Krones Varioline 1M packer reverses crate flow at full speed

The Varioline is a modular packer able to process more than 20 different combinations of secondary and tertiary packaging in a single system. Krones AG has recently launched a variant of the Varioline 1M with one significant change. The new model packs beverage bottles into crates and reverses the direction of crate flow by 180 degrees inside the machine. The infeed and discharge conveyors run in parallel on the same side of the single-end machine, which frees up more space in the line layout and improves accessibility for operators.

The Varioline 1M focuses on one core function: picking and placing containers or prefabricated multi-packs into crates. It is a single-lane machine that can process up to 103,000 containers per hour, corresponding to an hourly output of about 4,300 packs. A robot directly synchronised with the container infeed flow picks up the bottles as they move along the conveyor. This continuous handling results in a faster process that is gentler on containers, produces significantly less noise and reduces scuffing. In conventional packers, by comparison, the containers are stopped at a fixed rail, which slows down the process and increases both wear on the bottles and noise levels in the line.

Direction reversal during operation

To enable a single-end design for the Varioline 1M, Krones has extended the machine's functionality to include a reversal of crate flow direction. Given the short cycle times required for the intended speed and the physical limitations involved, this was not an easy task. It was solved by implementing continuous crate handling: using axis technology developed by Krones, the crates are accurately positioned before the containers are inserted. This allows the direction to be reversed without any loss of speed compared with the classic straight-through machine.

"In a conventional packer, the containers must be stopped for pick-up. In the Varioline 1M, the robot is directly synchronised with the continuous inflow of containers," explains Maximilian Kühnl, product specialist for the dry end at Krones. "And that is now also possible for flow direction reversal inside the machine, without compromising on performance."

The first machine of this model variant went into operation in early 2025. The experience gained on the shop floor since then has been continuously incorporated into the further development of the technology and into every subsequent customer project.

Compact layout minimising operator walking distances

Line owners benefit from a single-end machine in two ways. Its small footprint frees up more space in the layout, and connections are required on one side only. As a result, three of its sides are available for operation, which minimises walking distances for operators. This makes it easier for them to reach the machine in the event of a malfunction, and the handling parts needed for changeovers are available more quickly. For the upgrade of the 1M model, Krones took the pick-and-place function from the field-proven modular Varioline kit system and selectively fine-tuned it.

The single-end design is a logical continuation of a proven technology. It is a new layout variant of a field-proven machine, not a prototype, and uses the same familiar operating philosophy.

First customer for the single-end Varioline 1M packer

The first two machines of this type were ordered by the Krombacher Brauerei in Germany. They are part of the brewery's current investment programme, under which Krones has, since 2024, replaced the entire dry ends of four lines during ongoing operation. The scope includes, among others, new sweep-off depalletisers, selective unpackers (also from the Varioline 1M series) and a number of palletisers.

"In a project of this size, every square metre, every single manipulation during operation counts for us. So a machine with a smaller footprint that also ensures good accessibility is exactly what we need," says Ludger Hense, Senior Manager for Bottling at the Krombacher Brauerei.