PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2018

PET products 34 PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 01+02/18 www.petpla.net Solutions for high volume caps and speciality closures Lightweight- ing is the indus- try trend, and the caps and closures section is no exception. 1810 closures with their heavy w e i g h t a n d bulky designs can compen- sate for some variability in the manufacturing p r ocess , ye t their lightweight successors (e.g. 1881 or 26mm CSD) require tighter process control to achieve the targeted ‘cap on bottle’ performance and day to day production stability. Milacron/Mold-Masters is providing solutions for high volume beverage caps as well as speciality closures. Mold-Masters patented iFlow manifold technology comes with 30+ years of experience and is claimed to ensure uni- form fill from cavity to cavity, shot after shot – highly critical for lightweight caps. A slight imbalance during filling in com- bination with top panels as thin as 0.4mm and cycle times <2.2s will slow down the melt front within some cavities and impact shrinkage. This can be one of the causes of dimen- sional and performance variation. Reducing this variability factor and improving part quality is one of the key benefits leading closure converters are looking for. iFlow manifolds provide advanced technology combined with an optimised thermal profile via brazed heater elements. This minimises changes of melt viscosity that are typically seen with tradi- tional manifold designs. These are key factors in increasing the process window. Plus one of the untapped potentials of this technology is the ability to increase output per machine. “The main reason for the cavitations we know today (48, 64, 72, 96, etc.) is the aim of naturally balancing the hot runner to secure good cavity to cavity consistency. Many machines in our industry could take a few cavities more without being tie bar, tonnage or injection capacity limited,” said Thomas Bechtel, Sales Director Packaging at Milacron Mold-Masters. The channel designs of iFlow are milled and not gun drilled which allows a “creative” routing of the melt maintain- ing a uniform shear distribution. One of the recent successes was an 80 cavity system operated on the same machine the customer previously ran a 72-cavity system. There was no impact on cycle time or part quality. The productivity increase was confirmed to be 11%. www.milacron.com Push Cap provides a fresh way to infuse nutrients The Push Cap is a deliv- ery system that can infuse either powdered or liquid ingredients into almost any substance. Beyond vitamins, the prospective uses for the Push Cap include workout formu- las, nutrient supplements, immunity boosting extras and weight loss additives encompassing any compos- ite of superfoods, probiotics, amino acids, fibres, and/or proteins. The possibilities are virtually limitless. Moreover, the cap allows infusion of these ingredients into practically any liquid – including but not limited to – water, juices, tea, coffee, etc. In an attempt to reach beyond mainstream beverages, KarmaCap is in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies for collaborations in creating ready-to-drink over the counter (OTC) beverages. With the Push Cap, active ingredients are mixed only seconds before consumption, the ramifications of which are substantial. The Push Cap facilitates portion control and the ability to separate ingredients that are not shelf-stable. Other advantages are that the consumer can actually see the powdered additives in the Push Cap, so they are assured that the purported nutrients are there, as well as intuitive and easy use. A hermetic seal maximises quality, freshness, and performance. The cap and seal are durable, standing up to extreme temperatures, exposure to light, and the shock from loading, unloading, and transpor- tation, according to the company. The Push Cap is made of recyclable material, and its design and production are FDA approved with statistical quality control that meets Six Sigma standards. www.karmacapco.com Whistle Cap The Whistle Cap from South Korean company Kwang Dong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has been awarded at the WorldStar Packaging Awards in the category Beverages. The Whistle Cap enables the user to make sounds easily from 360 degree (all directions) either for self-protection or for the purpose of playing. The acoustic sound is generated by differently sized holes in the mouthpiece and integrated channels for the air flow. www.worldstar.org CAPS & CLOSURES