Blow molding: expanding in every direction

EXTRUSION BLOW MOLDING

THE LARGEST AND MOST POPULAR of the Hesta-Graham shuttle blow molders is the HLD 700 from Graham Machinery. The size and production capacity of the HLD 700 offer the perfect bridge between lower capacity shuttles and larger, higher volume rotary shuttle or wheel models. Coextrusion and view-stripe options can be added.

The HLD 700 can offer either a single-sided or two-sided bottle discharge, in a design developed to minimize space requirements and eliminate expensive conveyor systems around the blow molder. Once bottles are blown and cooled they are held by retaining mandrels while moving from the molding area onto a timing belt in front of the press.

The Hesta-Graham design uses stepper motors and servo control valves for wall thickness control, mold closing movement, and neck calibration. The clamp unit is open, accessible, has 15 or 20 ton clamp pressures, and has a quick mold changing system, facilitating rapid tool changes.

The HLD 700 is equipped with the XBM Navigator PC blow molding controller, a PC-based control with integral 100-point parison programmer and data storage capabilities for logging process data and monitoring trends.

Graham Machinery Group 717-848-3755

SUITABLE FOR TWO-LAYER, soft-touch cosmetic bottles, Jomar’s 6.0d extrusion blow molder is a double station unit with a 90-mm grooved extruder and up to 8-head capability. A tiebarless clamping system allows for easy mold changeover, and is combined with multi-blow extrusion heads for quick color changes.

The machine offers low power consumption and low noise, with carriage and mold opening and closing movements operating on silent linear ball bearings on rails. The extruder motor is a DC motor drive with digital control. A brushless or AC drive motor is optional.

Plastics Machinery Inc. 905-895-5054

AN ALL-ELECTRIC EXTRUSION BLOW molding machine with blowing capacity up to 3 litres has been added to Magic’s product line. The EP-L3/D is said to provide energy savings of up to 50% versus hydraulic machines, and to save 75% in maintenance costs.

According to Magic, the all-electric machine has greater repeatability of machine movements than any other type of shuttle press.

The EP-L3/D is available with single, double, triple and quadruple heads. Other benefits are quiet operation and a compact machine foot print.

Magic North America Inc. 905-471-7780

MOLDING INDUSTRIAL PARTS on small conventional blow molders typically involves high labor costs. Jackson Machinery’s FlexiMatic blow molding system takes advantage of total part automation to reduce labor costs, as well improve part quality.

Part quality is improved through precise machine control and consistent machine and part finishing cycle times. In addition, tight control of part weight, wall distribution and overall cycle consistency ensure the fastest possible cycle time.

The FlexiMatic system offers automated part removal, trimming, drilling, reaming, quality checking and discharge.

Jackson Machinery Inc. 414-284-1066

WITH AN EXTENDED SHUTTLE STROKE of 660 mm, Automa’s new Plus AT 15D machine is ideally suited to multi-cavity applications in the range of 6 to 12 cavities. It can easily produce gallon-size containers in 6 cavities at 200 mm center distance.

Another typical application is stackable jerry cans of 10 and 20 L size. These are accommodated by a mold open stroke of 310 mm and clamping force of 20 tons.

The machine also has a narrow footprint, due to the bottle take-out mechanism which rotates 90 degrees and brings the bottles toward the back of the machine onto a merge conveyor. The width of the machine is approximately six feet less than comparable machines which have bottles exiting from the sides.

Automa North America 800-330-1338

DESIGNED FOR THE CUSTOM MOLDER as well as the dairy and juice bottle markets, Rocheleau’s Model RS-25 blow molder can process over 200 lb./hr. of HDPE. The machine uses a reciprocating screw extruder with a 2.5 in. diameter, 24/1 ratio (L/D) feed screw.

Adjustable extruder height allows for proper installation of both short and long molds. Single head systems can produce up to 5-gallon size articles, while the eight head unit can produce up to 4,800 eight-ounce bottles per hour.

Rocheleau Tool & Die Co. Inc. 978-345-1723

VERSATILITY IN INJECTION-STRETCH BLOW MOLDING

A HIGH-SPEED injection stretch blow molding machine from Aoki was able to increase productivity 60% in one application, compared with the previous machine model. The high-speed SBIII-250LL-50S uses Aoki’s Direct Heatcon molding technology in a single-stage, three-station design.

The performance improvements have been achieved by enhancing injection pressure and the development of a new synchronous movement hydraulic circuit for the injection mold.

At NPE, this machine was molding a 125-ml PET bottle for yogurt drinks in an eight-cavity mold at a rate of 5000 bottles per hour.

Hamilton Avtec 800-590-5546

A LOW-COST SINGLE-STAGE injection stretch blow molding machine from Nissei ASB is a good choice for new entrants to the industry or others producing short runs, according to the company. The fully automatic ASB-50MB will sell in Canada for $99,000

At NPE, this unit was producing three distinct containers simultaneously (one with a rotated parting line) from identical preforms. This illustrates the strength of ASB’s preform conditioning station technology.

The ASB-50MB can produce a single cavity up to 2.5 L or four cavities up to 0.25 L.

Nissei ASB Co. 404-699-7755

OPTIMIZED FOR WIDE-NECK food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical containers, Uniloy Milacron’s U750-130 injection-stretch blow molding machine provides superior clarity and neck finishes for PET, PS, PP, PVC and PC teardrop and oval-shaped containers.

The machine is said to provide the industry’s best blow clamp tonnage (60 tons) and on-the-fly, closed-loop process adjustments for optimal material control. A unique injection tooling cartridge system installs as a single unit, reducing tool change time from hours to minutes with only one operator needed for changeover.

The highly adaptive U750 platform is suitable for molders doing small- and medium-sized runs.

Uniloy Milacron 734-428-8371

LARGER MACHINERY FOR LARGE PARTS

A 30-LB DAVIS-STANDARD Sterling accumulator head with the company’s spiral diverter technology was on display at NPE. The head has increased tooling capability of up to 559 mm (22 in.) and a solid bronze push-out plunger for minimal material bleed-off.

The spiral diverter provides optimal parison wall distribution by balancing delivery of material around the head.

The capacity for larger tooling enables blow molders to producer larger “parison layflats” required for the production of large, flat panels and other sizeable blow molded pieces.

By preventing excessive resin bleed-off, the bronze push-out plunger eliminates degraded material and carbon contamination in the parison.

Crompton Davis-Standard 908-722-6000

DESIGN UPGRADES have been made to Graham Machinery Group’s accumulator head blow molding machinery line to better serve the industrial parts market. The XBM Navigator PC Blow Molding Controller offers a new level of man-machine interface, integrating a 100-point parison programmer and the ability to store data for improved monitoring and tracking of production trends. Software specifically designed for accumulator head machines will automatically control head filling position, speed and back pressure, and adjustment of extruder speeds for consistent cycle times.

The XBM Navigator PC Blow Molding Controllers and GMG accumulator heads are also available for retrofit, to offer the same production benefits on installed and competitive equipment.

To meet market demand for the blow molding of ever-larger parts, GMG also increased the range of head tooling sizes to accommodate larger lay flat requirements.

Graham Machinery Group 717-848-3755

UNILOY MILACRON FORSEES a bright future for blow mol
ding of large parts, and has introduced three bigger models to extend its line of Tracker, accumulator-head industrial blow molding machines. The new T-1000, T-2300 and T-2900 achieve part lengths to 3000 mm (120 in.); part weights to 45 kg (100 lb.); and plasticating rates to 1300 kg/hr (3000 lb./hr.).

In addition, Uniloy has developed a new line of accumulator heads ranging from 4.5 to 22 kg (10 to 50 lb.). Key features of the new heads are the ability to accept oversized tooling, fixed spiral design and quick color changes.

Uniloy Milacron 513-536-2603

MOLDS

TWO QUICK-CHANGE MOLD DESIGNS were introduced by Wentworth Mold at NPE. For PET molds, Wentworth offers a quick-change design for hotfill and heat-set bottle applications, such as juices, sports drinks, sauces, etc.

Key features include cooling and heating channels in the shell insert and three-zone cooling in the mold neck plate, body and base. Dome/shoulder sections are interchangeable and insulated, and vacuum panels and volume shims can be inserted. A unique grade of stainless steel offers higher temperature resistance.

The simple design of the shell insert and shell holder permit faster mold changeover, compared with conventional GUPM molds.

For extrusion blow molding, Wentworth has a universal quick-change mold design for long stroke machines. The system uses a rigid, common back plate for mold cavity blocks, interchangeable neck plates and bottom pinch inserts, plus proprietary mold cooling designs. Mold cavities are designed to be single blocks or configured in blocks of 3, 4, or 6 cavities.

Wentworth Mold Inc. 905-574-0010