The IPS 300 completes SACMI’s range of PET preform production machines. Digital, high performance and versatile, the IPS 300 takes the well-known advantages of the SACMI IPS platform - ease of use, compatibility with different mold types and market-leading productivity - to the next level.
Drinktec 2022 (Messe München, Messegelände, 12-16 September 2022) provides a perfect opportunity to present this latest cap-preform ‘smart line’ solution with which SACMI aims to set a new standard on the full automation, digitalization and sustainability fronts.
The IPS 300 has outstanding potential. For example, manufacturers can push process control to previously unthinkable levels, thus opening the sector to IoT opportunities.
A broad platform that offers unmatched practicality, performance and ease of use. SACMI, the world’s leading partner for the manufacture of caps with compression technology, first developed the IPS in 2012. Since then it has, in less than 10 years, installed 140 systems in 40 countries. The IPS project has seen both an expansion of the range (the IPS 220 with up to 72 cavities, the IPS 400 with up to 128 cavities) and developments in terms of the technological equipment.
As on the IPS 400, the new IPS 300 features outstanding compatibility with various mold types, including those produced by third parties. The IPS300 is compatible with all molds that have external air and coolant connections. The machine can operate with 24-cavity molds for 48 mm necks, and molds with up to 96 cavities for 30 mm necks. Furthermore, by making use of partner company MHT’s ‘Nano-pitch’ patent, the IPS300 can mount up to 128 cavities for 26/22 mm necks, a truly unique solution within the panorama of currently available technologies.
Market-leading versatility. Flexibility, user-friendliness, reliability and, above all, high performance, make the IPS 300 one of the market’s leading performers. From this perspective, it provides extremely fast lock-to-lock (2.1 seconds) and cycle times.
The innovative after-cooler with COOL+® (inside cooling system) technology improves the thermal efficiency of the cooler, significantly reducing cycle times, especially on thick-walled preforms.
Like other IPS models, the HMI offers enhanced user-friendliness. This simplifies the operator's work, especially when it comes to start-up, format changeovers and the control of auxiliary units, as they can be fully controlled remotely. Moreover, use of only the highest quality components ensures outstanding reliability.
Limitless flexibility, environment-friendly. Highly configurable, the IPS has the lowest energy consumption on the market. In addition to featuring the innovative KERS system on the post-cooler picking head, the new IPS300 lets manufacturers further reduce consumption thanks to the new electrical clamping unit. The latter, in fact, is equipped with its own KERS energy recovery system and, together with adaptive self-tuning (a constant on SACMI IPS units), allows the IPS 300 to achieve a specific consumption of 0.18 kW/kg.
The excellent configurability of the IPS 300 – with 625 kg/h, 900 kg/h and 1220 kg/h plasticizing units – responds to even the most diversified manufacturing requirements. Multiple Premium devices are available - such as the static mixer for colorants and additives, the injection cycle completion kit in the event of a power outage, the process control sensor kit, process water piping and filtering - together with further optionals that streamline system use and boost final product quality.
From a sustainability perspective, SACMI has, for some time now, aligned the IPS with a ‘recyclable PET’ approach; this means standard machines can produce preforms using up to 100% rPET in granulate form and up to 50% PET in flake form. Now, that flake percentage can be raised to 70-75% thanks to a new hopper that simplifies and optimizes the process.
