Blow Molding

[TMcDaniel]

I am sorry this not a PLC question, however I have leaned from being on many forums that this is the best one for really any thing machine related.

Does anyone work in the Blow Molding field? We are starting a new project for a customer and I had some about how we are actually going to get it done.

I know this is very vague and I do not want to take up anymore time than necessary so if anyone wants to hear about my scenario please respond. If you could private message me that would be great.

Thank you in advance.

 

[janner_10]

Blow Molding and PET Handling is 75% of our business. Ask away.

 

[goghie]

I've done several PET Blow Bolding machines. This forum is for exchanging knowledge, sao ask freely.

 

[TMcDaniel]

One of our customers wants us to start making a cup that they currently get from china. It is a Cowboy Boot shaped cup with a handle. They were getting it from china but have not been able to as of late. So we have been tasked with getting a design and a mold made, that is the easy part. How do I know how big the mandrel and sleeve need to be? Our machines do not have reciprocating heads and the "L" shape of the boot I think is going to be a problem. The cup is roughly 11"x7.5"x4". The machines are Bekum BA-7 circa 1968. Any of you guys Blow anything like this? I have attached a drawing of the boot. Any advice is very appreciated.

 

[janner_10]

You will need a Blow Molding process engineer.

 

[TWS]

You should contact a blow molding die manufacturer.
A quick google search:
Western Industries, Inc. Winfield, KS | 620-221-9464.
Blow Molded Products. Riverside, CA | 951-360-6055.
Iceberg Molding. Sturgis, MI | 269-651-9488.
Hi-Rel Plastics & Molding. Riverside, CA | 951-354-0258.
SPI Industries. Coloma, MI | 269-849-3200.
Kent City Plastics. Kent City, MI | 616-678-4900.

Your die maker can tell you if your machine is capable of handling that product.

 

[TMcDaniel]

Thank you guys for the information.

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

I have worked on many blow molding machines while supporting our customers that use our controllers. One is making car parts. They use two injectors and programming heads to alternate between hard and soft plastic/parison. The other was a stretch blow machine for making preforms for 1 and two litter battles that were later expanded. The hard/soft machines were the most complicated because of the requirement to change the parison thickness where the parison will be expanded the most. This requires coordination between the ejector/screw and the nozzle( programming head). If the nozzle is fixed then you have NO hope of making the toe because that is where the parison must be extruded the thickest. A lot will depend on how big the foot must be. You may be able to get by with just one parison thickness but that will be wasteful. In any case the toe will be much thinner than the ankle.