Abstract: In a cutting apparatus for cutting a printed metal sheet (1) into a number of individual sheet metal blanks (A1-A6, B1-B6, C1-C6), a conveyor-path switch (9) for removing blanks with defective printing from the conveyor path is provided for separating each blank chosen at the blank discharge point. The conveyor-path switches are selectively activated by a control unit (6). This enables individual blanks to be discarded, thus reducing machine down time and waste of material due to sheets with defective printing.

Abstract: To detect contamination in used PET returnable bottles, they are fed to a first testing station which takes a gas sample from each bottle. This first testing station tests for the presence of heavy contamination. Heavily contaminated bottles are identified as dirty. The bottles are then fed to a second testing station which takes gas samples from the clean bottles and tests them for contamination with a lower detection threshold. Bottles detected here as contaminated are removed, as are the bottles which fail the first test. The two-stage process allows testing with greater sensitivity while maintaining a high bottle throughput.

Abstract: To detect contamination in used PET returnable bottles, they are fed to a first testing station which takes a gas sample from each bottle. This first testing station tests for the presence of heavy contamination. Heavily contaminated bottles are identified as dirty. The bottles are then fed to a second testing station which takes gas samples from the clean bottles and tests them for contamination with a lower detection threshold. Bottles detected here as contaminated are removed, as are the bottles which fail the first test. The two-stage process allows testing with greater sensitivity while maintaining a high bottle throughput.

Abstract: According to the process, each returning bottle is examined for the presence of a predetermined level of fatigue damage. If this level has been reached, the bottle concerned is marked with a mark enabling further trips of the bottle to be counted. When the count has reached a predetermined value, that is when the bottle has undergone the predetermined number of fillings, the bottle is removed upon its next return. It has been found that the life of the bottle can be anticipated with high accuracy in this way, thus enabling bottles to be withdrawn from circulation before failure occurs.