M. Tanner: New generation of preform handling system

“Welcome to the World of Preform Handling” is written in large letters on the wall in the company-owned forum of M. Tanner AG. The Swiss familyowned company, founded in 1973, has been developing and producing preform handling systems for PET filling plants and preform producers worldwide for more than 50 years.

SmartLine - the new generation

In addition to the challenges of preform design, rPET and material quality, PET line output is also increasing steadily. The 100,000 preforms per hour mark has been reached, but the size and complexity of the preform feeding systems have increased significantly. This leads to more footprint requirements and less efficiency. “We were quite quick to agree internally that there must be an alternative to the existing technologies on the market for the future in the high-speed area,” CEO Marco Tanner said about the new series SmartLine. The heart of the SmartLine is the new orientation, which can also ensure the necessary pressure to the stretch blow moulding machine. “Two in one,” says Tanner, adding, “every mechanical transition has its risks. We wanted to reduce them.” Where the roller sorter was responsible for the orientation and the discharge rail for the transport of the preforms to the stretch blow moulding machine, the new technology uses a single transport chain for the orientation and simultaneous transport of the preforms. “The advantage is obvious and the complexity is significantly lower,” Tanner emphasizes. The SmartLine was presented at the Tanner booth at drinktec 2025.

Footprint-saving and user-friendly

The horizontal orientation and conveying of the preforms means that access for operators and maintenance personnel is a significant advantage. This is claimed to ensure that faults can be quickly and safely rectified, as well as production being easily monitored as operators pass by. Stairs and platforms are a thing of the past. “The new technology requires almost half the footprint for installation. This in turn means that the system can be compactly installed without a curve, which in turn increases efficiency. Every curve in the feed system can be a source of error with the current types of preforms,” explains Marco Tanner, highlighting another advantage due to the reduced installation footprint.

Already in use

The first Preform Lines from the SmartLine generation have already been delivered and are in use with end customers worldwide. The first larger production series will follow as soon as 2026. “We are ready and convinced that the new technology is the Gamechanger in the field of preform handling directly in front of the blowing machine,” says Tanner.

Preform tippers for high-speed systems

The increase in speed over the last few years has led to a significant increase in the loading cycle of the preforms. With a capacity of 100,000 preforms per hour, a double tipper (two boxes at the same time) must be tipped more than four times per hour. The system’s autonomy is reduced. To counteract this, Tanner has developed a triple tipper that can move up to 1.5 tonnes. “The Tripler - as we call the triple tipper - is also intended to provide a suitable loading window for preforms even in high-speed systems,” says Marco Tanner, explaning the reason for the new development.

Fully automated loading of preforms

The loading of preform boxes into the tipper by a driverless forklift (AGV/LGV) is well known. However, this only achieves partial automation of the process. Many preform boxes are equipped with an inliner (protective film) to protect the preforms from dirt and foreign particles. Opening the inliner is a manual task and is only performed directly before loading into the tipper due to hygiene reasons. To fully automate the loading process, Tanner has presented a new development at this year’s Drinktec that cuts open the closed inliner and automatically feeds the opened preform box to the tipper. “We have been using AGVs for loading for several years. However, the process was only partially automated. With the film opener, we have now fully automated the loading process,” says Marco Tanner.

Camera inspection directly in front of the blowing machine

In addition to the SmartLine innovation, Tanner has also invested in camera inspection in front of the stretch blow moulding machine. The demand for an inspection system in front of the blowing machine is growing. Inspecting and ejecting damaged preforms before the subsequent process can reduce downtime in the PET-line. In addition to the sealing surface and neckring inspection, the preform body can now also be inspected 360°. This is a significant advantage, especially in relation to rPET. Depending on the customer’s requirements, additional cameras can be installed.

50 years of innovation and expertise

Founded in 1973, M. Tanner AG has been developing and producing preform handling systems for customers all over the world. Over 4,000 systems are in operation. In addition to feeding preforms into the blow moulding machine, many products and functions have been added over the years. Thanks to the comprehensive after-sales management, Tanner ensures all-round support for the delivered products throughout their entire life cycle.

www.mtannerag.ch