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Polymeric Processing Techniques

MDP 462

Lecture 9

Blow Molding
Both of extrusion and injection molding processes are used to
make hollow, seamless parts out of thermoplastic polymers.
It is a molding process in which air pressure is used to inflate
soft plastic into a mold cavity

It is an important industrial process for making one-piece

hollow plastic parts with thin walls, such as bottles and similar
containers

Since many of these items are used for consumer beverages for
mass markets, production is typically organized for very high
quantities

The technology is borrowed from the glass industry with which

plastics compete in the disposable or recyclable bottle market

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Blow molding is accomplished in two steps:

Fabrication of a
Inflation of the
starting tube of
tube to the
molten plastic,
desired final
called a
shape
parison/preform

Preform

Hollow (usually circular) pipe section

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Forming the
parison/preform

Injection
Extrusion
molding

Bottle Forming

Extrusion Injection Stretch blow

blow molding blow molding molding

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(1)extrusion of parison;
(2) parison is pinched at the top and sealed at the bottom around a metal
blow pin as the two halves of the mold come together;
(3) the tube is inflated so that it takes the shape of the mold cavity;
(4) mold is opened to remove the solidified part

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The Excess
 When a bottle is produced using this blow molding
method, excess material is created when the mold closes
around the parison.
 Flash at the bottom (called the tail), the top (the moil),
and for handled ware - a “handle slug” needs to be
trimmed.
 Typically, the flash is removed upon mold release
(trimmed in mold) to complete a finished bottle or jar.
to complete a finished bottle or jar.
 For bottle with handles (handle ware), offset neck and
special circumstances, the flash is extracted via a
secondary operation downstream.

Blow molded trash can being removed from mold (before

final trimming)

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Identifying EBM Bottles

Bottles are easily identifiable by their pinch

off line across the base of the bottle

This 'line' is created as the mold cavity closes

on the parison and the tail is trimmed off

Extrusion Blow Molding

Equipment

Intermittent Continuous
extrusion extrusion
equipment equipment

Reciprocating Accumulator Rotary Shuttle

screw machinery head machinery machinery machinery

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylfv_2RnFwo

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Rotary Method Blow Molding

Several to dozens of molds are clamped to a rotating wheel,
which revolves to enable the parison to be supplied into each
mold in a continuous sequence. The mold is closed and air is
blown in to form the parts shape

 To make large quantities of

product;
 Size of mold can be range
from small bottles up to 30
liter drum;
 Multiple molds and parisons

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Labeling

Advantages
Lower mold costs compared to ISBM or IBM and the capability of
forming handles.

Multi-layer capability, EBM bottles can have up to 7 layers of

materials that include virgin plastic resin layers that encase a post-
consumer recycled layer, barrier layer, and adhesive layers to bond
the other layers together.

Other capabilities unique to EBM includes IML (in mold labeling),

window stripe on bottles, angled and offset necks, handle ware, and
multiple necks.

In terms of logistics and cost benefits, EBM mold fabrication time is
often shorter and relatively inexpensive compared to other blow
molding methods, and many EBM manufacturers have
interchangeable mold parts which allow the same bottle to be
molded with different neck finishes, body, or embossment inserts.

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Bottle Forming

Extrusion Injection Stretch blow

blow molding blow molding molding

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Injection Blow Molding

In this process, the starting parison is injection molded
rather than extruded.

(1) parison is injected molded around a blowing rod;

(2) Injection mold is opened and parison is transferred to a blow mold;
(3) soft polymer is inflated to conform to the blow mold; and
(4) blow mold is opened, and blown product is removed.

Injection
Blow
Molding
Machine

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“Zero Cooling” design moves preform cooling from

the injection station to the conditioning station,
allowing for overlapping cooling and injection of a
new shot

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In Injection Blow Molding

A preform, that is Because the neck and

injection molded first,
looks like a miniature
version of the final
product, comprised of
the finished size neck
with threads and a
small, thick walled
lower section, which
will be blown into the
final shape.
threads are injection
molded when the
preform is made, they
are produced very
accurately, enabling
an excellent seal with
the cap, also known as
the closure (all
closures are injection
molded), which means
an excellent leak-
proof-seal

Injection Blow Molding

Compared to its extrusion-based competitor, injection

blow molding usually has the following advantages:

(1) higher production rate,

(2) greater accuracy in the final dimensions,

(3) less wasteful of material

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Injection vs. Extrusion Blow Molding

Injection blow molding is often preferred for small,

complex bottles, such as those in medical applications.

Larger containers can be produced with extrusion blow

molding because the mold in injection molding is so
expensive for large preform.

Also, extrusion blow molding is technically more feasible

and economical for multi-layer bottles used for storing
certain medicines, personal care products, and various
chemical compounds.

Bottle Forming

Extrusion Injection Stretch

blow blow blow
molding molding molding

Single- Two- stage

stage

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Stretch blow molding is best known for producing PET bottles

commonly used for water, juice and a variety of other products.
Stretch blow molding has been used since the early 1970's and has
grown in existence with the primary use for making carbonated
beverage bottles.

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Stretch Blow
Molding

One of the major advantages of

stretch blow molding is the ability to
stretch the preform in both the hoop
direction and the axial direction
This biaxial stretching of material
increases the tensile strength, barrier
properties, drop impact, clarity, and
top load in the container
With these increases it is usually
possible to reduce the overall weight
in a container by 10 to 15 percent less
then when producing a container in
another way

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Single-Stage, Three-Stations Injection

Stretch Blow Molding Machines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAvOYz7qOsw

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Two-stage stretch blow molding
In this process, the machinery
injection molds a preform, which is
then transferred within the machine to
another station where it is blown and
then ejected from the machine.
This type of machinery is generally
called injection stretch blow molding
(ISBM) and usually requires large
runs to justify the very large expense
for the injection molds to create the
preform and then the blow molds to
finish the blowing of the container.
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This allows companies to either
make or buy their own
preforms.
Because of the relatively high
cost of molding and equipment,
this is the best technique for
producing high volume items
such as carbonated beverage
bottles.
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The preform is already injected molded in first

stage

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Presentation

One can easily identify the difference by looking at

the bottom of the bottle. If u see a circular dimple it
means it is IBM and if u see a line at the bottom
then it is EBM

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EBM VS IBM

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