PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2012

PREFORM PRODUCTION 20 PET planet insider Vol. 13 No. 03/12 www.petpla.net with the preform loading system this makes 11m. Orders for the first four machines have already been placed by the customer. By way of an extension to the series Masi has already announced a 72-cavity version with a capacity of 300t. The machine is likely to be almost the same length. www.sacmi.com the Sacmi development engineers have reduced the lock to lock time to less than 2.5s. Here an optimised design toggle arrangement ensures rapid opening and closing and minimum dry run times. If the control system is told that the machine is to produce a long preform, it moves the toggle unit with the movable mould plate so as to achieve an optimum lock to lock time once more. The machine is capable of producing 190mm long preforms - more than are needed in most cases. The movable plate looks like a lifebelt with two thick legs. “This layout was the result of exten- sive FEM analyses; we have left out any material which does not enhance rigidity and this leaves us with a weight-optimised plate which needs less energy for acceleration than classic concepts“ says Masi. The ejection hydraulics have not been able to elude the optimisa- tion process either. The choice was a 2-stage system with a large ram that first of all supplies the necessary initial force required for removal from the mould, whilst a second, smaller ram subsequently ensures that the entire length of the preform is quickly taken care of. This has made it possi- ble to reduce the amount of hydraulic oil required and this also contributes towards increasing the speed of the system’s motion sequences. The mould The actual heart of the plant, the mould, is located between the plates. Here Sacmi’s primary interest was to ensure that tool changing is car- ried out as quickly as possible. Rapid operation clamping devices are used to ensure that location in the exact position takes place within the short- est time possible. The utilities supply (energy, air and cooling water) then link up automatically. The overall time required for the mechanical change (including new unloading robot plate) should not be more than an hour. The mould as well as the hot runner originates directly from the company’s own mould fabrication plant; however, at a later date, there are plans to adapt moulds from other manufacturers for use on the machine. The PET is delivered by a 100mm injection moulding unit using a Shooting Pot. The power for the injection mould- ing is supplied by a hydraulic piston drive, whilst plastification is carried out by means of an electric drive. The cooling system for the machine, mould and postcooling is guaranteed by integrated pumps and temperature con- trol system, which leaves only the cold water feed and discharge systems to be supplied by the plant. This simplifies the water piping required and assures the best cooling performance in each part of the moulding process. Despite all this efficiency, the machine when con- structed is very long for this clamping force category and this is due to the use of a rapid-acting type of toggle switch. Edge to edge it spans 9.5m. Together Go for growth Vezio Bernardi, who took over as Manag- ing Director (MD) of the Sacmi Group’s Bever- age Division on November 1, 2011, outlined an ambitious growth plan for the company under the banner of ‘Objective 200’. The strategy includes a doubling of total plant output within three years, with the intention of taking total beverage busi- ness sales to €200 million. Vezio Bernardi was previously CEO of Sacmi Filling and will continue his role as sales manager at Closures&Container. Bernardi took over as Beverage Division MD from Pietro Cassani, who remains General Manager of the Sacmi Group and Sacmi Imola. Bernardi observed that the goal of becom- ing a complete plant provider has, as regards PET, already been fully achieved, with Sacmi now providing complete, integrated solutions. Applying the same approach to the rest of its product range is the ongoing task, which Bernardi revealed the Group aims to complete in the near future. “By 2012 we will be rais- ing output and expanding the product range,” he revealed. “For example, we’ll be launching a new ‘super-Combo’ that combines the preform-making technol- ogy of the PAM, which we were the first to develop, with the latest generation of blow moulders. We already have a supply agreement with one of Italy’s biggest bottlers”. The core of the company’s R&D activities will remain in Imola, where its first blow-moulder was developed. Production will be moved to Sacmi Filling in Parma, with the intention of creating new synergies between fillers and blow moulder. At Sacmi Verona, product research is under way on labellers, from the new range of modular labellers to laser sealing systems and new self-adhesive applications. Group sales currently stand at approximately €150 million. However, the proportion represented by complete plants is below €50-60 million. Ber- nardi’s stated challenge is to double this in three years, which will enable Sacmi Group to achieve €200 million. Achieving that goal will mean reaching many new customers, in a number of emerging markets. The opportunities are seen in the Russian market, for example, where hot filling technology has shown itself to be a sound replacement for aseptic technology. There are also new developments in ‘traditional’ PET business - water and CSDs - where the biggest opportunities for market penetration appear to lie in North America and North Africa. Moreover, Bernardi observed that the Middle East also appears to be very receptive to this type of product. www.sacmi.com Two pumps take care of two cooling cir- cuits, one for the mould, the other for the postcooling