Specialized Machine, Tool Achieve Record Levels of Cap Molding
NPE2024: Netstal says its CAP-Line injection molding machine running a 128-cavity z-moulds tool will produce 26-mm tamper-evident caps for still water in just a 1.9-second cycle.
Netstal will run a production system from its customer, Alltrista, at NPE2024 to highlight the process capability of its CAP-Line injection molding machines designed for cap and closure production. The 450-ton machine will mold 26-mm water closures from a 128-cavity tool in a cycle time of 1.9 seconds. Preconfigured for closure applications, the CAP-Line exhibition machine is based on Netstal’s Elios platform. The CAP-Line 4500’s all-electric clamping unit has a dry cycle time of 1.4 seconds, which enables cycle times under 2 seconds.
The optimized barrier screw enables a smaller injection unit to be used, and Netstal says the new design ensures a higher plasticizing performance and more melt homogenization. Optional optimizations include the four-key Smart Operation control panel and adaptive system-pressure reduction for additional energy savings.
The complete system running in the Netstal booth uses a 128-cavity mold from z-moulds and Intravis post-mold handling and inspection equipment that are identical to production systems used by Alltrista. An innovative design enabled z-moulds to fabricate a mold that it says is as small and light as a 96-cavity mold.
Compared to previous 128-cavity molds, z-moulds says its tool fits into a machine with a smaller column distance, and because less mass is moved, cycle time can be reduced. The full production system is also more compact, taking up just 540 ft2. With this system, Alltrista can produce more than 3.1 billion closures annually from only two lines.
From a power-consumption standpoint, the smaller, more efficient machine with 128-cavity mold consumes around 12% less electricity than competitive presses operating with only 96 cavities. Alltrista further boosted the sustainability of the system by reducing the closure’s weight by roughly 25% compared to the previous industry benchmark. Considering production of 3.1 billion closures per year, that weight reduction equates to 930,000 kg of resin annually. Alltrista was audited by Ecovadis in 2023 and received the silver medal for its sustainability performance ranking in the 88th percentile of all EcoVadis-rated companies, and top 7% of its peers.
Downstream, the finished caps are inspected by Intravis’ CapWatcher Q-Line for 360-degree inspection of the closures. Intravis, which was a development partner on the cell along with Alltrista, Netstal and z-moulds, says the inspection line has accuracy in the hundredths of a millimeter range, while checking up to 80 closures per second for more than 40 quality criteria. The cavity-specific inspection is carried out with up to nine high-resolution cameras.
Netstal’s CAP-Line will mold 128 closures in less than 2 seconds at NPE2024. Source: Netstal
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