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 INTRODUCTION
• Blow Moulding process is widely used for producing
bottles or other hollow objects, due to its least
expensive & simplest process to manufacture.

• It offers a number of processing advantages,such as

moulding of irregular curves,low stresses,variable
wall thickness,the use of polymers with high
molecular weight & favourable moulding cost.

• Blow moulding is operated using low moulding

pressure & hence result in Low Internal Stresses.

• Commonly used materials are:PE,PVC,PET,PC, PA,

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• It is principally a mass production method.

• Blow Moulding is an alternatives process to

other process like
Injection Moulding.
Rotational moulding
Thermoforming
• Since the mould used for the process consists
of female cavity, it is easy to vary wall
thickness & weight of the part.

• This is done either by changing machine parts

or melt conditions.
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 Fig 4.1

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 PRINCIPLE

• Material is fed into a heated barrel of

Extruder.

• With the help of screw rotation & heaters the

plastic is melted and homogenised.

• Melted material is forced through a set of die

to form a tube or parison (Hot Plastic tube)

• parison is introduced into a mould,The mould

closes & pinches off.
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• Blow pin is inserted through the open end of
the parison to form a neck.
• Finally air is introduced through the blow pin
to inflate the parison inside the mould.
• By this, the molten Polymer copies the details
of the Mould.
• Lastly the moulded product is cooled &
ejected.
• In the finishing stage, the part undergoes,
trimming, finishing, Printing-Labeling &
decorating.
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 BLOW MOULDING METHODS

• Based on the method used to create the

parison or preform, two types of blow
moulding are recognised.

1. Extrusion Blow Moulding that uses an

extruded tube.

2. Injection Blow Moulding that uses an

Injection Moulded preform.

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 Blow moulding methods commonly used in
Industries are :-

• Extrusion Blow moulding

• Injection Blow moulding

• Stretch Blow moulding.

• Press Blow moulding & Dip Blow moulding

for squeeze.

• Multilayer Co extrusion Blow

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AND moulding. 9
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 BLOW MOULDING MACHINES
& THEIR CONSTRUCTION.

Blow moulding machine consists of two parts:

1. The parison Forming Unit(Extruder).

2. The Blow moulding unit.

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 BLOW MOULDING UNIT

• Made off two female cavities that close around a

parison.

• Pinch-off at one or both ends.

• One entrance for the blowing air.

• A cutout section.

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 PLASTIC MATERIALS

• Those Materials which show high melt strength

& good stretch properties at the extrusion
temperature are suitable for formation of parison
& blowing.

Following Polymers are more often blow moulded:

• PE(LDPE,HDPE,HMHDPE)

• PP,PVC,PA,PS,PC,PET,EVA,SAN,TPE
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• LDPE us used for more flexible items.

• HDPE is used for Rigid Bottles, Chemical Drums,

gasoline tanks.

• PP is used because of high stiffness, good

chemical resistance, clarity and good glass and
good resistance to high temperature.

• PVC & PS for general purpose articles requiring

transparency at modest cost.

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• RPVC – Can be bi axially oriented in extrusion
stretch blow moulding.

• PC is used for containers which show good

transparency, excellent impact strength, good
heat resistance, good printability.

• PET is used in basically oriented stretch blow

moulding & commonly used for carbonated
beverages, packaging of drinks pharmacy
products & water bottles.

• EVAL (Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol) is used as barrier

layer in Multilayer containers.
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 EXTRUSION BLOW MOULDING

Different types of Extrusion Blow moulding:

1.Continuous
a.Single station Method
b.Twin Station Method.
c.Rotary Table Method.

2.Intermittent
a.Reciprocating Screw.
b.Ram &
c.Accumulator Head
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 RAM ACCUMULATOR EXTRUSION

• The ram accumulator type blow moulding is

recommended for larger parts.

• This type of machine (see Fig ) is used to make

parts, weighing up to 50 pounds.

• The main applications are industrial parts,

shipping containers, and toys.

• The size of the extruder is independent of

accumulator size, and in some cases more than
one extruder is used.
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 INJECTION BLOW MOULDING

• An ideal combination of Injection & blow

moulding.

• It includes three stages:

1. Formation of preform by using injection

moulding.

2. Transferring the preform into the blow

moulding.

3. Passage of air or gas pressure through the core

rod to blow the thermoplastic resin into the
cavity walls of the blow mould.
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 TWO STAGE PROCESS

• In this process the injection moulded preform

can be produced any time at any place.

• The preform is to be re-heated before

stretching and blowing.

• In the process the preforms are transported

through an oven where they rotate
continuously to attain even temperature
through out the surface.

• Usually the threaded area is protected form

heating by heat shield.
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• After heating the preforms exit from the oven and
are allowed to equilibrate.

• Since the preforms are usually heated by IR

heaters the temp on the outside skin is higher
then the inside skin.

• During equilibration, the outside skin temperature

drops while inside skin temperature rises.

• Then it is transferred to blowing section

• The blow moulds closes at the threaded area of

the preform and clamped to required tonnage.
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• The stretch rod enters the preform through
the preform towards the bottom of the mould.

• The air is then blown in to the mould up to the

required pressure

• The bottle cools due to contact with the cold

mould.

• The blown air is exhausted,the rod retracts

and the mould open to eject the bottle.

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 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGE
Single stage process :
Advantages
• Low investment
• Requires no capping ring
• All process are done at one place.

Disadvantages
• Low barrier properties
• The products are heavier
• Requires more skilled operation.
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 TWO STAGE PROCESS

Advantage
• Low cost per bottle

• The products have low weight

• High barrier properties

• High productivity

• Preform making and bottle making can be

done at different places.
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Disadvantages

• High capital investment

• More blemishes than single stage

• Requires capping ring on the preforms.

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 Comparison Between Single & Two-stage Process

Single Stage Process Two Stage Process

• Low investment.
• Requires no capping ring.
• Low volume production.
• Higher weight bottle.
• Low efficiency.
• Require more skilled
operator.
• High investment.
• Requires capping ring &
bumper role.
• High barrier properties.
• Lower weigh bottle.
• High efficiency.
• Required operator.

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• The blow mould is clamped in position around
the parison and air entering at the neck forces
the soft,hot parison against the cooled wall of
the mould cavity.

• When the part is cool enough, the blow mould

opens up and the product is removed.

• Post treatment operations such as trimming to

final length, deflashing and flaming, etc.is done.

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 ADVANTAGE

• It does not produce scrap during the

injection moulding part of the cycle.

• In press blowing equipment a small amount

of scrap is trimmed and separated inside
the machine.

• Less wall thickness products can be

manufactured.

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 APPLICATION

• Squeeze tubes, bellows,pharmaceutical, medical,cosmetic

and industrial applications that require not-standard
closures for thin walled pliable containers and tubes.

Plastics which are successfully press blow are :

PE
PP
PS
ABS
PA
Polyurethane
PVC
EVAc etc.
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