CHAMPAGNE:
TRADITIONAL METHOD AND BULK METHOD

SMB Technik is one of the few remaining manufacturers world wide to specialize in the needs of the champagne industry.  SMB manufactures most of the equipment needed for tirage filling and refilling after disgorging.  We can integrate with other manufacturers to form complete bottling lines.

SMB Technik makes a drainage machine for transfer process champagne.  Small versions of this machine can be used in a traditional method sparkling wine facility for filling sizes other than the tirage sized bottle.  Please refer to our section titled Champagne, Transfer.

Tirage filling

A tirage filler is a wine filler with crown capper in monoblock construction.  

Bidul
Bidules come in two forms.  The first form has the bidule as a separate piece from the crown cap.  In this case, the biduler is placed over the transfer star between the filler and capper.  The second form is a one piece cap and bidule combination.  We use a special cap sorter/orienter and cap chute for this type.

Please see our section on wine fillers.

Champagne Fillers and Closers

SMB Technik manufactures counter pressure sparkling wine fillers for transfer and bulk process producers.  Our counter pressure fillers use the model designation of "Multima" followed by other designations which define the number and type of valves plus the number and type of closer heads.  So a Multima 18K/6N is an 18 valve, short tube filler and 6 head corker in monoblock configuration.  Pre-evacuation systems are available if the customer wants a mechanism for displacing the air in the bottle with inert gas on board the machine.  All sparkling wine fillers are height adjustable by raising and lowering the filler bowl.

There are a variety of closers available.  The most common for sparkling wine use are natural cork, polyethylene champagne stoppers, and R.O.P.P.  
 

	Natural cork closures include orienting devices for the cork
	Wire hooders are normally included for cork and polyethylene

Machine sizes range from a 15/4 - filler/closer to a 40/8 filler/closer.  
Speed range for fillers is approximately 37 bpm to 90 bpm based upon a 750 ml bottle.
Double pre-evacuation will reduce a given machine's speed by approximately 10%

Traditional Method Dossage, Refilling, and Corking

The process of making traditional method sparkling wine requires disgorging, adding of dosage, topping up the bottle and closing it.  

SMB can supply the equipment to bring the disgorged bottles to a constant level, add a metered amount of dossage, refill the bottle to a constant level, cork, and wire hood the bottles.  Such equipment is available in a monoblock configuration.  (SMB does not manufacture disgorging machines at this point in time.)  

Please inquire regarding size and speed of available machines.

Small Filler - Model Goliath

SMB Technik makes a specialty filler for large bottles of sparkling wine.  The model Goliath is a single head semi-automatic counter pressure filler designed to accommodate bottles up to 9 liters. 
A single head corker is also available.

SMB Technik also makes a 4 head intermittent acting drainage machine for transferring disgorged product out of the tirage bottle.  Drainage is done under full pressure. 

Please see the sections under TRANSFER (DRAINAGE) MACHINES and NEWELLEN.