Italy-based SIPA has launched the third generation stretch blow mould machine under the name SFR EVO for the benefit of PET bottle manufacturers.
The company is planning to release 10, 20 and 24 cavity models of SFR EVO later in 2013, while its 6, 8, 12 and 16 versions of cavities models are already available in the market.
SIPA's new stretch blow mould machine comes with new designs in the clamp unit including the cams that enable manufacturers to achieve a maximum output rate of 2,250 bottles per hour per cavity.
SFR EVO includes a new compact blowing valve block that has 35% less dead air volume; and 'green' ovens to minimize power consumption by about 40% while keeping process conditions stable. It also includes new lamps and special materials and coatings for the reflectors.
The company's SFR EVO features stretch blow mould machine comprising clude electrically driven stretching rods to allow fine-tuning of stretch rod timing, speed, acceleration and distance via the HMI controller.
SFR EVO machine also includes electric drives, which avoid the need for stretch rod decelerator and the stretching cam, eliminating product change-over times.
Further, the machine has a 'smart' self-learning procedure in the electric stretching system that identifies preform/bottle dimensions.
SIPA's SFR EVO machines use mechanical compensation in the blowing process with high pressure blowing air that results in air consumption, particularly for smaller bottles.
The company claims that the new machine can be easily converted from production of hot-fill to cold-fill containers as the heating circuit remains in the shell holder while the cooling circuit is now built into the mould cavity.
