What to See at NPE 2006: Blow Molding

Show-goers will see a range of new blow molding equipment that offers higher speeds, more cavitation, and faster changeovers. Extrusion blow introductions include new fast-cooling technology that slashes cycle time and “tandem” blowing that makes two bottles per parison. A new high-speed stretch-blow unit raises output of small PET bottles. And for industrial parts, a new eight-head “shot pot” machine more than doubles output of a dual-accumulator press.

 

Faster extrusion blow

Techne will unveil its FCS fast-cooling technology for continuous extrusion, which is claimed to cut cycle time 10% to 30%. Also new to the U.S. is Techne’s Model 4000T660, an 18-cavity continuous-extrusion unit for single-serve bottles for drinkable yogurt.

Bekum America Corp. will highlight new tandem-blow continuous extrusion, a productivity-enhancing technique first introduced at the K 2004 show in Germany. The system blows two bottles tail-to-tail from a single parison, one blown from the top and one from the bottom.

For large-volume industrial applications, Graham Engineering will introduce a five-head “shot pot” machine (SPM series) that extrudes five monolayer parisons weighing 4.8 lb each. The machine is claimed to offer 2.5 times the output of a dual-accumulator machine at only 1.5 times the capital cost. Kautex Machines, FGH Systems (distributor for Uniloy B&W), Automa, and Jackson Machinery will also discuss recently upgraded continuous-extrusion machines

Wilmington Machinery will announce improvements to its Series IV wheel machine, while Urola USA will introduce the M6-SC six-station wheel, which reportedly has 25% faster cycles than previous models.

NPE will also afford a look at the newest all-electric extrusion blow models. Plastimac’s new Plastblow PB2E/D is equipped with a double carriage, while Automa’s first all-electric, called the Apex 300, has a bobbing extruder.

Meanwhile, Uniloy Milacron is launching a new three-layer reciprocating-screw machine—its first coextrusion model in this line. It is aimed at barrier bottles.

 

Boosting PET outputs

In PET stretch-blow molding, Sidel’s new 34-cavity rotary reheat system sets a new production level for that firm’s machines at 61,200 bottles/hr, making it one of the fastest in the world.

SIPA North America will introduce its next generation of linear reheat stretch-blow machines, which offer higher speed, greater output, and lower energy use than previous models.

A new rotary reheat stretch-blow system from SIG Corpoplast boasts precise preferential heating for making PET oval bottles. Urola has expanded its line of all-electric reheat machines with a four-cavity model to supplement its two-cavity version. Italy’s Siapi is unveiling a new reheat machine for wide-mouth containers up to 180 mm. W. Amsler Equipment Inc. will also show a recently upgraded reheat machine for short runs.

New one-step stretch-blow offerings include Nissei ASB’s first all-electric machine, a small four-station unit with a footprint of only 3 x 8 ft. Automa will show two new one-step stretch-blow machines that provide greater output of small bottles and increased tonnage for wide-mouth containers.

 

Injection-blow with conditioning

A new entrant in injection-blow is Automa with its I&B hybrid series for small, narrow-neck PET bottles. Two three-station models will be unveiled, along with one unit with a unique fourth station. This “conditioning” station water-cools the cores down to about 135 C.

A unique injection-blow machine from Germany’s Ossberger will be running at distributor FGH Systems’ booth. The Pressblower DSE 250 has a 250-g shot size for molding large TPE automotive CVJ and rack-and-pinion boots and bellows.