Netstal introduces 144 cavity preform system to the US
Netstal has introduced the PET-Line 5000 to the US market. The preform production system is designed for moulds with 96 to 144 cavities and features an output of up to 100,000 preforms per hour.
According to the company, high output levels are especially required in the US and Asia where the employment of 144-cavity preform moulds is appropriate. Netstal’s customers are generally large bottling plants that require a calculable number of bottle variations. In these regions, the systems are horizontally integrated into the production process, for example, the product is lining up directly alongside a blow-moulding machine.
The PET-Line features several first-rate changes in the fields of energy consumption, control technology and machine control, such as an energy-efficient adaptive drive unit. It no longer operates with constant pump pressure, but rather adapts flexibly to the individual application and cycle requirements. In addition, all of the machine’s electrical drive motors are interconnected via an intermediate circuit to allow the braking energy being generated during operation to be used elsewhere. Overall, the system reduces the power requirement by around 10 percent compared to the preceding model, or up to 20 percent in comparison with the competition.
The lock-to-lock time of the PET-Line 5000, from unlocking the mould to preform removal and locking, has been reduced by up to half a second. For standard applications with cycle times of less than 10 seconds, this equates to an increased output performance of tens of thousands of units per day. This was made possible by the new control technology: the exclusive use of digital controllers was combined with state-of-the-art valve technology. Shorter reaction times and increased oil displacement mean that the movement of the mould is swifter, while the dry cycle of the machine is reduced.
