Nissei ASB?s Live Molding Demonstrations at NPE 2018 (L to R), Fast Cycle Premium Cosmetic Bottle, Tunnel Pasteurizable PET Beer Bottle, High Output PET Liquor Miniature Bottle, Tritan Copolyester Sports Drink Container, PET Heat Resistant Jar. Photo credits: Nissei ASB

NPE 2018

ASB demonstrates wide ranging technologies for improved productivity & next generation manufacturing at NPE 2018

2018-03-15 10:80 min Blow Moulding & Coating, Two step blow moulding systems

Nissei ASB Nagano, Japan

Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd. will exhibit at the NPE 2018 exhibition (Booth S19045), to be held in Orlando, USA from 7th to 11th May 2018. Live molding will be demonstrated featuring five machine models together with a display of some of the most interesting recent updates in injection stretch-blow molded packaging technology.

Reflecting consistent sales growth over the last 3 years, ASB will represented by its largest ever presence at NPE with a 740-square meter booth and five different machine models making live molding demonstrations molding a variety of products that showcase the versatility of the company’s technology and integration with the Internet of Things.

Featured models will include;

ASB-12M v2 – Entry level & niche market four station one step injection stretch blow molding machine featuring next-generation control system and radically shortened cycle time for heavyweight cosmetic containers using standard PET resin.
ASB-70DPH v4 – Superbly versatile mid-range four station one-step injection stretch blow molding machine demonstrating visually perfect molding of Tritan Co-polyester resin.
ASB-150DPX – World’s first triple row, one-step injection stretch blow molding machine molding in 48 cavities and over 20,000 bottles per hour
HSB-2M/6 – 2-step re-heat stretch blow molding machine featuring ASB’s double-blow heat-set technology for heat resistant large necked jars.
HSB-6N – 2-step re-heat stretch blow molding machine featuring ASB’s double-blow heat-set technology for heat resistant beer bottles complying with the industry standard tunnel pasteurizing process.

The booth will also be exhibiting a full line of matched molding ancillary equipment that ASB is able to supply, such as resin dryers, chillers, mold dehumidifiers and mold temperature controllers. In-house custom designed pick and place take-out units with conveyor systems will also be demonstrated allowing prospective customers to easily install the molding machines up-stream of other processing equipment or a filling line.

All models will be operating on a daily molding schedule and the booth will include a wide range of samples and displays of other specialized technologies from ASB.

Detailed descriptions of each of the featured models can be found on the following pages. Additional high-resolution images are also available separately.

ASB-12M v2 – Fast Cycle Cosmetic Molding & Next-Generation Advanced Control System

The ASB-12M, first launched in 2012, has been hugely successful as an entry level and niche market model that provides a scalable and highly versatile manufacturing solution with extremely low energy consumption. Now in 2018, ASB is launching a revised edition that maintains the solid mechanical design and energy conserving servo-hydraulic system, and adds an all new control system operating to the Industrie 4.0 computerized manufacturing standard allowing factory integration via the so called, “Internet of Things”.

The v2 machine will be demonstrated molding a 4 cavity, 40ml premium quality thick walled cosmetic container in a family type mold of two differing designs. With a weight of over 31 grams, the resulting PET wall thickness of 2mm perfectly simulates the high-grade appeal of glass – but most notable is the cycle time improvement for this class of heavyweight container from a typical requirement of 40+ seconds down to an outstanding 13.4 seconds resulting in a three-times increase in productivity.

Normally, molding a container of this thickness at this incredible cycle time would require the use of specialized or expensive resins to avoid haziness from crystallization. But, designers at ASB have taken full advantage of the preform conditioning station, that only exists in ASB’s four station molding machines, to create a (patent pending) system that modifies the preform’s temperature profile, shape and thickness prior to its transfer to the blow station. In this process, the molding of containers at this cycle time is perfectly stable with excellent clarity using standard PET resin making it suitable for use in real-world manufacturing situations.

While the majority of cycle improvement comes from the intensive use of the conditioning system in the second station, the dry cycle time and operational movement of the machine has also been improved by the addition of a next-generation computerized control and interface system that offers significant advantages to users;

Faster response & communication speed than dedicated PLC systems enhances machine cycle efficiency and control precision.
PC based system makes it extremely flexible in use and compatible with Industrie 4.0 for enhanced factory networking.
Larger, easy to read panel provides easier access to relevant information without changing pages.
Most manual operation switches are replaced by touchscreen operation.
Improved operator feedback improves troubleshooting response time and minimizes down-time.
Internal hard wiring is drastically reduced.
Major machine functions can be added or updated via software installation only.
Easier & faster service support.
Standardized interface planned across the model range assists in operator training.

Despite the small size of the machine, it has a vast range of capabilities for production of all types of PET containers including highly efficient light-weight bottles, and medium sized jars. The ASB-12M’s popularity is further enhanced by its ability to process a wide range of non-PET resins combined with very low total cost of ownership.

Key features include;

Ability to process more than 15 resin types in addition to PET.
Molds containers from 5ml or less all the way up to 2,500ml capacity.
Variable cavitation from 15mm neck diameter eye drop bottles in eight cavities through to 83mm neck diameter jars in a single cavity.
Servo driven hydraulic pumps installed as standard, contributing to major energy savings and offering smooth and quiet operation.
Backwardly compatible with existing class mold tooling with minimal modifications.
Small size allows fast mold changeovers will minimal manpower, and minimal / no special lifting equipment.

In addition, the model displayed at NPE will be fitted with the optional long stroke injection unit that provides a 50% increase in available shot-size, expanding the scope for large containers, heavy-weight cosmetic bottles, or materials such as polypropylene that have lower density.

These benefits make it an ideal platform for a start-up company looking to make future-proof investments into an ever-changing market.

ASB-12M v2 Images

ASB-12M v2 with New Generation Control Interface

Figure 3 - Family Type Cosmetic Mold

Figure 4 - Perfect Clarity, Fast Cycle, Standard PET Resin

ASB70DPH v4 – High Versatility Model Maintains Its Position as Best Seller

The ASB-70DPH is a medium sized, four station one-step injection stretch blow molding machine which can produce containers from PET and a wide range of other resins.

It has a long production record, with its extreme molding versatility and continually updated specifications it continues as one of ASB’s best-selling models, with current sales of over 2,100 units.

Already supremely versatile in its standard form, the ASB-70DPH is also available with a wide range of options that allow global users to further adapt its capabilities to cater to their local market needs.

Key to the success of this model are its many standard features;

From raw material to finished product in one compact machine,
Ability to process more than 15 resin types in addition to PET.
Molds containers from 50ml or less all the way up to 10 liters’ capacity.
Variable cavitation from 18mm neck diameter small bottles in 12 cavities through to 149mm neck diameter jars in a single cavity.
The ASB four-station molding process with preform conditioning at the second station that radically increases flexibility and molding stability can also provide increased production stability production over competitors’ three-station systems.
No hydraulic components above the molding area eliminates the risk of product contamination,

At NPE, the ASB-70DPH v4 will be utilizing a set of options that further increases its already formidable versatility;

Servo-Driven Hydraulic System - offers extremely low power consumption. In tests using the same molds, an energy consumption reduction of 40% was achieved compared with the standard pump equipped model, and approx. 64% reduction compared with the previous generation ASB-70DPH v3.
Increased Injection Unit Capacity – ideal for larger containers, heavy-weight cosmetic containers or non-PET resin with lower densities, the optional IU-50 injection unit provides a 78% increase in shot size.
Extended Daylight for Injection Clamp – a factory option of extended injection clamp daylight provides even greater flexibility in molding of longer preforms as is often required when molding non-PET resins where optimum stretch ratios are different from those of typical PET containers.

The machine will be demonstrated molding a 700ml Copolyester (Tritan) 90 grams re-usable drinking flask in a four-cavity family mold at a cycle of 14.4 seconds. The design of the container has been carefully selected to show off the superb visual quality that is only achievable with the one-step molding process.

ASB-70DPH v4 Images

Figure 5 - ASB-70DPH v4 with Optional NVES-70 Take Out Unit

Figure 6 - 700ml Sports Drink Bottle in Tritan Copolyester

Figure 7 - Optical Perfection from One-Step Injection Stretch Blow Molding

Figure 8 - Extended Daylight Increases Versatility

ASB-150DPX – World’s First Triple Row, One Step Injection Stretch Blow Molding Machine

Making its debut on the American continent at NPE 2018, Nissei ASB’s triple row, high output ASB-150DPX model for small bottle production will demonstrate the latest in a long line of world firsts that the company has achieved throughout nearly 40 years at the forefront of the PET container industry.

The recently developed ASB-150DPX expands the company’s flagship ASB-150 based models to three variants;

ASB-150DP – Single row molding up to 16 cavities, for very large bottles and jars.
ASB-150DPW – Double row molding of medium sized bottles and jars up to 32 cavities.
ASB-150DPX – Triple row molding of small bottles in 24, 36 or 48 cavities.

All models are built on a common architecture so factory layout, key functions, spare parts, maintenance and operator training are common to all, thereby reducing total cost of ownership for users of more than one model type.

In addition, the newly added DPX model has specific design features to maximize efficiency in small container molding with several areas of the machine design having patents pending or already approved;

Injection clamping stroke is optimized to minimize dry cycle time for short cycle small containers.
Upgraded hydraulic components provide faster cycle of injection clamping while maintaining smooth machine movement.
Servo hydraulic pumps as standard offer up to 30% reduction in energy consumption.
Blow air circuit is optimized for small container production offering up to 50% reduced air consumption over standard systems.

Although these features were specifically developed for the ASB-150DPX, many of them are also planned for future updates of its stable-mates ensuring that the entire model range maintains its lead over the competition.

At NPE, the ASB-150DPX will be conducting daily molding demonstrations of a 50ml, 10.5-gram liquor miniature bottle in an unprecedented 48 cavities mounted in a triple row molding layout. With a cycle time of 8.6 seconds the machine will operate at a production rate in excess of 20,000 bph.

This container design requires a very small preform that would be impossible to handle and re-heat in a two-step system so the one-step molding process, where the container is formed directly from resin within one machine and held securely by its neck throughout, is the only practical choice. The smaller the container, the more advantageous it is for production using a large one-step machine with high output. Molding the container on a one-step system also provides superb visual quality and ensures that the neck remains free of any scuffing or damage that could compromise the neck seal.

Even if a container design such as this could be molded by re-heat blow molding, the required floor area for a similar capacity two-step production unit is typically 3-4 times greater, so this one-step solution provides not only technical superiority and enhanced quality, but manages to achieve it in a significantly reduced production space.

The machine has already generated strong interest in the dairy sector for products such as flavored milk and yoghurt based drinks where it will typically mold lightweight containers in 36 cavities. In its 24-cavity configuration the machine is capable of molding round or oval containers up to 300ml with a 38mm neck which also makes it ideal for single serving juice or water bottles.

ASB-150DPX Images

Figure 9 - ASB-150DPX Overview

Figure 10 - 50ml Liquor Bottle at 20,000 per Hour

Figure 11 - Triple Row Blow Cavity (left)

Figure 12 - 48 Cavities at Container Eject Station

HSB-2M/6 – Increased Molding Capacity for Heat Resistant Jars up to 1 Liter

The HSB-2M/6 is a 2-step, re-heat stretch blow molding machine featuring ASB’s unique double-blow heat-setting process and expands the range of models in the HSB series, with the capability to mold 6 cavities of 1-liter jars with thread diameter up to 86mm.

These models have been developed specifically for the production of wide mouthed hot- fillable & pasteurizable jars, ideal for many foodstuffs including pickles, jams, marmalade and a wide range of sauces. They utilize the same tried and trusted double-blow technique used in the HSB bottle production machines, so high container performance is assured.

Preforms can either be molded in-house using one of ASB’s PM Series preform injection molding machines, then processed by a CM Series neck crystallizer, or for those users wishing to minimize capital investment, customized preforms can be supplied direct from ASB to anywhere in the world.

To optimize the process efficiency, molding can be adjusted to apply almost any degree of heat resistance to a PET container as required by the filled product. However, as the 2-step double-blow heat-set process of the HSB-2M/6 can achieve heat resistance all the way up to the practical maximum of PET – approx. 95°C with a suitable container design and cap – it is extremely effective for those projects that exceed the capability of other heat-setting processes.

With fully electric mold clamping, the machine is smooth, quiet and energy efficient and for added flexibility, with a simple change of blow mold and a suitable preform it is equally capable of molding standard (non-heat resistant) PET containers.

At NPE, the HSB-2M/6 will be molding a 500ml jar with an 80mm neck suitable for a metal, twist-off lug type closure designed for filling at 88°C. With a 6-cavity configuration, the 4.5 second cycle offers an output of 4,800 bph. The container features a panel-free design where the body is plain round for easy labelling and internal vacuum forces generated by cooling products are absorbed by a patented base design that flexes during filling, heating and cooling to ensure no distortion in the labelled area.

Use of the industry standard metal lug-type cap is essential to provide current filling companies with an easy change-over route to PET, but it exerts uneven force on the neck that could cause problems with distortion or leakage. However, with the use of a crystallized neck and ASB’s advanced molding techniques the jar passes all tests with ease.

The demonstrated jar has been specified to satisfy a practical filling requirement for cheese sauce;

Filling at 88°C to reduce product viscosity, which also initiates pasteurization in the product,
Tunnel showering to maintain the core temperature at a minimum of 72°C for 10 minutes to complete pasteurization,
Controlled cooling to below 30°C over a period of 35 minutes.

This filling process is typical for sauces such as cheese dip that have a high viscosity, the elevated temperature allows faster filling with no voids in the contents. Higher viscosity products such as these place a higher heat load on the container during the cooling phase as convection currents cannot form to aid cooling, however the advanced and stable heat resistance achieved by the HSB double-blow molding technique assures satisfactory container performance.

HSB-2M/6 Images

Figure 13 - HSB-2M/6 Overview

Figure 14 - Panel-Free Heat Resistant Jar & Preform

Figure 15 - Jar Preforms Just Prior to Inversion & 1st Blow

Figure 16 - Completed Jars Leave the 2nd Blow Mold

HSB-6N – Leading Performance for Heat Resistant Bottle Molding

The HSB-6N machine performs double-blow re-heat stretch blow molding in a compact solution for heat resistant PET bottles with neck diameter up to 38mm. Preforms with either amorphous or crystallized neck may be molded with equal ease, the choice of neck type depends on factors such as neck and cap design, container filling, pasteurization and cooling specifications.

To optimize the process efficiency, molding can be adjusted to apply almost any degree of heat resistance to a PET container as required by the filled product. However, as the 2-step double-blow heat-set process of the HSB-6N can achieve heat resistance all the way up to the practical maximum of PET – approx. 95°C with a suitable container design – it is extremely effective for those projects that exceed the capability of other heat-setting processes.

At NPE, the machine will be demonstrated molding a heat resistant PET beer bottle that meets the standard industry requirements of 65°C contents temperature, to be maintained for 15 minutes to fully kill off any remaining yeast and provide long stable shelf life with no apparent flavor change. Despite this relatively low temperature of pasteurization, a combination of long processing time and carbonation pressure creates additional forces on the container that can only be adequately handled by the double-blow heat-setting process in combination with the 36.5 grams weight. It can be molded in standard PET, or where required, oxygen scavenging or carbon dioxide retention additives can be included to further enhance the shelf life.

The demonstrated 650ml bottle will be molding at a cycle of 4.5 seconds producing 4,800bph and the featured container uses an industry standard neck suitable for crown caps, but could be molded to any required standard.

The container specification adheres to the standard industry bottling process for pasteurized beer;

Filling at 5°C and capping,
Hot shower until core temperature is 65°C (approx. 35 mins)
Maintain 65 °C for a period of 15 minutes.
Cold shower back to room temperature.

The HSB-6N offers an ideal solution to converters and fillers of all types of bottled beverages that require a versatile, small to medium output machine that provides the highest heat resistance PET containers currently available in the industry.