Blow molding.

The latest PET bottle machines promise higher outputs and quick mold changes. Meanwhile, new extrusion blow machines offer easier in-mold labeling and faster cycles. Other news includes Class-A finishes, leak testers, and a palletizing system.

HIGHER PET PRODUCTIVITY

Krupp Corpoplast, Edison, N.J., presented its Blomax 10 (formerly called B-111) 10-cavity reheat stretch-blow unit with capacity for 13,000 bottles/hr. The redesigned Blomax line replaces mechanical cams with computer-controlled solenoid valves that reportedly speed product changeovers and simplify process adjustments. Blow stations now can be retooled in under 4 min.

The new RBS-880 is the largest reheat-blow machine from Bekum America Corp., Williamston, Mich. It makes up to 2-liter bottles at up to 8800/hr.

Automa North America, Dublin, Ohio, brought out its second one-stage PET injection stretch-blow machine. Model NSB 50 is for wide-mouth containers (46-80 mm necks) in two to six cavities.

Another newcomer in PET machines has introduced additional models of reheat-blow molders. Besides the three-cavity model introduced last gear, W. Amsler Equipment Co., Concord, Ont., now offers a four-cavity unit for making 1.5-liter containers at up to 4400/hr, as well as single- and dual-cavity rotary systems for making 2-liter bottles at 900 and 1900/hr, respectively. (The latter two units are available with extended daylight for molding 5-liter containers.) All these machines have energy-saving electric clamps and quick-change tooling.

The new Adjustable Blow Station for Aoki, Nissei ASB, and Johnson Controls USB Series machines was introduced by R&D Tool and Engineering, Lee's Summit, Mo. It reportedly allows quick, precise adjustments of blow molds for controlling bottle heights without removing any tooling. Adjustments can be made in minutes by one operator.

EXTRUSION BLOW ENHANCEMENTS

The new BW 1500 DEC double-station machine from the German B&W operation of Johnson Controls, Inc., Manchester, Mich. (also represented here by FGH Systems, Inc., Denville, N.J.) is equipped with a 6-ton tiebarless clamp that is said to dose 0.5-sec faster than other tiebarless clamps. This compact machine can produce 3-liter bottles in dual cavities and 0.5 liters in eight cavities at up to 600 bottles/hr with automatic trimming and oriented delivery.

Also new from B&W is the 6000FE shuttle machine with 22-ton clamp and center-fed extrusion head that's said to provide superior parison thickness distribution. It can make 10-liter containers in two single-cavity molds.

The largest double-station shuttle blow molder from Bekum America is the new BM-704DS, equipped with bigger platens and higher clamp force for up to 10 cavities of 1-liter bottles or four cavities of 10 liters.

Bekum also demonstrated a new in-mold labeler that's said to be simple and reliable. The takeout system integrates movements for label placement and bottle removal. Label magazines are positioned for easy reloading.

The in-mold labeler was shown on Bekum's new BM-505D twin-station shuttle machine, which takes up to 12 cavities.

The new U.S.-built CP-120/S120 industrial machine was shown by Krupp Kautex, Edison, N.J. It can have one or two monolayer accumulator heads, as well as continuous-extrusion heads for up to three layers. The clamp has only two tiebars for easy access.

HOW TO GET CLASS-A FINISH

New technology for blow molding auto and furniture parts with Class-A surfaces was presented by Hobson Mould Works, Inc., Shell Rock, Iowa. The technique involves hot/cold cycling of the tool and is said to shorten cycles by up to one-third. The process has been used with ABS and PP.

NEW CONTROLS SOURCES

By early next year, look for two new names in blow molding controls. Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, plans to introduce complete machine and parison control based on Allen-Bradley SLC small logic controllers. The parison-control module was co-developed with Syscon-RKC, South Bend, Ind. At a target price of $5500, it will offer 256 points of control and handle up to four accumulator or continuous-extrusion heads with time- or position-based control.

Meanwhile, Syscon-RKC will introduce its own stand-alone parison profiler called the Parison Pro 1000. It will be similar to the Rockwell/A-B module and will come with prewired operator interface, servo-amplifier card, and LCD touchscreen.

POST-BLOW AUXILIARIES

New 910AP programmable container palletizing system from MTM Systems Inc., Beaverton, Ore., can handle any container size or pallet configuration. Settings may be saved and recalled for future runs.

Three new leak testers from Packaging Technologies & Inspection, Tuckahoe, N.Y., include a single-station unit that can test 4- to 7-gallon drums on-line without changing tooling. Another single-station tester inspects 6000 PVC bottles per hour. And a new 21-station model finds closure leaks down to 25 microns in 900ml bottles at rates of 240 per minute.