Photo: istockphoto PREFORM PRODUCTION 18 PETplanet Insider Vol. 26 No. 04/25 www.petpla.net Huayan Ecosys250 and Ecosys280 target large and heavy PET bottle markets High cavitation, low energy by Ruari McCallion Chinese company Guangzhou Huayan Precision Machinery Co Ltd (Huayan) is headquartered in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, located to the north-west of Hong Kong. It was certified as a high-tech enterprise by the government of the People’s Republic of China in 2008 and moved to its current principal production facility in 2012. It specialises in the manufacture of PET and PP preform injection systems for applications in the food and beverage, edible oil, pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors. Its range of products include six to 176 cavity preform injection moulds and a number of injection moulding systems, under the EONE, EPioneer, Ecosys and HY-D names. Huayan’s Ecosys250 and Ecosys 280 machines are designed for the production of PET bottles for the Heavy Office and Domestic (HOD) bottle markets, with typical capacities of five gallons per 9 l. Previously a sector dominated by PC (polycarbonate), it is one where PET has made significant inroads in recent years. The 250 and 280 machines, which were originally launched in 2017, are upgrades of previous models. Huayan says that its machines offer users short cycle times, low energy consumption and high cavitation. Key to its competitive performance is a novel design of its flip-over clamping structure, which, the company says, significantly increases maximum allowable mould thickness. Clamping and ejection is also claimed to be greatly improved, compared with previous designs. The Ecosys250 and 280 models integrate a three-position cooling robot, two-stage injection unit, a servo-electric plasticisation system and a servoelectric hydraulic power system, which synchronise the injection and plasticisation systems. The inclusion of a secondary injection unit shortens cycle time and notably increases shot weight, which altogether contribute to efficient, automated production of extra-heavy preforms, the company asserts. Efficient design, lower energy consumption The machines have a compact design and footprint. Its new, flip-over clamping structure, specially designed for big stroke mould opening, significantly extends the clamping and ejection stroke, within compact overall dimensions, and also raises maximum mould thickness. The secondary injection unit both shortens cycle time and, at the same time, improves shot weight, delivering automatic and efficient production of extra-heavy HOD preforms of up to 750 g and a length of up to 423 mm. Upgraded servo-electric drives reduce energy consumption, effectively to zero during no-load periods, and rather better than conventional asynchronous motors and hydraulic drives. The machine is claimed to run more steadily and with lower running noise. The screw head rotation speed is automatically controlled, according to shot weight. Stable temperatures, fast cycle time The integrated, air-cooled removable robot is equipped with its own air blowing station, which is claimed to ensure rapid cooling of the preforms to below 45 degrees. This approach aims for a more stable preform quality and blow moulding, as well as higher dimensional consistency. The robot’s patented servo motor and gearbox are designed to ensure secure preform loading and removal. The system has a cycle time of 36s and can achieve an output of 800 preforms per hour, in eight cavity format. It is managed by a Siemens PC System. The HMI (human-machine interface) features an integrated touch screen and manual buttons and a dedicated remote diagnosis function, which helps customers discover, identify, diagnose and solve problems quickly and thus saves machine down time and maintenance costs. The main markets for Huayan’s Ecosys 250 and Ecosys 280 HOD machines are in South-East Asia, Middle East, Africa and Turkey. A total of 32 machines have been installed, including a new system supplied to Danone’s factory in Indonesia, earlier in 2024. Customised to Danone’s requirements, it produces five gallon returnable water bottle preforms. www.huayanpet.com
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