PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2020

48 PREFORM PRODUCTS PETplanet Insider Vol. 21 No. 11/20 www.petpla.net New mould part coating MHT AG, based in Hochheim am Main, Germany, in cooperation with the Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute, is conducting basic research into a new type of coating for moulded parts. The fi rst results were recently examined and evaluated. What can injection moulders expect in the near future? A thin-walled, thermal barrier layer of ceramic has been shown to be a solution with great potential: It reduces heat penetration capacity into the shaping tool components, result- ing in temperature balance optimisation. Due to the thinness of the ceramic layer, there is a short-term temperature-induced viscosity change of the PET. Over a longer period, the plas- tic remains in a fl owable state, so that even thin-walled, long preforms can be fi lled quickly. The overall good cooling rate of the MHT-typical conformal cooling remains unaffected by the thinness of the layer. This is how MHT AG ensures a high cooling rate over the entire injection moulding cycle. After initial series of tests, the engineers are convinced that the concept can be realised: An optimisation of the attainable fl ow path length as well as the fi lling of the moulded part could be demonstrated. In future, injection moulders will enjoy lower material consumption for the production of thin-walled, long preform geometries, and this will be accompanied by reduced energy input. Further research on coating is aimed at determin- ing optimum layer thickness and achievable surface quality. www.mht-ag.de Industry 4.0 implementation bene fi ts preform production To adapt more easily to the neces- sities and production processes in order to meet the needs of its customers more effectively, Petka has transformed its production system by introducing new technologies, and in particular by implementing Industry 4.0 in its factory. This technology has allowed the company to prevent pos- sible anomalies, thanks to the use of sensors in its machines. In this way, the company was able to fi nd solutions more quickly for customers, and reduce production times by 25%. During the pandemic period, the company had to meet the client’s needs in short deadlines, as all of them were making quick decisions about their investments at the same time. Thanks to the new technologies, Petka increased capacity by 25% in the last year. Since its implementation, Petka is able today to make prototypes by only producing the stack parts, thanks to its new mould designs. The prototypes range from 6 g to 70 g for preform projects, and from 100 cc to 10 l for bottle pro- jects. Using these new technologies, the company designed a new mould for preforms which made the production of prototypes simpler. This meant that customers received the preform samples more rapidly with typical cost savings of between 15% to 20%. The Industry 4.0 system also sup- ports more ef fi cient use of resources, reducing waste in the manufacturing process by 8%. www.petkamold.com Optimised con fi guration Following the continuous improvement strategy focus on PET preform injection moulding systems, the Kronce Enterprise Development team is focusing on collect- ing feedback from their customers with the intention of improving cycle times and optimising con fi gurations of the complete PET preform production line. Kronce states that PET preform demand is both rising and broadening; the number of different applications is increasing strongly. As a result, PET pre- form producers are looking for ways to increase output while controlling costs, both of equipment and of production. Kronce says that getting a reliable, higher output at a reasonable capital outlay, while minimising production costs and thus help- ing competitiveness is its focus. Continu- ous market research and feedback helps Kronce to turn clients’ vision and goals into reality and to help them to develop their ranges and increase productivity, using their existing equipment. For example, in 2020 the company adapted a 64-cavity PET preform injection mould to work in equipment that was capable of operat- ing only a maximum 48-cavity machine in the past. The client’s PET IMM, with a 730x730 tiebar distance, was fi tted with a 64-cavity preform mould, using a 13g pre- form with 3025 neck. Output was increased by 28.4%, while power consumption was reduced by 16.91%. Kronce is eager to demonstrate the potential bene fi ts of 64-cavity production over 48-cavity. The company is develop- ing similar solutions for clients requiring lower output levels:  32-cavity PET preform injection mould in a Kronce PET IMM model with 520x520 tiebar  48-cavity PET preform injection mould in a Kronce PET IMM model with 580x580 tiebar  48-cavity PET preform injection mould- ing with single injection unit and triple PET preform ejection robot and post cooling system. www.chinakronce.com PREFORMS PREFORM products