Background

CADceptual Design won a major contract with Gallaher Tobacco, Ballymena, Ireland, to design and supply a flavoured application system to accurately and safely apply flavour solutions to foil backed paper used in the production of mentholated cigarettes.

Drawing on our Special Purpose Machinery experience, we were able to manage the project from concept, through design, manufacture, assembly, test and risk assessment, through to installation.

Resource use

CADceptual Design were able to resource for this project from within the group, and adopting an innovative approach we were able to satisfy the many technical challenges this project had to offer.

At the heart of the machine was a Siemen S7 plc, which controlled the electro pneumatic web tensioning system, controlled the solution application system across the ramp up/down cycle and the varied product range, and to monitor the numerous safety systems on the machine.

Implementation and Risk Management

Due to the nature of the products produced on the machine, which uses flammable and hazardous flavour solutions we had to carry out extensive risk assessment throughout the design cycle to ensure that the design, components and processes adopted would not exasperate any hazards.

Highlighting areas of concern, we then worked closely with the appropriate certification bodies who advised which method of protection would be appropriate for the condition expected, which advanced the design to include localised fume extraction, air purged solution-pumping cabinet, IP rated electrical enclosures and Zener barriers.

Where hazards could not be designed out, we included safety features, such as LEL sensor (lower explosion limit), safety edges and interlocks, and tailored the machine processes to isolate the operator from any hazards.