3D Blow

Molding Machines
for
three-dimensional,
convoluted Pipes

K3D Series
 3D Blow Molding Machines

In 3D blow molding, a pari-

1 are reduced to a minimum at
Kautex Maschinenbau
provides its customers
with globally leading solu-
tions in terms of quality,
technology and service.
Conventional extrusion blow
molding of heavily convolut-
ed, three-dimensional tubular
shapes, such as fuel tank filler
pipes, automotive air ducts,
tubes used in household
appliances, etc., inevitably
results in welding seams at
the pinch areas causing
potentially large amounts of
flash at the mold parting line.
In extreme cases, flash can
weigh multiple times the
weight of the molding itself.
Moreover, very long pinch
areas require high clamping
forces.
son sized according to the
article diameter is manipulat-
ed by special devices directly
into the cavity of the blow
mold avoiding pinch areas
and welding seams on either
side of the article and mini-
mizing overall material usage.
The remaining welding seams
both article ends. As the
pioneer in 3D blow molding,
Kautex Maschinenbau
benefits from many years of
experience in this field.
Depending on the shape and
complexity of the article,
Kautex Maschinenbau offers
different technologies for
small and large volume pro-
duction of convoluted, three-
dimensional tubular shapes.

The Kautex Maschinenbau

3D blow molding technologies
offer minimum flash produc-
tion achieving significant
savings in material, energy
usage, cycle times and, last
but not least, in capital spen-
ding.

2
Different 3D Machine Concepts
In suction blow molding with
K3D SB series machines, a
parison is extruded from the
die tool of an accumulator
head into a closed blow mold
and drawn through the mold
via vacuum while supported
on a cushion of air.
This support air also prevents
a premature contact of the
parison with the cavity sur-
faces. Once the parison
emerges from the bottom of
the blow mold, the parison
is closed by upper and lower
shutters. Then the part is
inflated and cooled same as
in conventional blow mold-
ing. Suction blow molding
requires generally simple and
inexpensive blow molds.
The K3D HP series blow
molding machines also utilize
simple and inexpensive
blow molds, however with a
horizontal parting line.
The K3D HP clamping unit
opens and closes vertically.
The lower mold half is in
motion while a robot inserts
the parison into the cavity.
After insertion, the bottom
mold half shuttles in position
below the upper mold half,
the clamping unit closes, and
the inflation and cooling
processes are triggered.
Based on its comprehensive
experience with a large
installed base of machines,
Kautex Maschinenbau is also
continuously advancing this
series. One result is the 30 %
smaller footprint of the
latest generation of K3D-HP
horizontal blow molding
machines. Thanks to the ori-
entation of the mold mount-
ing platens in extruder direc-
tion, the blow molds in the
double station machine can
easily be interchanged. The
two stations can be used to
produce very different parts
from a parison with the same
diameter. The compact design
permits a central removal of
the finished articles by a sin-
gle removal robot which
results in savings on costs for
peripheral equipment such as
cooling basins, cutters etc.
2
The KBSH series hybrid blow
molding machines feature a
tiebarless clamping unit with
electric drive for fast closing
motion and hydraulic clamp-
ing cylinder. These machines
are generally used in conjunc-
tion with segmented molds
for especially complex article
shapes. A robot inserts the
parison into independently
operated mold section, which
closes sequentially following
the insertion. The KBSH series
blow molder is offered with
clamping forces used in
conventional blow molding.
3
image 1
air duct manufactured
in 3D and conventional
blow molding techno-
logy
image 2
suction blow molded
pipe, made of PA,
stretched length 1.80 m
image 3
examples for
three-dimensional,
convoluted pipes
3
 Advantages of the 3D Technology
Advantages of the 3D techno-
logy over conventional blow
molding include:
Higher part quality due to
the elimination of welding
seams, resulting in:
• More uniform wall thick-
ness distribution
• No decrease in mechanical
properties because material
accumulation and/or
notches at welding seams
are avoided
1
• Use of materials, which do
not bond sufficiently at the
pinch areas
• Processing of short glass
fiber reinforced materials,
where welding seams could
present a problem
• Lower regrind content
reducing the risk of degra-
dation of thermally sensi-
tive materials and break
down of fibers in reinforced
materials
Lower flash weight,
resulting in:
• Lower capital investment
because of the use of
smaller extruders, lower
clamping forces, simple
deflashing systems, smaller
granulators, smaller
blenders and conveyors as
well as smaller chillers
• Lower operating costs due
to the reduced amount of
material being processed
lowering the power usage
of drive motors and heating
systems
 3
Radial wall thickness
distribution system
(RWDS)

One of the drawbacks invol-

ved in blow molding heavily
convoluted tubular shapes is
the difference of wall thick-
nesses of inner and outer
radii resulting from different
stretch ratios. Similar draw-
backs can occur as a result of
premature contact of the
4
parison in horizontal blow
molds. To compensate,
Kautex Maschinenbau engi-
neers developed a radial wall
thickness distribution system
(RWDS) that permits even
wall thicknesses at inner and
outer radii of convoluted
sections at any point along
2
the circumference of the pari-
son – even in case of small
parison diameters.

image 1/2
double-station
horizontal machine
K3D HP-D “Compact”
for two different parts

image 3/4
3D blow molded parts

image 5
K3D HP, parison lay
down via robot

image 6
6 radial wallthickness
control RWDS
(diagram)

5
 Sequential Coextrusion (SeCo) / hard-soft-hard
Technology
three-dimensional, The combination of different
convoluted pipe
materials to achieve specific
made with sequential
coextrusion properties that are available
in a single resin has long been
common practice in extrusion
blow molding. In this process,
the extruded parison is built
up with multiple layers of dif-
ferent materials (coaxial coex-
trusion).
Today, the use of different
layers with wall thicknesses
varying in axial direction
is gaining ground. Defined
article sections are blow
molded with specific proper-
ties by choosing a combina-
tion of different material
layers and layer thicknesses.
Using this technology, known
as sequential coextrusion, a
single article can be blow
molded with varying hard-
ness, elasticity, strength or
heat distortion temperature
in defined sections.
Sequential coextrusion opens
up a multitude of new appli-
cations, such as air intake or
6
ventilation ducts. For such
applications, often properties
at different ends of the spec-
trum are combined in one
and the same article. For
example, the middle section
of a duct may call for strength
to withstand pressure or
vacuum while the duct ends
require flexibility to achieve a
tight seal with hose clamps
and to allow easy assembly.
For such applications, Kautex
Maschinenbau has developed
a special blow molding tech-
nique that ensures repeatable
production of convoluted
tubular shaped parts with
precisely defined properties.
Preferred material combina-
tions for this hard-soft-hard
or soft-hard-soft coextrusion
technique are PP and TPE
and, depending on the tem-
perature environment, PA
and PBT combined with elas-
tomer-modified PA and PBT,
respectively, are also possible.
In addition to the above
mentioned air intake and
ventilation ducts, typical
applications include clean air
tubes, hot air tubes and
various connection pipes,
not only for the automotive
industry but also for use
in industrial equipment and
household appliances.
The sequential coextrusion
3D blow molding technology
is particularly suited for the
production of parts that until
recently had to be produced
from rubber materials. The
substitution of rubber by TPE
blow moldings has many
advantages:
In addition to shorter cycles
and lower energy consump-
tion, the improved properties
of TPE parts permit a reduc-
tion of the wall thickness,
which yields an immediate
cost advantage given compa-
rable raw material costs.
The simple recycling of TPE is
another bonus as no disposal
problems arise.
In close cooperation with
resin suppliers and the
automotive industry, Kautex
Maschinenbau has successful-
ly assisted with many rubber
substitutions. With sequential
coextrusion, products that
previously had to be assem-
bled from several individual
components (pipe sections,
bellows, clips, clamps) can
today be made as one
component in a single step.
Six-Layer High-Temperature The whole World of
Coextrusion Applications Extrusion Blow Molding

Special machine options are In addition to 3D blow

available for processing molders, Kautex
high-temperature materials Maschinenbau offers its
on a PA or PPS basis, used customers
for charged hot air ducts in
turbocharged engines or • Shuttle blow molding
components installed close and long-stroke blow
to the engine block or the molding machines
exhaust system. for the production of
smaller technical parts and
1 packaging containers with
3D fuel tank filler pipes can capacities ranging from a
be produced using six or few ml to 30 liters
seven layer coextrusion with
the same wall structure as • Industrial blow molding
the fuel tanks. In addition to machines
barrier and adhesive layers, for the production of
an electrically conductive technical parts, plastic fuel
thermoplastic can be inte- tanks (PFT) and large
grated as a seventh inner industrial containers of up
layer. to 10,000 liters capacity

For the production of six and • Special blow molding

seven layer pipes, the Coex machines
head CP120 was developed. for the production of
The rheological geometry of PC water bottles
2
this head was optimized to
account for the extreme vari- • Turnkey systems can be
ations in the viscosity of the provided for all blow
materials. This design now molding machines, from
permits throughputs of up to material preparation
120 kg/h and the use of dies through article finishing,
of up to 120 mm in diameter. quality control, filling up
to palletizing.
To ensure optimum wall
thickness, the wall thickness 3
control systems RWDS and
PWDS are also available for
the coextrusion process.
image 1
Thanks to their cooled grooved fuel tank filler pipe
feed zone, all extruders oper-
image 2
ate independent of back pres-
pipes for high tempera-
sure. Their length of 25D per- ture applications
mits high throughputs at
excellent melt homogeneity. image 3
blow molding machine
The extruders can be flexibly type K3D SB8 HT
arranged in both horizontal
and vertical orientation. image 4
head-extruder unit
with special equipment
4 for HT

7
Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH
Ufficio di Rappresentanza per l'Italia
Via Carlo Ferrari 10
21057 Olgiate Olona (VA)
Italy
Phone / Fax: +39 0331 642 046

Kautex Machines Inc.

201 Chambers Brook Road
North Branch, NJ 08876
USA
Phone: +1 908 252 9350
Fax: +1 908 253 9565

Shunde Kautex Plastics Technology Co., Ltd.

Lunjiao Industrial District, Shunde Foshan,
Guangdong 528308
PR China
Phone: +86 757 2733 0910
Fax: +86 757 2733 0917

Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH

Shanghai Office
Shanghai Universal Mansion
Room 2208, No. 168-172 Yu Yuan Road
Shanghai 200040
China
Phone: +86 21 6249 5806
Fax: +86 21 6249 1563

Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH

Kautexstraße 54
K3D/GB/9/2006

D-53229 Bonn, Germany

Phone +49 228 489-0
Fax +49 228 489-414
www.kautex-group.com