Purchasing a mould is undoubtedly a considerable investment for companies who produce PET preforms, and also for those industries manufacturing containers.
For this reason it is necessary to pay particular attention to the features that make this element an efficient means of speeding up production and, consequently, earning money.
The technology used to create moulds is what determines quality and allows those using them to operate without possible interruptions.
The importance of PET preform quality
Product quality is always a crucial factor for any type of manufacturing activity, and when dealing with PET preforms this is even more important because it determines the price and characteristics of the containers that will be produced from them.
What PET preform moulds and the relevant machinery must guarantee is technology and tricks that make it possible to create products:
- Without aesthetic defects
- Without bubbles
- With peeling-free and release-free gate
A perfect PET preform is what is wanted by companies who transform them into containers.
For this reason it is a high value element that justifies a higher cost that one that would produce a lower quality product.
Technology for the production of PET preforms and containers: it all starts with the design
The companies that design and produce injection moulds and complete production plants must continually invest in research and development to increase the efficiency of machinery and extend the life of every component that is subject to wear.
Non-stop PET preform production (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) must be supported by an extremely reliable partner capable of providing solutions that optimise processes and costs.
Right from the planning phase it is necessary to pay particular attention to the mould design, so that it uses the lowest possible amount of water and facilitates cleaning.
A well designed mould must have advanced technology applied to the cooling channels, elements that determine the preform production speed and the amount of water used in the process.
In a production line that produces enormous quantities of parts, stopping the machines frequently to clean the mould becomes a waste of time and money; for this reason it is very important to assess the options available to limit this necessary operation to a minimum.
Carrying out cleaning once a week instead of every two days gives an obvious advantage for the preform manufacturers.
Design of the preform and the relevant mould is also important to achieve high levels of flexibility.
In this case, having moulds designed to produce preforms of different weights simply by changing the cores makes industrial processes faster and more flexible.
READ ALSO: "How to select PET preform injection moulds"
Treatments that extend the life of a PET preform mould
Given the cost of an injection mould and its importance it is advisable to make use of the services to extend its working life that are provided by the manufacturers.
For example, making use of experts who assess the actual efficiency of a mould that has been in production for some time means that faults can be identified and eliminated promptly, returning to the production of high quality preforms.
Other operations such as conversion and refurbishment, thermal treatment and coatings that make the surfaces of components stronger and better lubricated, also extend the life of the mould considerably.
The slowdown of wear is truly incredible and manufacturers of moulds can guarantee over 10 million cycles, whereas without these treatments the limit would be approximately 5 million cycles.
