INNOVATION | CAPS AND CLOSURES
Right: The aXos controller with Smart Opera- tion from Netstal for optimised injection moulding of caps and closures
well as good customer service. One recent development at Netstal is a software
improvement that can increase productivity. The company says that its machines detect the weight of a mould and use this value to determine the power resources required. These resources are then used to speed up the machine on the clamping unit side. The injection units have sufficient power reserves for this. This allows shorter cycle times. Netstal has also developed 4-button ‘Smart
Operation’, which is integrated into the aXos control system. This enables fast, guided and therefore safe operation during production shifts. The customer is free to program machine sequenc- es, which can be recalled later using the four buttons. This allows employees to be trained more quickly and operate the injection moulding machine independently and error-free sooner, which also increases plant availability. The company adds that it is also continuing to
Below: Producing pails at K 2019, the 1,000-tonne Sumitomo (SHI) Demag El-Exis can accommo- date a 96-cav- ity tether cap and ring mould
integrate peripheral systems into the injection moulding machine control system through defined interfaces such as OPC-UA. For example, the new PET-Line side entry has a connected dryer and camera system through OPC-UA and cap applica- tions will head in the same direction. Tethered caps and closures will have a signifi- cant impact on cap moulding lines, maintains Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. The EU has introduced a directive on marine plastic litter, and tethered caps and closures play an important role. As of May 2024, EU producers, retailers and manufacturers, as well as importers to EU countries will be obliged to implement tethered closures on all beverage containers up to three litres. As a result, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag says that many of its customers have started to question the production challenges they may encounter. “In theory, you can produce tethered caps
through an existing packaging injection moulding
machine just as you would any other closure or container,” says UK Managing Director Nigel Flowers. “Cycle times are of course extremely critical, and most closure manufacturers specialis- ing in this sector produce tens of millions of caps per year. In order to succeed, closure moulders will need to examine every potential tethered ring and cap application – press on, side clip, flip top or carbonated screw cap – to ensure that the selection of materials, machine and tooling give the opti- mum blend of speed, quality and processing repeatability.” He says: “Several years ago, PwC conducted an
impact report study estimating that the changeover cost could reach up to €8.7bn. This will of course be very dependent on how extensively neck finishes on beverage containers need to be changed. These forecast costs cover capital investment costs as well as significant losses of productivity and downtime for existing operations while lines are being reconfigured. Looking specifically at the moulding processing conditions, these in theory will not change considerably. Providing the material is not altered, melt stability will be the same. The main investment outlay will be in mould tool design, which may require increasing the mould space of injection moulding machinery or opting for a larger tonnage packag- ing machine. A number of mould toolmakers have already committed to increase – some double – their production capacity in this space to cater to increased demand for replacement mould tools.” High cavitation (64, 72, and 96) mould tools are commonplace in closure production, due to the
40 INJECTION WORLD | April 2021
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: SUMITOMO (SHI) DEMAG
IMAGE: KRAUSSMAFFEI
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