Introducing the latest development: the 4LO blow-moulding machine
1Blow @All4Pack, hall 6, booth F040
Since commencing production
in 2010, 1Blow has been producing next-generation
stretch blow-moulding machines
suited for PET bottles converters.
In 2018, these limits are said to
be pushed further with the commercial
launch of the new 4LO
stretch blow-moulder.
The 4LO
is built upon the same, effi cient
virtual-rotary platform that has
been commercialised in numerous
applications over the last six
years. The 4LO possesses all
of the superior 1Blow machines
features and benefi ts.
Rotary motion is the key to achieving high-speed and low energy consumption
in machinery through its unique virtual rotary concept. Over 90 % of the 4LO
machine motions are rotary with a maximum mechanical output of 2,000 bph. All
of the main machine motions on the 4LO are driven by servo-motors. Known for
their repeatability and reliability, servo-motors are most energy effi cient motion
system. 1Blow says that comparative operational testing to similar sized competitive
machines has demonstrated that their machines can use up to 60 % less energy.
The 1Blow clamp format and stretch rod pitch were designed for all blow
moulds from virtually all other competitive SBM machines on the market. This
ability allows customers to utilise existing blow moulds on a 1Blow machine;
some of the company’s customers are already using two or three diff erent types
of blow moulds. The 4LO was designed to minimise the number and quantity of
change parts with the goal of reducing format costs for converting customers.
Another benefi t of minimising the number and quantity of change parts is that
it takes less time to do a machine changeover: in some cases the machine has
50 % fewer change parts.
Despite its compact footprint, the 4LO has superior internal accessibility for
technicians. The virtual rotary concept is spatially effi cient and provides many open
areas inside the machine large enough to comfortably accommodate a technician.
Furthermore, the 4LO machine can accommodate several options, providing
more possibilities for various applications and markets:
– Preferential and off set neck heating: with this additional specifi c heating system,
selected longitudinal areas of the preform may be specifi cally heated in order
to produce oval bottles. These longitudinal areas may also be moved off – axis
from the preform centreline, so that off set neck bottles can be produced.
– Neck orientation: this mechanical system puts all the neck fi nishes on each
and every bottle to be in the same orientation. This is invaluable for containers
that use a fl ip-top cap so that is aligns in the proper position for opening
and pouring. 1Blow can do this alignment without the need of a specifi c tab
or V-notch on the preform. The system relies on the thread start and thus can
use standard preforms, opening us the spectrum of preforms that can be used.
Heat set: this set combines heated blow-moulds with recirculating high pressure
air cooling to induce higher cristallinity into the bottles. This higher cristallinity
allows the resultant bottles to have heat set resistance for the hot fi ll process.
