ITM Presents Clove Cutter

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 10/12/2010

International Tobacco Machinery Group introduces the Atlast CC clove cutter, which combines high throughput with a traditional, guillotine-like cut. According to ITM, the Atlas CC can help cigarette manufacturers achieve substantial savings in cloves. Following ITM's simple design philosophy, the Atlas CC is a modular machine that consists of three separate modules-one for feeding and orientation, one for compacting and one for cutting. The Atlas CC compacts the cloves in a horizontal position into a clove "cake." Due to its vertical, guillotine-like cutting process, the knives cut the cloves with minimal "pull outs." And because of the machine's vertical cut and perfect clove cake density, the cloves do not get damaged. The three modules can each be accessed separately. All sharp or rotating parts are covered and the machine automatically switches off for maintenance or cleaning. What's more, the machine's process areas are high off the ground and can therefore easily be cleaned. With the unique composition of cloves in mind, ITM's engineers have reduced the holding force in the mouthpiece by 50 percent compared with commonly used cutters. The guillotine-like cutting process also results in fewer pull outs than all other clove cutting machinery. These solutions lead to at least 5 percent clove saving in the production of cigarettes. And because of the reduction of eugenol loss, it doesn't affect the flavor. The innovative cutting module reduces grinding, thus extending the lifespan of the blades. The Atlas CC provides a precise control system of the knives. In addition to the advantages mentioned above, this also offers more flexibility during the production process. The advanced digitally coupled knife mechanism allows cutting configurations from eight up to 16 knives. The unique double drive mechanism allows the user to easily switch knives. The machine can run on eight knives only, while the other knives remain idle, fitted on the drum. Switching from one active set of knives to another takes about five minutes. The Atlas CC is not only economical, it is also maintenance friendly and safe. One of the main problems of regular clove cutting machines is the maintenance and the cleaning of the brass chains. These chains are heavy (depending on the type of chain they can weigh between 70-100 KGs), and quite a few workmen are required to remove them from the machinery. Once the job is done, the chains need to be taken to a special cleaning room for an intense chemical treatment. This maintenance, during which the machine is out of order, needs to be done every 100-500 working hours, depending on the cloves, the conditioning process and the machine type. The Atlas CC does not use brass chains. The Atlas CC is driven by special long-wearing belts, which are robust and made of FDA approved synthetic material. An entire belt weighs between 8- 9 kg and can, on a daily basis, easily be cleaned with a normal cleansing cloth. Only after 2,000 working hours , the belts need to be taken out for extended cleaning. This can be carried out by one single person on the spot and in just a few hours of time. Enditem