PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2021

BOTTLE MAKING 41 PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 07+08/21 www.petpla.net Designed for recycling Creating PET bottles that offer sustainability, reliability, shelf appeal and are in accordance with regulation requires a combination of expertise, technical equipment and suitable materials. Global plastic packaging manufacturer Retal develops and produces PET and rPET preforms, closures, containers, and films. Its R&D, design and sales teams work closely together to create solutions that meet brand owners’ demands. Food and beverage brand owners’ need for on-shelf differentiation must be blended with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) targets. Julius Barni- skis, design engineer at Retal, explains how the company works with dedicated software: “Preforms, closures and containers evolve to solve as we go deeper into the technical capabilities of our design software,” he says. “We can virtually simulate stretch blow moulding, including wall thickness distribution and stretch ratio. From that we can analyse the results or use later. Other scenarios can show how much pressure the bottle withstands and the location of failure when filled with carbonated drink. In drop load analysis, an initial velocity is applied to the bottle, correspond- ing to drop height and gravitational acceleration when the bottle collides a rigid floor. Damage regions in the label area or other parts can be visualised with applied clamping force. Top load simulation determines how many bot- tles can be placed on top of each other before collapsing, which is key informa- tion for packing and palletising. We can thoroughly test key parameters without costly production changes, reduce lead time for prototyping and free up valua- ble resources.” Simulation enables cus- tomers to see how bottles will perform without the time-consuming expense of creating physical prototypes and thus speed up decision making. “By inputting material properties, temperatures required for blowing and the design elements into the soft- ware, we can make an expert judgement as to what will perform better. We incor- porate the tech- nical information with the design requirements. Retal incor- porates Design for Recycling wherever pos- sible to increase recyclability and also lightweight with different grips, stronger but lighter ele- ments, and clever use of branding ele- ments such as laser engraving inside the clo- sures. www.retal- group.com BOTTLE MAKING +44 (0) 1254 584210 sales@petmachinery.com petmachinery.com Active for over 25 years, our global network and specialist knowledge makes us the go-to company for the sale or purchase of a PET machine. Commercially savvy, we work closely with our customers and our global network, to make sure everyone gets the best deal. Providing comprehensive advice throughout your sale or purchase; we can arrange dismantling, loading, packing, shipping, specialist insurance and commissioning. If you have amachine to sell or you’re looking to purchase, please get in touch. THE INDUSTRY EXPERTS