A retrospective of BKC's product lines - Part 2 BKC's Rotary Smoking Machines
26.09.2010
During the early 1950s, scientific and popular articles presenting research findings concerned potential health risks incurred from smoking. Companies reacted with advertising their products tar and nicotine contents´ before there was a standardized procedure for testing cigarette output.
During the early sixties, the first rotary smoking machines were designed, which allowed smoking of 15 or 20 cigarettes simultaneously. The smoking parameters were not standardized, yet. However, 35 ml or 45 ml puff volume, 1 puff per minute and 2 seconds puff duration were already used in some companies. Varies different trap systems were tested like cotton wool, electrostatic precipitation and glass fiber filters. For technical reasons the early smoking machines had rectangular puff profile.
It was in the 1966 in which cigarette manufacturer were encouraged to provide consumers with comparative information about their product’s tar and nicotine values supported by smoking machines. During this time, Borgwaldt KC started to introduce its well known rotary type smoking machines. The first available rotary smoking machine in the market was the 20 channel manual RM20CS (CORESTA Standard) which was a landmark from the 80s to 1990 which followed the newly introduced Coresta Standard with bell shaped puff profile. The RM20 CS was the first smoking machine which allowed smoking of 20 cigarettes simultaneously with very stable smoking parameters.
After 1990 the Coresta standard was revised to harmonize linear and rotary type smoking machines and introduce a defined air flow at the cigarette. Based on this Method, the RM20CSR (CORESTA Standard revised) was introduced to the market. The RM20CSR is still used in the industry for routine testing and special investigations due to its flexibility, although the production of this machine has been stopped.
In general rotary smoking machines can be characterized due to the following features and advantages:
For the pre operation setup only one syringe adjustment is needed, only one butt length sensor requires positioning, no cigarette marking is necessary, only one air flow duct has to be adjusted as well as only one 92 mm filter trap for 20 cigarettes needs to be prepared and only one lighter is required. This leads to the main advantage of rotary machines: all cigarettes are treated in the same way, which leads to lower variation in results caused by machine and operators influence. The number of analysis needed for a reliable result is low. Due to the compact design, a rotary smoking machine requires only small lab space and can be automated easily without too much costs compared with a machine with linear design. Consequently reduced operational time and operator supervision is required. The reduced human intervention will have a positive effect on analysis results.
Comparing the 60s with today’s requirements, the need for smoking machines has skyrocketed due to increasing regulations and intensified product designs. So additional machines, which offer more than generating tar, nicotine and CO figures and are capable to support current trends and regulations, have been introduced onto the market. Borgwaldt KC reacted on the trends and has expanded its product portfolio of rotary smoking machines. In 1995 the first fully automatic rotary smoking machine for routine analytical testing, the RM200, were introduced. The RM200 is capable to perform 10 smoke runs with 20 cigarettes each without any operator intervention. Moreover an integrated CO Analyser with automatic calculation of the CO values was offered.
Three years later the RM20, as rotary smoking machine with a reduced degree on automation entered the market. The RM20 was capable to smoke one smoke run automatically.
In the year 2000 the first RM20H machine was introduced, as BKC’S answer to increased demands for special analytes. Alternative trapping systems such as impingers and electrostatic precipitation trap could be combined for the first time with the advantages of a rotary smoking machine.
In 2005, ten years after the introduction of the RM200, the first fully automatic smoking machine was overworked and face lifted. The RM200A considers now the experiences of recent years and changed customer requirements. Compared to the RM200 the central unit, loading device, multi functional arm, controller syringe and CO Module have been improved.
The RM200A is a fully automatic smoking machine for analytical smoking as stipulated by the ISO standards 3308 and 4387, offering the possibility of flexible smoking parameters. Fully automatic means that all tasks prior to smoking and after, like the airflow check, weighing of the filter pad holder, insertion of the filter holder, leakage test, positioning of the butt length control, loading of the cigarettes, lighting and lit check as well as removal of the butts, weighing of the smoke loaded trap, sealing of the trap and cleaning of the ash tray, are performed automatically from the machine. The flexible software supports smoking regimes and Fine Cut Smoking Articles (FCSA) according to ISO 15592.
Based on this new RM200A technology also the RM20H has been revised in 2007. The RM20H is an automatic smoking machine for analytical smoking according to ISO standards 3308 and 4387 and as well as for R&D applications and determination of smoke components according to the Hoffmann List. Upon request the RM20H can be configured with a Puff-by-Puff module.
The flexible smoke trap arrangement and the rotating smoking system support besides the standard smoke trap also smoke trap systems dictated by the Hoffmann List, such as electrostatic precipitation and impingers. The RM20H can, optionally be equipped with a smoke ring and cigarette holders to smoke Fine Cut Smoke Articles (FCSA) according to ISO 15592. Upon request the RM20H can also be configured with a Puff by Puff module and an automatic extinction unit for cigarette butts for further analysis of filter retention efficiency.
In 2008 the RM20D was launched, it completes the family of rotary smoking machines offered from Borgwaldt KC, offering a more manual, compact and even more flexible design. The RM20D, is a manual smoking machine for analytical smoking as stipulated by the ISO standards 3308 and 4387 and more intensive R&D applications.The flexible smoke trap arrangement and the rotating smoking system support not only the standard smoke trap (92 mm Fiberglas filter) but also the mainstream smoke trap systems dictated by Hoffmann List, such as an electrostatic trap, 44 mm filter and impingers. The RM20D can optionally be equipped with a smoke ring and cigarette holders to smoke Fine Cut Articles (FCSA) according to ISO 15592. Upon request the RM20D can be configured with a Puff-by-Puff module. Similar to the RM20H an automatic extinction unit for cigarette butts is also available for further analysis of filter retention efficiency.
With this long term experience in rotary smoking machines, Borgwaldt KC is the ideal partner for unique quality assurance instruments focusing not only on today’s but also futures regulation. We, at Borgwaldt KC, are looking always forward to discuss your requirements and learn from you.
Please feel free to contact our sales team at any time for more details or discussions.