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Group4 Technical Report
Group4 Technical Report
Group4 Technical Report
Manufacturing Process
Page 1 of 14
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Injection Blow Molding .................................................................................................. 6
Figure 2: Flow Chart of Production Overview ............................................................................... 7
Figure 3: Injection Molds................................................................................................................ 8
Figure 4: DKM Preform Injection Molding Machine....................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 5: Fully Automatic Blow Molding Machine ....................................................................... 8
Figure 6: Pre-form Conveyor Belt .................................................................................................. 8
Figure 7:Extrusion blow molding process (Ebnesajjad, 2015) ..................................................... 10
Figure 8: Injection blow molding process (Ebnesajjad, 2015) ..................................................... 10
Figure 9: Evian bottle made of rPET. (Evian Experience) ........................................................... 11
Page 2 of 14
History of bottling
Before explaining the history of plastic water bottles, it can be helpful to explain the history of the
concept of bottles and storing liquids in containers. Bottling water and other drinks can be traced back to
primitive times, around 6,000 BC (Rong & Fa). These drinking vessels were usually made of clay, animal
horns, and bamboo. This was the case for most of the human era, but the earliest source of commercial
bottling was in the 18th century, originating from Bristol, England. A pamphlet written in 1960 by the
Bristol Historical Association described the story of Hotwell water becoming so popular that at least 15
glass houses opened in the town to increase bottle production and export the product nationwide and even
internationally (Waite, 1960, p. 9). Poly (ethylene terephthalate), commonly known as PET, was first
discovered and patented in 1940 by John R. Whinfield (England Patent No. 2,465,319, 1949). This new
polymer material completely revolutionized the bottling industry, but only 30 years later, when a man
named Nathaniel Wyeth patented a plastic bottle container (Patent No. 3,733,309, 1970). This came from
a demand for a material cheaper than glass that could withstand the pressure of mineral water or
carbonated drinks. The plastic bottle is a clear advantage to the glass bottle not only because the
manufacturing process is much cheaper but also because of the PET bottle's resistance to breaking, as
opposed to glass bottles being more fragile to the other one. This means more significant amounts of
water can be manufactured with less material and shipped in higher volumes worldwide without
additional risks.
Page 3 of 14
Manufacturing Materials
When deciding what to use, manufacturing companies usually start by considering the upfront cost
of materials." Nevertheless, since plastic water bottles must be durable, the material's quality and stability
become critical (Plastics, 2016). Other factors to consider are the conditions in which the bottles will be
used and their precise objectives. Temperature changes, for example, frequently influence plastic water
bottles, affecting the material's qualities. As a result, materials with low thermal expansion coefficients
are an excellent alternative for preserving the product's integrity (Plastics, 2016).
Another consideration is the requirement for bottles that are resistant to breaking or can tolerate
specific chemical compounds if used to carry things other than water. Furthermore, if the bottles are to be
used in an environment containing electronics, the material should be chosen with potential electrical
conductivity needs in mind.
PET is the most cost-effective material to produce plastic water bottles, making it the most
common option (Properties of HDPE, LDPE and PET Bottles, 2019). However, because of the
fundamental structure of PET, it can change with time, impacting its long-term stability and possibly
changing its chemical resistance (Properties of HDPE, LDPE and PET Bottles, 2019).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and ASTM International collaborated on a research
project in the 1990s and early 2000s (ATSM, 1996). They investigated various production techniques and
materials to develop a standard for plastic water bottles (ATSM, 1996). This study opened the way for
today's regularly used materials in producing plastic water bottles, such as high-density polyethylene
(HDPE), polypropylene (PP), bioplastics, and the previously mentioned PET (ATSM, 1996).
PET
PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is the most cost-effective and widely used material in
producing plastic water bottles (Lenvins, 2021). However, PET is well-known for more than simply its
low cost. It is transparent, lightweight, durable, and perfect for bottling. However, there is a drawback.
PET can gradually crystallize over time, reducing its long-term stability while potentially changing its
chemical resistance (Lenvins, 2021).
HDPE
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is also used to produce plastic water bottles. HDPE is a viable
alternative to PET because of its durability, chemical resistance, and high strength-to-density ratio
(Lenvins, 2021). Despite being heavy and often opaque, its sturdy character, particularly in impact
resistance, makes it attractive for bigger containers (Lenvins, 2021)
PP
The following material, Polypropylene (PP), stands out as a heat-resistant and durable
thermoplastic polymer (Staff, 2016). Although it lacks the transparency of PET, its high melting point
makes it the material of choice for bottle caps and closures (Staff, 2016). PP can withstand microwave
cooking because of its excellent temperature resistance, making it an ideal choice for more than simply
storing cold beverages (Staff, 2016).
BIOPLASTICS
Finally, bioplastics is a relatively new advance in the industry. These polymer compounds, derived
from renewable biomass sources, provide an ecologically acceptable alternative to standard plastics
Page 4 of 14
(Chung, 2020). Bioplastics' manufacturing procedures and functional qualities vary, but many are
biodegradable, dramatically decreasing the environmental effect of plastic water bottles (Chung, 2020)
Property of Commonly Used Materials Table
Page 5 of 14
Production System Overview
A few methods exist to produce a common Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic water bottle
depending on the shape, size, and materials. The technique used for the typical disposable water bottle is
called Injection blow molding (Korpella, 2018).
Step One: Materials
Before the production process can start, the manufacturer needs the resin plastic-like material
called Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to make the bottles. First, The PET is put through polymerization
(Korpella, 2018). In this process, the PET is turned into a long chain of molecules; these chains are then
mixed with other chemicals to become a resin. (Korpella, 2018). After the wax is cut into small pellets
(Korpella, 2018). The pellets are then shipped to the bottle manufacturing facility.
Step Two: Mixing
Once the PET pellets arrive at
the bottle manufacturing plant, they
are mixed with regrind (Korpella,
2018). Regrind is flakes of recycled
plastics; manufacturers must use at
most 10 percent regrind because
recycled plastics have a different
strength than new plastics (Korpella,
2018). In this step, any dyes needed in
the bottle are added (Korpella, 2018).
No dyes are added if the manufacturer
wants a clear water bottle (Korpella,
2018). Figure 1: Injection Blow Molding
Step 3: Building a Source: IQS Directory
Preform
As shown in Figure 1, the pre-form is a small test tube shape with thick plastic (Korpella, 2018)
and on top, the same hole and threads are found on the top of a water bottle. This pre-form is molded
from PET pellets and mixed with the regrind to take this shape (Korpella, 2018). While the pre-forms are
moved to a machine called an injection blow molder, the temperature of the preforms lowers (Korpella,
2018). The pre-forms may need to be reheated before the blow molding begins.
Step 4: Injection Blow Molding
Once the preforms are heated and arrive at the injection blow molder, the preforms are lowered into
a two-part mold (Korpella, 2018). The mold is shaped like a water bottle (Korpella, 2018). The needle
seen in the middle of the preform in Figure 1 then lowers to stretch the preform so it will be the final
height specification of the completed water bottle (Korpella, 2018). While the needle pushes the heated
preform downward, the hand will blow hot air that will stretch the preform horizontally in every direction
(Korpella, 2018). This will prolong the preform until it reaches the walls of the mold, giving the now
stretched pre-form the required shape of the water bottle (Korpella, 2018).
Page 6 of 14
Step 5: Cooling and Trimming
With the now-shaped water bottle in the mold, the next thing to do is cool it off (Korpella, 2018). If
the bottle is left hot in the mold, gravity will ruin the shape unless cooled off promptly (Korpella, 2018).
Different producers use different methods to cool off the water bottle after the injection molding process,
such as using the air system already used in the molding process to blow room temperature air inside,
using liquid nitrogen, or having a liquid cooling inside the mould to cool off the water bottle as it touches
the walls of the mould (Korpella, 2018). As mentioned before, the mold is a two-part mold meaning it
will have a seam running along the middle of the bottle (Korpella, 2018). This may need to be trimmed
off, and axis plastic will be stored with the regrind (Korpella, 2018). Once trimmed, the bottle is ready to
be packaged and shipped to a bottling plant.
Flow Chart of Production Overview
Page 7 of 14
Machines Used in Manufacturing
PET Preform Injection Molding Machine
The first machine used to produce PET water bottles
is the preform injection molding machine. In Figure 2, we
can see an automated preform moulder that will
automatically produce preforms for production. The PET
pellets and regrind are added into the hopper on top, and the
machine takes care of the rest (Dakumar, n.a.). This model
will produce 48 preforms and drop them onto a conveyor Figure 3: Injection Molds
belt to be brought to the next machine (Dakumar, n.a.). Source: Dakumar
This machine or something similar would be used to mass-produce PET water bottles. The mouldings can
be done in different ways, but this machine takes advantage of the quick cooling of injection moulding
(Dakumar, n.a.). Figure 3 shows the moulds used to produce the preforms quickly. These moulds are
made from stainless steel (Dakumar, n.a.). The pre-form specifications are adjustable so a company can
deliver the best-shaped preform for the job (Dakumar, n.a.).
Fully Automatic Blow Molding Machine
Now that the preform is made, the next step
belongs to the fully automatic blow molding
machine. The preforms are brought into the
mechanism with conveyor belts are eventually faced
upwards on another belt, as seen in figure 5
(Dakumar, n.a.).
This conveyor belt brings the preforms inside
the machine for injection blow molding. The
preforms are warmed and then blow moulded; they exit as a
finished water bottle (Dakumar, n.a.). The example of a
blow moulding machine shown in Figure 4 is only
Figure 4: Fully Automatic Blow Molding Machine
big enough for moulds of bottles up to two litters in
Source: Dakumar
volume; other plastic bottles, like milk jugs, need
much larger moulding machines to be produced
(Dakumar, n.a.). According to DKM, their models
can make up to 2400 bottles per hour (Dakumar,
n.a.). This depends on the number of pre-forms
available and production line efficiency.
Page 8 of 14
Quality Control
All bottled water sold in Canada is subject to the standards set by the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency. The plastic bottles themselves are regulated as food packaging materials. Manufacturers that
distribute bottled water in Canada are responsible for ensuring that their bottles comply with requirements
set out in Division 23 of the Food and Drug Regulations (Government of Canada, 2013). These
regulations prohibit any manufacturer from distributing food in a package that may contain substances
that could cause harm to the human body (Government of Canada, 2013). It also dictates the usage of
Octyltin compounds (intermediates in producing Polyethylene Terephthalate) and banning those known to
cause health issues (Government of Canada, 2023). To ensure that plastic bottles are appropriate for use,
numerous tests are done post-manufacturing to check that the bottles are impermeable to carbon dioxide
(which is vital for bottles that carry soda) (Thomas Publishing Company, 2023). Rigorous assessments
measure impact resistance, pressure, permeability, and transparency, ensuring that the values meet
industry standards (Thomas Publishing Company, 2023).
Page 9 of 14
Extrusion Blow Molding
First, thermoplastic pellets are
loaded into the chamber of a screw
extruder, where a rotating screw propels the
material into a section where it is heated,
mixed, and compressed (Kohser, 2019).
This material is forced through a heated die
where the tube shape is formed. The
parison is captured by closing it into a
cooled metal mold where the blow molding
process will commence. The extruder and
parison head are arranged to extrude the
preform vertically into the two halves of a
blow mold (Ebnesajjad, 2015). Large-scale
plastic bottle manufacturers that employ
this method will use wheel machines, Figure 6:Extrusion blow molding process (Ebnesajjad, 2015)
which rotate closed moulds away and
present new moulds to the die head of the extruder, allowing the extruder to continuously form parisons to
be moulded (Ebnesajjad, 2015).
Injection Blow Molding
Plastic granules are loaded into a cavity
where a plunger will force the material into a
pre-heating chamber, where it is mixed,
melted, and superheated to a temperature
between 150 and 260°C (Kohser, 2019). The
material is then injected into a mold where
the parison is formed. External details, such
as the thread and neck flange for a screw-top
container, are directly produced by injection
molding (Ebnesajjad, 2015). The preform is
molded on a core pin, which rotates and
clamps into a chilled blow mold. After the
blow molding process, the formed bottle is
stripped off the core rod. This procedure is
usually performed in one stage, with the same
core rod rotating the material between the Figure 7: Injection blow molding process (Ebnesajjad, 2015)
injection, blow molding, and ejection stations.
The process produces less waste, as no pinch-off scrap needs to be trimmed (Ebnesajjad, 2015).
Page 10 of 14
Comparison of Two Manufacturers
Evian
Evian is a French company that primarily sells water and mineral water in plastic bottles. Bottles
are manufactured with PET and rPET, which means plastic material that is reused and recycled
(Packaging and recycling, n.d.). While around 43% of bottles are currently made from rPET, Evian claims
a target of 100% recycled plastic bottles by 2025, excluding the label and cap, which are made from a
different type of plastic. This may be because bottle caps, usually made from more robust and denser
plastic such as HDPE, would need to be separated from the PET body for each bottle, a tedious process
that is hard to automate efficiently, and especially at a similar pace to the millions of manufactured Evian
bottles every day (Qureshi, 2014). Regardless of the cap, newer iterations of small Evian bottles are sold
without labels (Evian Experience), with promises to manufacture all bottles using 100% rPET.
Dasani
Dasani is a company owned by Coca-Cola that sells filtered water in plastic bottles. According to
Fineman, Dasani’s bottles are made from 30% plant-based material and PET plastic (Fineman, 2011). The
Dasani website itself claims the bottles, excluding the cap and label, are made of 100% rPET. Like Evian,
the bottle caps and labels aren’t as easily recyclable as separating them is necessary, albeit not as easy.
One possible solution is homogenization, or using liquids with different densities, allowing HDPE plastic
to float at a different level from PET plastic; at this point, the materials can easily be collected separately
(Understanding How HDPE Is Recycled, 2020). In addition to these hybrid bottles, Dasani’s parent
company, Coca-Cola, also plans to introduce bottles made of entirely plant-based materials, with the first
demonstration shown at Expo in Milan, Italy (Mohan, 2015).
Page 11 of 14
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