Energy-saving one-step blow molder boosts production capacity
The US subsidiary of the Japan-based company said its “breakthrough” ASB-150DPW machine offers key upgrades from its predecessor, the ASB-150DP, in terms of production capacity and energy usage – while maintaining the same machine foot print of 7,560mm x 2,750mm (20.79m2). The system enables resin to be processed to a finished container in single machine, eliminating the need for any intermediate handling or storage stage.
The new system has twice the productivity for both narrow and wide mouthed, small-to-medium-size containers. Its double-row configuration increases cavitation to a maximum of 36 compared to 18 on the single-row machine, said the company.
Specifications
The one-step machine offers major sustainability benefits, by reducing the energy cost per container by approximately 40 per cent compared to the company’s single-row ASB-150DP machine. It added the highly-efficient low-volume hydraulic design features variable displacement hydraulic pumps.
“By stringent hydraulic circuit design the cylinder and piping diameters and lengths have been minimised to enable required movements with the lowest possible amount of fluid,” company vice president and general manager Jamie Pace told FoodProductionDaily.com from its US headquarters in Atlanta. “This coupled, with variable displacement hydraulic pumps results in minimising power consumption to the absolute minimum.”
The system can make containers ranging from 50-ml to 1.5-L at a rate of up to 4050 bottles/hr, depending on design and cavitation, added Nissei. Targeted applications range from liquor and energy-drink containers (50-ml) to wide mouth containers for peanut butter, mayonnaise, and toys. Tooled appropriately, the machine is capable of processing PET, PLA, PC, and rPET in neck sizes up to 94-mm.
Benefits
“Brand owners and packaging companies are demanding sustainability improvements and carbon footprint reductions for products requiring medium-to high-production rates; this new model is perfect for those requirements,” said Jamie Pace, vice president and general manager of Nissei ASB Co.
He added the new machine gives “processors the unique ability to make up to twice the number of bottles in the same machine footprint as before with almost the same energy depending on container size.”
“Development was complete early this year,” said Pace. “The first machine is shipping to Atlanta for demonstration and on into commercial production from there.”
Nissei ASB is a global operation with a European presence in the UK, Germany and Denmark. The system us being sold globally and the firm expects 12 orders in the current fiscal year ending September 2010.
