Base solution to increase the stability of flat PET and rPET containers
Sidel is introducing the StarLite HPC base. The new, oval bottle base alternative for flat PET containers not only increases container stability by up to 25%, but is also claimed to optimise bottle weight and energy consumption, reducing production costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The new geometry of the completely flat StarLite HPC base is cleverly structured. Its new anti-rocking design is based on a 360-degree continuous contact surface which improves tilt angle and may be combined with structural ribs and oval push-up. “The doubled sitting surface and the balanced stretching ratios between small and large sides enable better material distribution, while avoiding base sagging,” explains Laurent Naveau, Packaging expert at Sidel. This oval shape achieves an optimum performance level, improving empty or filled container stability by up to 25%, says Sidel. This helps increase production uptime, with better container stability on conveyors in comparison with existing major flat PET container bases, and also improves consumer experience.
Applicable for both opaque and transparent PET resins, the StarLite HPC base offers wide containers opportunities and is compliant with rPET up to 100%. The asymmetric, structured base design improves material distribution, prevents unexpected base roll-out and contributes to lightweighting opportunities, i.e., a 0.5g PET reduction for a 500ml container base. The enhanced base cooling engineering for mould and tooling design improves base cooling during blow moulding and may prevent post-mould base cooling according to bottle shape, format and weight.
Thanks to its design, the StarLite HPC base is easy to blow and reduces blow moulding pressure by up to 10%, i.e., a 3 bar decrease for a 420ml container. It also makes it possible to push the process speed limit even further and to increase production output up to 15% higher than the market average. For instance, a flat container produced at 1,600 bottles per hour per mould (b/h/m) with a standard market base can be blown up to 1,800 b/h/m with the StarLite HPC base, with possibilities to reach up to 2,000 b/h/m according to bottle shape. With the investment in a new set of moulds equipped with the StarLite HPC base, Sidel states that fast payback in less than one year can be achieved, while reducing GHG emissions.
This StarLite HPC is compatible with all generations of Sidel blow moulding machines: SBO EvoBlow, SBO Universal, SBO Series2 and SBO Series1.
