Tecniplast USA

Modern laboratory animal facilities have recently been faced with the problem of housing increasing numbers of valuable rodents as a result of a rapid breakthrough in the production of DNA manipulated and transgenic rodents.

The investment involved in the development and breeding of these animals and the need to reduce any risk and variable associated with the use of automatic watering systems (i.e. cage flooding, animal training, confirmation of water uptake, pressure uniformity, valve blockage, routine check and monitoring etc.), have generated renewed interest in conventional plastic water bottles. These are being increasingly used in Individually Ventilated Cages to provide a reliable supply for water to the many strains of small rodents.

More animals mean more cages and every cage has a bottle. This increase in cage numbers places a considerable demand on the manager of any large centralized animal facility.

Concerns such as staffing levels, health and safety in the work place, increasing cage and bottle washing, waste handling efficiency and reducing operational costs must all be addressed.

An integrated robotic system, the combination of an index feeding change conveyor, a multi-grip portal robot and an in-line washing and filling station - could provide the answer to all these pressing topics.

Times have changed… Enter the Kronos era!

Tecniplast Washing Division is proud to introduce Kronos, the first fully-automated system which carries out the following process in just 100 seconds!

Selection of 25 dirty, crated plastic bottles SHOW
Removal of stainless steel caps SHOW
Inversion to empty water SHOW
Separate washing of bottles and caps
Filling of bottles SHOW
Re-capping
Stacking onto mobile trolleys ready for collection by staff SHOW
Overview picture SHOW

Important advantages of the KRONOS system over traditional operations include:

Bottles and caps are subject to a uniform and repeatable washing process;
- Ergonomics and safety in the cage washing area are improved in terms of minimizing repetitive motion and physical stress due to bending and lifting
Reduced labor costs;
- Job enhancement for facility personnel by reducing mundane and repetitive tasks associated with bottle washing

For animal facility managers and staff this system offers the very real benefit of freeing workers in order to provide more meaningful animal care and support functions.

The potential reductions in manpower through the use of the KRONOS system to process and sanitize caps/bottles are calculated to be approximately a 50% saving over conventional operations.

Please contact Tecniplast USA Customer Service for a copy of the operational video, technical specification, work sequence flow-chart and lay-out alternative proposals at either 484-875-0500 or info@tecniplastusa.com.

Why Bottle Automation Technologies?

Times have changed… Enter the Kronos era!