Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
News
October 03, 2014 02:00 AM

Panel: Adapting to new trends is key for growth in closures manufacturing

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Michael A. Marcotte
    Speakers at a panel discussion on manufacturing at the recent Caps && Closures conference were, from left: Robert Beard, John Ward, Michael Gould and Mike Uhrain.

    ROSEMONT, ILL. — For caps processors, taking advantage of current trends in machinery and manufacturing can help to gain an edge on the competition.

    A group of speakers discussed machinery issues during a panel discussion at Plastics Caps & Closures 2014, held in Rosemont.

    The panel included Robert Beard, president of Robert A. Beard & Associates; Michael Gould, director of beverage closure solutions, Americas, for Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.; Mike Uhrain, technical sales manager, packaging for Sumitomo (SHI) Demag; and John Ward, vice president of sales and marketing for Arburg Inc.

    Beard offered attendees at Plastics News' fourth annual event an overview of conformal cooling for injection molds.

    “If you are not using conformal cooling, it is almost a sure bet your competitors are,” he said.

    Beard explained that conventional molds include straight-line cooling channels, while conformal cooling utilizes cooling lines in an injection mold that curve and follow the geometry of a part to be produced.

    As part of conformal cooling, copper pins can be inserted into molds to draw heat out of hot spots. In addition to reducing cycle time, these techniques also can help to reduce warpage.

    Beard told attendees that conformal cooling can be utilized as a tool to help decrease rejects, which reduces the risk of a costly recall.

    “Because conformal cooling yields uniform part cooling, molded-in stress can be reduced,” he noted. “As a result, you can produce a stronger part, which increases part safety. This can mitigate part-failure and recall risk.”

    Moreover, molders who utilize conformal cooling can expect to realize a 10 percent reduction in mold cycle time, even with little or no engineering analysis. Increasing the engineering analysis conducted — including flow analysis, computational fluid dynamics — a higher quality mold and reduced cycle time can be achieved.

    “You can realize a cycle-time reduction range for a properly engineered, conformally cooled mold of 20 percent to 40 percent,” Beard said.

    With a reduced cycle time reduction of 40 percent, molders can achieve a 55 percent increase in operating income.

    Beard pointed out that a cycle reduction and increase in operating income can give you options. You can either keep the additional profits or you can use a portion of the profit to lower your prices to gain more business to fill any unused press capacity.

    Driving innovations

    Gould, Uhrain and Ward each discussed closure manufacturing innovations.

    “We want to empower the operator to get the most efficiency out of their machinery investment,” Gould noted.

    From a machinery manufacturer's standpoint, Gould noted that a key to helping processors get the most from their equipment investment includes thinking beyond the hardware, including system intelligence, procedures and training to deliver lower cycle times, higher uptime and consistent part quality.

    As a system supplier, Gould said a challenge for Husky is finding good people and training them to be able to solve customers' problems in the field.

    “A lot of our customers have told us that one of their biggest challenges is hiring, and retaining those people,” he said. “We have tried to look at how we can make the user experience as simple as possible and most importantly, as repeatable as possible to get the most efficiency out of the manufacturing system.”

    To achieve this, it is key to remove any artificial barriers that come with putting a system together and owning and operating it going forward. This can start with tooling.

    Additionally, Gould noted that focusing on systems intelligence, procedures at the operator level and training, can help customers get the most out of their machinery investment.

    Automated technology, such as notifications when a machine is out of specification, can help companies adjust to problems in real time, saving money.

    Another trend, according to Gould, is mold identification. The mold is tagged and companies can develop a history for that mold, helping to develop maintenance procedures and manage the lifespan of the mold.

    Smart start/stop can help to simplify operations, expedite recovery and minimize variability.

    Automated color change features can help caps processors get consistent production.

    “Sometimes the most simple things are right in front of us in terms of innovation,” Gould said. “One was the impact of the hot runner on color change time. Going from a diverted tip to an HT-6 six-bolt tip had the impact of reducing color change time by 50 percent. We want from 120 shots going from red to clear to 60 shots. In time, that was more than three minutes.”

    During his presentation, Uhrain focused on a collaborative approach to achieving ultra-high-speed injection molded caps production.

    “It isn't enough to just have the fastest machine or the best mold cooling or the best resin,” he said. “It is all of these things put together to achieve a culture of high-speed caps production.”

    Production cell solutions for injection molding include part design, resin and production.

    “Parts have to be designed to address a number of issues, from the opening and closing torques,” he said. “You also have to be adaptable to various bottle necks. Caps always are getting lighter and lighter.”

    Bottle necks have moved from the old 1810 standard that weighed 2.6 grams to the current 1881 light, which tips the scales at 2.1 grams.

    “You also can use a number of materials to make a beverage closure,” Uhrain noted. “Most are HDPE.”

    The material has a melt flow index of 0.8 to 22, which Uhrain said has an effect on plasticizing torque and injection pressure.

    It also is key to utilize the same logistics for the resin supply to avoid any contaminants.

    Whether you are making one closure or 100 closures, to build the mold properly and make a proper part, the injection time must be the same. The pressure as well as injection and cooling times must also be consistent.

    “Plasticizing rate will depend on the screw specification,” Uhrain noted.

    In process parameters, the temperature of the melt is 450° F.

    Uhrain added that there a several mold considerations to consider to ensure consistency, including dimensions, cooling system, hot runner system, slides system for a TE band, injection force, maintenance and cavitation.

    “For high-speed beverage closures, people are gravitating toward 96 cavities,” he noted.

    Resin and masterbatch supply also is a consideration for processors, along with metal separators, mold cooling, chiller, dry air systems as well as hotrunner control, including connections to the mold.

    One example cited by Uhrain is the impact of a dry air system, which dries the molding area, eliminating condensation or corrosion. This can lead to faster cycles since you can run the mold cooler.

    “Ultimately, the injection molding machines must have accuracy, consistency and reliability,” he said. “You want strong clamp design and good shot consistency.” 

    Arburg's Ward discussed high-output injection molding systems for 2C closures. Focusing on mold and machine technology.

    Ward discussed several types of stack turning technology, including Gram, Turn-Stack, Foboha Cube , TIM and Index Cube options.

    “A lot of closures that you see today are highly engineered,” he said.

    The commercial benefits of cube technology include approximately 7.4 percent less production cost per part, which can result in 73 percent higher profits per year.

    Foboha is a four-sided center block technology which can help reduce cycle time. It also comes in a double-cube technology that features two turning cubes into three split lines. It has co-rotating or counter-rotating indexing for flexible production.

    Ward noted that the advantages of cube compared to conventional rotation technology include a higher number of cavities with the same clamping surface and clamping force, shorter cycle times and inserts that can be introduced during the molding process.

    “Additional production steps are possible on the pre-molded part,” Ward said. “You also can achieve high-quality parts with central application of force. There is no tilting of the clamping unit.”

    Ward also pointed out that electric cube technology can help molders achieve additional savings compared to a hybrid cube system, including cycle time reductions of up to a second and a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption. 

    “There is a higher investment of about 25 percent,” he added. “There is a justification in the higher cost investment based on the cost-per-part.”

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Arcitell's composite Qora Cladding goes to market
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Redline's ‘outrageous cultural behaviors' retain top employees
    2
    Cuts at KraussMaffei to spare US, assembly jobs
    3
    M. Holland, Lavergne strike deal on recycled resin distribution
    4
    K'Nex Brands sold to Florida-based toy company
    5
    PureCycle now planning April startup for PP recycling plant
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified