First SIPA XTREME platform for lightweight PET preforms is completed i...
The first XTREME system for production of injection-compression molded PET preforms was officially put into operation at...
XTREME
A new era in the production of PET preforms
XTREME is a rotary platform for manufacturing preform at high productivity and efficiency. With this revolutionary injection-compression molding system, SIPA has taken PET preform production into a new dimension. XTREME permits the highest L/t ratios in the industry, enabling you to produce preforms that are 8% lighter than even the lightest preform produced by conventional injection molding. And with a much faster mold changeover time of only 1 minute per cavity, a much lower injection pressure reducing material stress, AA levels and energy consumption, the possibility to produce two different preforms simultaneously, a 100% preform inspection capability, and with a much more compact footprint, XTREME redefines just about every boundary in the industry. Giving you almost unlimited freedom to design and produce extremely light preforms for mineral water and aseptic bottles with the lowest TCO. Extremely efficient, extremely flexible, extremely fast.
Highlights:
- Lowest TCO in the industry
- Highest ratio (L/T), design freedom
- Totally oil free
- Significantly reduced footprint
- Reduced material stress due to lower injection pressure: low AA content and IV drop
- In line preforms inspection: 100% camera quality control
- Simultaneous production of two different preforms
- Less material: 8% lighter preforms without losing any key properties
- Extremely quick mold changeover (1 minute per cavity)
Process steps: main features & benefits
Main features of extruder unit:
Main features of booster melt pump:
- Electrically-driven screw extruder motors and motion
- Pure extrusion process without shooting pot
- Two extruder sizes available:
- 120 mm extruder (L/D 25) up to 800 Kg/h
- 140 mm extruder (L/D 25) up to 1,200 Kg/h
- Optimization of plasticizing screw with true continuous rotation to reduce consumptions and AA levels
- Possibility to use PET recycled flakes up to 50% without any modifications to standard plastification group
Main features of booster melt pump:
- Increased constancy of throughput
- Decrease outlet pressure of the extruder unit
- Decrease RPM and temperature of the barrel with same throughput
- Reduce energy consumption due to higher efficiency of the pump vs extruder
- Possible to introduce melt filter for high content of recycled PET (flakes)
Rotary molding wheel:
- Modular design of the wheel and of the press module
- Reduced cavity tonnage for reduced mold wear (max 2 ton)
- Mold safety: intrinsic protection; each mold can remain open
- Easy maintenance: each module can be fast removed (20 minutes per station)
- The use of single cavity dosimeter allows the simultaneous production of 2 different preforms
- Preforms exit aligned, so can be sorted in different bins
- Cooling with cold air at high speed on external and internal preform surface
- No change over needed: self adapted grippers
- Cooling time = 6 cycle time
- Spiral chain equipped with high efficiency bearing: no maintenance needed
- 4 possible releasing points
- Rejection point driven by quality camera checking (optional)
Applications
XTREME, rotary preform injection-compression systems produce a wide range of light weighted preforms with the freedom to create new and unique designs. There is almost no limitation on wall thickness, and L/t can be up to 80 - close to twice that normally possible with injection molding.
Production range
| CAVITATION | SCREW (D) | MAX THROUGHPUT (KG/HOUR) | MAX MECHANICAL OUTPUT (P/HOUR) | MIN PREFORM BASE THICKNESS (mm) | MAX PREFORM WEIGHT (g) | MAX PREFORM LENGHT (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | 140 | 1300 | 70,000 | 0.95 | 60 | 150 |
| 120 | 1000 | 70,000 | 0.95 | 60 | 150 | |
| 72 | 140 | 1300 | 57,600 | 0.95 | 60 | 150 |
| 120 | 1000 | 57,600 | 0.95 | 60 | 150 |
