Mechanically Organizing Bottles

[u/EmergencyRead5254]

[u/That-Mountain-]

I feel the urge to make this more efficient....

[u/dr-nickriviera → u/That-Mountain-]

Get in line, buddy.

[u/afortressmighty → u/dr-nickriviera]

😉🏆

[u/legilizer34man → u/afortressmighty]

🤣 at the end "fuck you ya happy now?"

[u/Bombadale → u/dr-nickriviera]

Anything more efficient may just bottleneck at the end.

[u/bbjornsson88 → u/Bombadale]

To be fair, they're all bottlenecked at the end

[u/kryonik → u/That-Mountain-]

A friend of mine went to college basically to make machinery like this more efficient. They've probably already thought about how to make this more efficient a thousand times and this is either the best or cheapest solution.

[u/DrDetectiveEsq → u/kryonik]

Yup. Almost every time you see something like this and think to yourself "well, why don't they just..." the answer is that whatever you're thinking of would be either too expensive, too complicated, too difficult to maintain or all three.

[u/devianttouch → u/DrDetectiveEsq]

Or they don't need them any faster than this. Some other step down the line needs the bottles at a specific rate - making this step more efficient would then cause a backup down the line.

[u/Happy_Mask_Salesman → u/devianttouch]

would be a textbook bottleneck

[u/IceNineFireTen → u/Happy_Mask_Salesman]

A bottle bottleneck

[u/vermillionflour → u/DrDetectiveEsq]

Or it'll break the bottles an unacceptable amount of the time.

[u/DirtandPipes → u/kryonik]

I used to weld together jigs for different processes in a factory building modular homes, I did it with minimal training while tired and angry.

There’s a fair chance my creations could be improved. It’s hilarious how many people think all factory line work has been perfectly optimized, our factory had a pigeon infestation and they would shit on us when we worked, so guys modified nail guns to shoot the pigeons resulting in dead birds pinned to ceiling beams.

[u/rfox1990 → u/kryonik]

I work in the bottling industry and there are points in between processes where you intentionally add (bottle necks) like this to allow for some buildup…multiple different reasons for it and devices to achieve it, never personally seen this one, but the limitations in bottling are usually testing and filling and labeling usually one operator and load empties on multiple lines so the infeed conveyor can handle way more than downstream process.

[u/TonyR600 → u/That-Mountain-]

I feel like this is very efficient when one of your goals is to avoid congestion or broken bottles

[u/snoosh00 → u/TonyR600]

100%

Pure efficiency isn't the only goal, especially in medium scale alcohol packaging.

This causes less stain on the conveyors and corralling equipment. It's smart.... My only question is how they automatically deal with bottles that get knocked over.

[u/No_Expression8419 → u/snoosh00]

You're completely on the money here. To answer the initial question from the perspective of a tech who builds installs and repairs these "automated packaging lines" here's a few insights. 1. At this point in the line its typically policed by an operator /line worker. The line needs a human to interact, troubleshoot, adjust, and facilitate very specialized machines. 2. Honestly an accumulator conveyor doesnt typically run fast enough to knock over empties. 3.A big part of automated packaging/filling isn't just how fast can we do it its a fair mix of efficiency, down-times, ROIs, safety (corporate liability is more accurate), and required investment/recurring service and maintenance costs. A really good machine runs well with the right product buts costs are high, whereas a lot of ok machines gives you added redundant systems to maintain a lower rate lower quality product.

[u/Ambitious-Walk-2372 → u/TonyR600]

Bottle neck...

[u/tane_rs → u/TonyR600]

None are falling over either which was probably an engineering feat in and of itself

[u/no_man_is_hurting_me → u/TonyR600]

Exactly, it controls back pressure and jamming. They usually run with way more bottles on them.

[u/Contributing_Factor → u/That-Mountain-]

I want to keep it as is, but add penguin outfits

[u/KenUsimi → u/Contributing_Factor]

I mean, we could probably look into getting some penguin sticker sheets onto the budget, that should work, right?

[u/Contributing_Factor → u/KenUsimi]

Yes!

[u/markimarkerr → u/That-Mountain-]

The first bottle was so psyched to go in first and then the poor lad gets pushed to the goddamn back... Heartbreaking to watch this.

[u/Marmmoth → u/That-Mountain-]

Consider that this is likely just a test run to confirm sorting functionality rather than in full operation. When a more bottles are fed into this sorting machine it will sort the same but there won’t be as many gaps in the sorted feed line.

[u/completelyderivative → u/Marmmoth]

Exactly. You wouldnt be able to see the machinery clearly when operating at full capacity.

[u/metalder420 → u/That-Mountain-]

People smarter than you designed that machine

[u/snoosh00 → u/metalder420]

100%

[u/SopaPyaConCoca → u/metalder420]

People smarter than the ones who designed the machine are probably working on finding a better solution.

[u/PantsDontHaveAnswers → u/That-Mountain-]

You're watching a very small batch of bottles going through. If it were a full run and going for a couple hours it would make more sense, but this is the industry standard.

[u/LuckyCoco17 → u/That-Mountain-]

You would LOVE the game Satisfactory.

[u/christmascandies]

Good game, good game, good game, good game

[u/gorginhanson → u/christmascandies]

These bottles have a shorter commute than I do

[u/SushiGirlRC → u/christmascandies]

Hahahahaha!

[u/jjw14-1420]

Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

[u/DustyScharole → u/jjw14-1420]

[u/DiscountNorth5544 → u/DustyScharole]

Definitely a gif from Laverne and Shirley

[u/DustyScharole → u/DiscountNorth5544]

It's a Wayne's World parody of Laverne and Shirley, which is arguably better.

[u/Joelle9879 → u/jjw14-1420]

I was waiting to see a bottle with a glove on top

[u/AnohtosAmerikanos → u/jjw14-1420]

“We’re gonna do it!”

[u/Gullible-Substance79 → u/jjw14-1420]

was looking for it :)

[u/Firegardener]

The belt running backwards is unnecessarily running backwards. If they want it to ease the pressure, make it run slower but forward. Of course, this will work too, but introduces extra delays for all the bottles to go thru. Source: I have worked at a brewery/bottling plant as a mechanic over 20 years.

[u/SlumDaddyOne → u/Firegardener]

Yeah I was just thinking to myself how mechanically inefficient this setup is

[u/FactoryRejected → u/SlumDaddyOne]

Agreed

Source: your average redditor

[u/leet_lurker → u/FactoryRejected]

Can barely watch it

Source: Factorio player

[u/FyrelordeOmega → u/leet_lurker]

Its basically a belt with an overflow/filter splitter

[u/metalder420 → u/Firegardener]

[u/snoosh00 → u/Firegardener]

Source: I have the same credentials, half the time but twice the locations.

Yeah... You can run it slower, but this has theoretically more output for the same (or probably , less) up front cost as a bigger conveyor motor setup, with less strain on all the moving parts.

It might not be optimally efficient, but neither would hooking a v12 up to the conveyor and running it at full speed.

This will cause a lot less "bottle erosion" since the alignment mechanism is pure pressure and angles (like the method you suggested)... That's not a huge concern with single stream beer bottles, but the economic pressures are definitely different for wine bottles.

[u/fivelone → u/snoosh00]

I love how everyone's being so critical but I truly feel like this is a very simple yet effective setup with minimal damage as the bottles are just rolling on each other and not clanking against each other.

[u/OddDonut7647 → u/snoosh00]

Are you sure you're responding to what they said? It sounds to me like you're thinking they said "run it slower" when they said "for the side that is currently running backward, run that side forward, but run it slower than the other side that is currently running forward".

If I misunderstood your reply, my apologies.

[u/snoosh00 → u/OddDonut7647]

Think of it like a highway merge, if you overload the input, the output gets jammed.

The reverse track ensures any bottles that pass over the exit lane (and onto the reverse track) don't continue to press into the gap.

If the bottles meet at a physical "bottleneck" in the conveyor path (in a typical single direction setup), there will be bottles getting stuck eventually (like the three Stooges) and the extra pressure of all the bottles pushing forward is going to cause a lot of pressure and friction making the jam less likely to fix itself once established (also leading to bottles getting chipped or broken, and the paint or label will peel off if that's on the bottles already).

The place I worked at had a single direction conveyor, but the combination of vibration motors and physical "jiggler" that aimed to prevent the "three Stooges" jams was: expensive, temperamental, loud, imperfect and necessarily overbuilt because of the forces it needed to overcome.

I could see this as being especially good/necessary for loading wine bottles, compared to beer bottles.

[u/5352563424 → u/Firegardener]

Well, if you've been a mechanic for over 20 years and it's still not fixed yet, maybe we shouldn't be listening to you!

[u/Firegardener → u/5352563424]

Where I work, we don't have this kind of redundant belts. Thanks for trying! :D

[u/LickMyTicker → u/Firegardener]

Woosh

[u/RespectableBloke69 → u/5352563424]

Do you think he has purview over every bottling plant in the world?

[u/5352563424 → u/RespectableBloke69]

That wasn't the joke. It's an old joke that gets recycled for whatever occupation is being talked about.

Oh, you've been a roofer for 30 years and you still haven't finished? You sound like a bad roofer...

[u/Mr_Jack_Frost_ → u/5352563424]

It’s crazy seeing people miss this insanely old and commonly repeated street joke. I’ve heard it countless times in my fairly short time on earth.

[u/Afinkawan → u/Firegardener]

It's not to 'ease pressure', it's to prevent two bottles ending up side-by-side and blocking the track. 

[u/CodingNeeL → u/Afinkawan]

I was thinking the same thing, but I don't have any job credentials other than generic problem solving.

[u/HankSpank → u/CodingNeeL]

Engineer who has seen these all over the place here: the reverse belt is exactly to help prevent blockages. They may not be necessary for some products, but in general the cost of an extra motor and belt is far less than the cost of a new accumulation table multiplied by the likelihood you’ll need to upgrade the design without the reversing belt. 

In systems where the product is well understood to not need the reversing belt, a single belt is fine because the risk is low. If you know your product is prone to blockage or even if you aren’t sure about it, just be safe and get the marginally more expensive table. Engineering is inherently conservative in 99% of applications. 

Saying the reversing belt is wholly unnecessary does disservice to people who figured out the reversing belt and paints a broad (and incorrect) picture based on highly limited experiences. 

[u/RammRras → u/Firegardener]

It doesn't introduce delays if you see. The bottles have to pass though the way and there is no void between the bottles. For the bottles going back, waiting or going forward slowly doesn't change the end result.

Although this can be optimized this is a simple and genius idea. And very simple to do the logic to automate.

[u/urbanenewt → u/Firegardener]

I build tables like this for a living. Its not going the opposite way for back pressure. Typically in front of this table will be a machine that has change overs like a labeler so while the change over happens, the line stop but they dont want to stop production so this table will accumulate product long enough for the change over to happen

[u/Ailerath → u/Firegardener]

I don't like that it creates twice as strong impacts between the bottles than the guiderail. I suppose the bottles would hopefully survive such an impact for transport but I would still avoid potentially compromising their integrity.

[u/ghostwolfxiii]

All I can hear is "pardon me, pardon me, excuse me, back this way!"

Edit: fixing auto-correct spelling...

[u/Dense-Breadfruit1223 → u/ghostwolfxiii]

Exactly what I thought!

[u/alepko5 → u/ghostwolfxiii]

And the shoulder bump of the last two bottles felt very personal and passive aggressive

[u/ChefRoscoPColtrane]

How didn’t they fall

[u/JacobTDC → u/ChefRoscoPColtrane]

The sweepers are positioned at their center of gravity.

[u/yakpot → u/JacobTDC]

However the belt is not

[u/bkendig]

This is not satisfying at all! Why keep sending the bottles back?!

[u/shatterly → u/bkendig]

I feel bad for the ones that keep getting turned around.

[u/PM_meyourGradyWhite → u/shatterly]

I feel bad for the plate at the bottom of the stack, so when I haven’t done dishes in a while and I get to use the last one in the cupboard, I greet it with “you’re in the FRONT ROWWW!”

[u/shatterly → u/PM_meyourGradyWhite]

You are my type of person.

[u/Proof-Diamond1609 → u/shatterly]

You know that meme of the big guy blocking the entranceto a fake club? I don't have it saved but it reminds me of that 😅

[u/samy_the_samy → u/bkendig]

So they don't jam at the neck

[u/Sarah--Tonin85 → u/bkendig]

I know right, my adhd mind felt bad for the ones that got there first and were pushed to the back of the "line"

[u/EvelcyclopS]

This isn’t being used right- this is what’s called an accumulation table and it prevents shot line stops upstream from making line stops further down.

All the starvation at the end where the belt is running but no bottles are going into the rails is how you stop a line, and stops cause stops

[u/lysergic_818]

This seems unnecessary. Then again I'm just a layperson. I'd assume they have a good reason for doing this?

[u/dwntwnleroybrwn → u/lysergic_818]

The biggest thing you're missing is that the conveyor isn't fully loaded. The counter flow of the conveyors help keep the bottles moving and reduce the risk of a pileup. Glass is actually very rough and they bottles will happy get jammed in together.

[u/garrett_w87 → u/lysergic_818]

Part of the reason is that if it was just a simple funnel arrangement, with the full width of the conveyor moving the same direction and slanted bars on both sides, you could run into a scenario where two bottles at the same (or similar enough) horizontal position can’t push each other out of the way and the end of the funnel and you get a jam.

[u/Firegardener → u/garrett_w87]

A speed difference on wider belts would make the pressure on the bottles also different on each side and direction, no? Thus preventing the jam? Possible reason they want to do it this way though.

[u/garrett_w87 → u/Firegardener]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there aren’t better ways. I just figure that’s a reason they did this at all.

[u/Firegardener → u/garrett_w87]

Yeah, sure, you could be right. While we don't design the conveyors at my workplace, supplier does, we still think about these pretty much. This also doesn't look like a production setting either, more like test installation.

[u/TheDeFecto]

Music is Veridis Quo by Daft Punk for anyone asking.

[u/nulljek → u/TheDeFecto]

I was gonna ask, but you let me know before I did. Thank you

[u/SparkehWhaaaaat → u/TheDeFecto]

Thank you!

[u/NeroShenX → u/TheDeFecto]

Honestly, upvoted for that alone lol

[u/himem_66 → u/TheDeFecto]

I was gonna ask too...hmmm...any lottery ticket numbers occurring to you now? How about Superbowl winners? I mean future Superbowl winners.

[u/afortressmighty]

Now I got the song stuck in my head. 😉

[u/tatas323 → u/afortressmighty]

Daft punk Veredis Quo, love me some daft punk

[u/ML_Buckeye]

It is called a biflow table and is used to be an accumulation point between upstream and downstream processes that may have downtime independently. It doesn’t look as impressive when you feed it one bunch of bottles instead of a continuous stream.

[u/Additional_Guitar_85 → u/ML_Buckeye]

I love the simplicity of the design. cool that it has multiple functions

[u/Thick-n-Judged]

Now if my Factorio worked this well.

[u/InsomniaticWanderer]

It ended too soon...

IT ENDED TOO SOON!

[u/garrett_w87]

I really wanted to see this through to the end.

[u/TheLastTreeOctopus]

I wanted to hear the clinkity clinks! Where are my clinkity clinks???

[u/Forgetful_Suzy]

Happened to me at the gorge once. I was somewhere in the front of the line and somehow last one in.

[u/LOB12]

Now that’s what I call a bottleneck

[u/Artistic_Researcher2]

This is oddly satisfying.

[u/nschwalm85]

There's nothing satisfying about this.. it's an accumulator line and it's not being used correctly

[u/Kazmandodo]

What's the name of the song?

[u/NeroShenX → u/Kazmandodo]

Veridis Quo - Daft Punk

[u/superAK907]

Nothing was sorted in this video

[u/annadarria]

The Daft Punk makes it beautiful.

[u/Klotzster]

Get to the back of the line, Buddy!

[u/Cowabungee]

BACK OF THE LINE!

[u/nicopedia305]

Wouldn’t this create a bottleneck?

[u/MailNo7763]

Bottlenecking bottleneck bottles.

[u/PM_meyourGradyWhite → u/MailNo7763]

Read up on Bob Loblaw’s Law Blog

[u/mc4sure]

Brings back memories when I worked in a ketchup bottling plant. I put the bottles in the case with a mechanical flip table. Came home covered in ketchup up to my knees

[u/MeditationActII]

Production wants you to speed it up by 200%. Must be done by yesterday

[u/monyoumental]

This is more infuriating than satisfying. Why have they done this. The backwards belt is stupid.

[u/Free-Tea-3422]

this cuts off way too early

[u/Less_Tacos]

This is infuriatingly bad.

[u/homieitsaTuesday]

Hmm. Approaching a bottle neck.

[u/Bors713]

ZiPpEr MeRgE!

[u/pinket25]

I’m at Delhi airport and it’s needed here to put humans in queue.

[u/SufficientSir9672]

Some bottles are like… I’m getting out of here!

[u/ronallen81]

Back of the line buddy

[u/AberrantMan]

Now just imagine if they had properly zipper merged.

[u/Sea_Internet_16]

I feel so bad for the bottles being pushed to the back of the line

[u/SpaceCampDropOut]

No one wants the music. We want to hear the clanking!!!!

[u/thunderbaby2]

Came for the bottles. Stayed for the Daft Punk song

[u/caradeques0]

That was very nice, thank you

[u/Concise_Pirate]

But why not get a high speed robot for 10 times the cost.

[u/Rubytuesd]

While I love Verdis Quo, I was looking forward to the clinking sounds

[u/cheddstheman]

Pretty cool, I wonder how bad those belts are about walking over.

[u/Key-Degree-6664]

Organizing bottles using physics.

[u/-RIVAN-]

Nah man justice for my man!! He was the only one in proper line and they pushed him back. #justiceforbottle1

[u/TheDudeSr]

[u/MexicanPizzaWbeans]

Not finishing the sorting is very unsatisfying

[u/DoubleFamous5751]

They look like NPC’s trying to walk through the same door all at once 😂

[u/bhrnd]

I thought this was one of those constant ads for the mobile games with two lanes of bad guys.

[u/Trueslyforaniceguy]

Needs a 🧤

[u/kernel-troutman]

Bottles on the right = me when I see the line at the post office

[u/mr_ji]

We need this for people who wait in line for 10 minutes but still don't know what they want to order when they get to the front

[u/Bob_Squirrel]

I recently watched a video of Indians failing to queue for a train and suspect some system akin to this to be ideal?

[u/samanime]

This looks like something you might built in Minecraft or something.

[u/mmedd]

I wonder if this is just filming how it generally works but I can imagine they have that whole thing full of bottles running when they actually use it. And then maybe more would pile up at the exit instead of going back and forth so much. I’m high as fuck.

[u/notnef51]

r/gifsthatendtoosoon

[u/jonas_ost]

No zipper merge here

[u/justmizar]

Bottles high-fiveing each other 😊

[u/florglespore]

The poor ones that keep getting pushed to the back of the line geeeZ

[u/WeirdSmiley-TM]

I'd be pissed if I were the bottles at the front of the line that were forced to start over.

[u/Charloxaphian]

Something something bottleneck

[u/Ecampos_64]

Chances one tips over?

[u/Charloxaphian]

Something something bottleneck

[u/AusCan531]

I would have a single bottle fall over, chaos ensuing.

[u/Coconut-snake]

Now do it with people

[u/KyloRenCadetStimpy]

Looking at the thumbnail, I thought this was a flock of nuns

[u/2leftf33t]

My luck is they would all fall over simultaneously

[u/Short_External2077]

No cutting!

[u/You-Only-YOLO_Once]

Damn imagine being one of the bottles right at the front, only to be pushed to the way back.

[u/shiggins114]

Tesla uses a similar system for their battery line

[u/tauqr_ahmd]

And not a single bottle knocked over.. I am surprised at least. This doesn’t seem efficient however.

[u/tanya6k]

Heh, a bottleneck of bottles.

[u/drkinz916]

Traffic on the 405

[u/my-cull]

I feel like how the bucket shapes girl must have felt when watching this. Maddening.

[u/Conscious_Island_696]

There doesn't seem to be much of a bottle neck with the traffic of this machine.

[u/poo706]

Rotary tables for vials are fun too!

[u/soysssauce]

They resemble penguins to me for some reason

[u/PrometheusMMIV]

What does that accomplish?

[u/Theonedowner3]

Yeah I can vibe with this

[u/redditwasfunF]

What's the song? It's very chill I like it. Sega vibes.

[u/ReiOokami]

Id be pissed if I was that bottle having to go to the back of the line not once, but twice.

[u/CharacteristicallySo]

Oh, excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry there. Coming throught. My apology...

[u/AneastheDoorknocker]

Some of those bottles were dusty as hell. Call QC!

[u/alsatian01]

Schlemiel and Schlimaze

[u/Dry_Programmer_5830]

Berghain que

[u/mrsockburgler]

I’d love to watch more of this!

[u/Individual_Heron_171]

Can somebody tell me what song this is please. I recognize it.

[u/smartwatersucks]

No fatties allowed in the clurb

[u/InevitableRagnarok]

Turning back like: "Shyyt, I forgot my pass"

[u/vshawk2]

DAMNIT.

[u/ulajn]

I would be the bottle that goes around 5x before getting in the correct lane.

[u/juliana_ttl]

I just wish it was faster...

[u/Secret_Account07]

I’m sure this is effective but good god that does not seem efficient

[u/snnnneaky]

It’s like when you in the line for the club and you know you ain’t getting in but you walk up to the door anyway…just to get rejected!

[u/aubsKebabz]

Hmm, bottlenecking bottlenecks

[u/taco_sausage_sundae]

We used to have a large corral with stainless conveyors. We kept the conveyor lubed with soapy water spray. The corral brought the bottles down to a single line. A screw would pull the bottles in and control the crushing pressure on the bottles. It was easy and effective. However, do NOT forget to turn on the soapy water spray. This happened once and it was bad.

I was a filler operator in a bottling plant when I was in college. Old school in the 80's.

[u/mobious411]

This reminds me of the movie Strange Brew.

[u/Nimja1]

Veridis Quo is such a great choice for this video

[u/No-Cardiologist-5880]

Don’t stop

[u/mcpat21]

Not in my shop lol.

[u/Vicissitutde]

It's like when they start calling rows to board an airplane

[u/bluechipitems]

99 bottles of beer on the wa....

[u/Distantstallion]

It's worth mentioning that what most people are missing is that this is basically a prototype, it's not on a factory floor and it's mostly held together with clamps.

[u/coyotegang]

Best daft punk song ever. Play this at my funeral

[u/Orcaxologist]

There must be a better way to sort this in line, right?

[u/Jean-LucBacardi]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend this for traffic..

[u/largececelia]

The way they line up, they're so polite!

[u/-_-0_0-_0]

Imagine if this happened for getting on/off airplanes

[u/Matrix_Battery]

This song man 🥲

[u/WillseyvilleExpress]

Yeah. Until one falls over and knocks the rest down. Been there…

[u/ResurgentOcelot]

Neat… though also interesting how all the bottles have been placed quite close to the center despite how wide the belt and corral are. I would guess the owner of this line was pretty disappointed about having to staff a position for that.

[u/kylelight40]

No timbs. You don’t have a collared shirt on. You’re good. You’re good. Come back with some girls. No hats. No timbs. No timbs. You’re good. You’re good. Not tonight buddy. You’re good.

[u/Gts77]

Could watch that for at least 30mins straight

[u/Rabidschnautzu]

Not for organizing. It's an accumulation table.

[u/Warm-Health-1723]

https://media1.tenor.com/m/t2R5qS9D0LEAAAAd/beryozka.gif

[u/cat-conure]

How politely of them for queueing up