makes aseptic cartons a realistic proposition for small production lines, as well as the bigger players.”
ACI is a world leader in designing, innovating, and manufacturing industrial air movement products and drying solutions for the food and drinks sector. It supplies and supports a global audience directly and through an extensive network of distributors.
ACI has a proven track record in air movement engineering, a history that goes as far back as the 1960s. Based in Axminster, Devon (UK), ACI also has a sister company, ACI Inc in Windsor, Maine (USA). Established in 2008, this facility was set-up to support increased demand in North America.
For more information about ACI’s air movement products, visit www.aircontrolindustries.com or email: sales@aircontrolindustries.com
