Vacuum System Upgrade at O-I Plant

Vetrerie Meridionali is one of the traditional Italian glassworks, it started as a private enterprise in 1962. The merger with O-I in 1998 consolidated its market position in Southern Italy, producing containers to store wine, oil, vinegar, tomato puree, fruit juice and other locally produced beverages.

The vacuum pumps required at the IS machines was supplied by Pneumofore, model UV100 were installed from 1971 till 1996, some remain in operation today. Yet, the expansion of production required new pumps and the first UV series pump, model UV30, was delivered in 2001. The advantages of the air-cooled pumps were evident, the UV series successfully replaced the watercooled V100 from the last century. The new furnace was installed in 2019 and set the beginning of a new era with higher capacity and the latest technological advances in order to increase both quality and productivity. Along with the new furnace, new pumps were required for the vacuum supply at the IS machines.

The history of the Pneumofore vacuum pumps at Vetrerie Meridionali could not be better, with the lifespan of 20 years of continuous operation, as required in glassworks, the customer had confidence in the new generation of Pneumofore UV pumps. The chosen size of vacuum pumps was the UV24, in its VS37 version, equipped with a variable speed drive. The pumps were connected with the ‘multimaster’, in order to have an even load of work on all units. The ‘multimaster’ control option of Pneumofore is based on the Variable Speed Drives of Vacon/Danfoss. Three UV24 VS37 units were commissioned in 2019 and two additional units of the same size are following in 2022.

Happily, Pneumofore can rely on many hollow glass references from most of the industrial nations. The installed machines are air compressors and vacuum pumps, sometimes both, as the low pressure required in the moulding process and vacuum are both within the expertise of Pneumofore. Reference Machines running efficiently for decades represent the first sale argument of Pneumofore. The story of the success of our UV pumps at O-I it became the subject of a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZQqyLUUEgg 

The report of a customer, available to present machine-related facts which improved his working environment, is a clear testimonial. Pneumofore uploaded the video ‘Pneumofore Vacuum for Glass Manufacturing at O-I Group | Vetrerie Meridionali, Italy’ on YouTube in March 2020. Widely viewed and liked, it is not Pneumofore describing the extraordinary performance of its machines, but the customer who reports about his experience.

The following is an extract from the video: Mr. Zazzera is Maintenance Director at O-I / Vetrerie Meridionali; all machinery in the plant falls under his responsibility, he manages the team servicing them all. With all his years of experience, he knows only too well the mantra “prevention is better that cure”. If the equipment brakes, the damage is notably immense. The entire process must be kept up and running, with high efficiency. The regular checks of the entire manufacturing process PRESS RELEASE 01-0222 filename: PN_pressreleases_glass_vacuum-system_O-I_Italy_en_feb22_final_rev01.doc 2/2 to verify the correct operation of the running equipment, are a never-ending task. With 450 tons of glass per day, vacuum is important to speed up the IS machines, to optimize productivity and to improve the hollow glass quality. Pneumofore vacuum pumps belong to the most durable machines within the production, as the old V100 were in operation for almost 50 years. In Glassworks, and essential for him, are the trouble-free running and the low service requirements; the constant efficiency is mandatory to avoid stops in the production cycle. The great experience of the old water cooled V100 pumps from the 70s was at the heart of the decision to install UV24 vacuum pumps, all equipped with VS drive in 2019. The air-cooled UV pumps made it possible to eliminate the cooling water and water treatment. The VSD permits adaption to various manufacturing requirements, by avoiding energy waste. The improvements achieved with the modern UV pumps equipped with VSD were measurable, as the total power consumption was reduced by 30%. The video ends with a kind note from Mr. Zazzera regarding the commitment of Pneumofore to find the best solution for customers, completely in line with the motto displayed in the glass factory ‘Together we make the difference’.

Pneumofore makes a real difference. In collaboration with all its global customers, important improvements can only be achieved by installing durable and efficient machinery, as distant as possible from ‘Programmed Obsolescence’, in full respect of the latest environmental criteria for a minimal carbon footprint.

For more information, visit www.pneumofore.com
More videos are available on the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/pneumofore

05.05.2022, Pneumofore