PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2021

BOTTLE MAKING 36 PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 07+08/21 www.petpla.net Packaging that protects the product and looks appealing Bottles designed around the product Belgium-based Resilux offers a design service to create bot- tles which are sustainable, attractive and functional to give consumers the best product experience. In this article, the company takes us through the steps of the design process, from initial concept to the fin- ished product. The evaluation process “Initially we carry out extensive research into our customer’s pre- cise needs to ensure the final design meets all their requirements and expectations,” says Resilux. The key to a good design is under- standing the product that is being bottled: what production process treat- ment will it need? What shelf life will it have? At this stage, it is also crucial to take into consideration the final product’s distribution channel - will the product be transported chilled or at ambient temperature? Or will there be restrictions due to palletising? Another important aspect is the ergonomics and how the product can be made as user-friendly as possible? Clear answers to all these questions have to be evaluated before the design can begin. From concept to draft design The process begins with an initial idea from the marketing department. From that initial concept, the Resilux R&D department will study the project and make the initial draft design. Recently, as companies have become focused more and more on sustainability, rPET solutions can be set up for any product. When it comes to designing a new bottle using rPET, particular attention has to be paid to the influence it has on the bottle colour, stretching ratios and stability during the blowing process and in the final bottle. Another key part of the design process is to consider how the new bottle can contribute to minimising storage and transport costs while leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible. In this way, the desire to do what is right for the planet contin- ues throughout the process, states Resilux. First design proposal It takes just three days for the com- pany’s R&D department to optimise all the project variables, including:  The customer´s requirements  Evaluating the different preforms available in the Resilux portfolio  Evaluating different resins  Checking stretching ratios of the preform/bottle Based on all these inputs, Resilux produce a 3D image using CAD 3D software. Resilux will initially offer a customer its first proposal including a 2D drawing, a 3D pdf, a rendered 3D image and a palletising proposal. The rendered image and 3D pdf can also be customised with the customer’s own label design and be simulated to show what the final, filled product will look like on the shelf. Further design changes can be made in consultation with the customer until all aesthetic and functional needs are aligned. The next step includes producing a mock-up of the approved design so that the customer can see the physical bottle complete with its label to better appreciate the bottle’s shape and to compare the design with others. This mock-up of how people will actually experience the final product gives the customer a chance to touch and feel the new bottle and it helps the R&D team evaluate if any further improve- ments are necessary. Weeks 4-5: first production After a customer has accepted the design proposal, a pilot blowing mould is ordered to produce actual PET bottles. The blowing mould is manu- factured within 4-5 weeks of the initial design approval. Sample bottles will be blown with different preform designs and weights. BOTTLE MAKING After evaluation, the design process can begin.