Sidel's new Intelliblower technology brings control and self-regulation to the blow moulding process.
According to Sidel, the new technology ensures greater accuracy in distribution of material during the production of individual bottles, with the elimination of inconsistencies resulting in improved quality, regardless of bottle weight.
As companies compete to produce the ultimate lightweight bottle, the importance of the blow moulding process continues to gain importance. Poor or irregular material distribution within the production of bottles can adversely affect quality throughout the entire process and can even lead to a total shutdown of the line.
Because the appearance and handling of the bottle is what ultimately affects how any brand is perceived, Sidel has been working to create the highest quality and performance possible in PET?bottles. The company believes that the Sidel Matrix blower guarantees that a beverage brand will consistently appear on the shelves exactly as they intended.
How does Sidel back up this claim?
1. Prior to Intelliblower, quality control for PET bottle blowing involved frequent sampling and laboratory testing of bottles. This was then followed by manual adjustments to the process. The procedure is lengthy and considerably reduces line efficiency. And it does not completely remove the possibility that a number of non-complying bottles will be produced. By controlling parameters of the pre-blow phase that strongly impact final material distribution instead of simply focusing on regulation of heating, Sidel believes that Intelliblower uses PET material optimally and cost efficiently. This, in turn, leads to higher production uniformity and packaging quality, irrespective of the weight of the bottle being produced.
2. The Intelliblower system automatically detects and corrects process deviations on the shape of each bottle being blown, adapting to maintain an even material distribution with only the most minor variations and ensuring that every milligram of PET is correctly allocated. Waste is reduced and optimal PET lightweighting is possible, even with R-PET.
3. Inconsistencies of material distribution within the bottles are usually caused through incorrect blowing pressures of individual blowing stations, by inaccurate component calibration or through wear and tear of mechanical components. Intelliblower avoids these deviations by analysing and controlling the blowing curve on each individual bottle. This produces accurate and consistent distribution with a closed loop on each blowing curve and adjustment of critical points during the pre-blow phase. This process regulation is managed in a responsive way by using decentralised and more responsive automation that allows faster and better exchange of information. Automatic regulation is applied in three areas: pre-blow start, pre-blow flow and pressure. And only five consecutive bottles are produced at a blowing station before the necessary correction is validated. This self-regulation means far less sampling, testing and adjusting for producers, along with increased bottle quality. The standard deviation of material distribution between different blowing stations can be halved when compared to a machine without self-regulation.
