CRITICAL INSTRUMENTS ( Blow Moulding)

1. Process of Blow Moulding

Blow Moulding is used for the production of hollow objects in large quatities. The main
applications are bottles, jars and other containers. The blow moulding process produces bottles
of superior visual and dimensional quality compared to extrusion blow moulding.

Blow molding is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts are formed. In
general, there are three main types of blow molding: extrusion blow molding, injection blow
molding, and injection stretch blow molding. The blow molding process begins with melting
down the plastic and forming it into a parison or in the case of injection and injection stretch
blow moulding a preform. The parison is a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end
through which compressed air can pass.The parison is then clamped into a mold and air is blown
into it. The air pressure then pushes the plastic out to match the mold. Once the plastic has
cooled and hardened the mold opens up and the part is ejected.
 The process is ideal for both narrow and wide-mouthed containers and produces the fully
finished with no flash and is divided into three areas ;

i. Injection
The injection blow moulding machine is based on an extruder barrel and screw assembly
which melts the polymer. The molten polymer is fed into a manifold where it is injected
through nozzles into a hollow, heated perform mould. The perform mould forms the
external shape and is clamped around a mandrel (the core rod) which forms the internal
shape of the perform. The perform consists of a fully formed bottle/ jar neck with a thick
tube of polymer attached, which will form the body.

ii. Blowing
The perform mould opens and the core is rotated and clamped into the hollow, chilled
blow mould. The core rod opens and allows compressed air into the perform, which
inflates it to the finished article shape.

iii. Ejection
After a cooling period the blow mould opens and the core rod is rotated to the ejection
position. The finished article is stripped off the core rod and leak-tested prior to pack.
The perform and blow mould can have many cavities, typically three to sixteen
depending on the article size and the required output. There are three sets of core rods,
which allow concurrent perform injection, blow moulding and ejection.
2. Advantages of Injection Blow Molding

Injection Blow Molding Extrusion Blow Moulding

No scrap
Uniform wall thickness
Bottle weight variation of 1%
Slower cycle time/ more cavities
Thin walls difficult to control
Hollow handleware not possible
Necks made with injection molded tolerances
One technician per 4-6 machines
20%-40% scrap during production
Wall thickness variation
Bottle weight variation of 3%
Fast cycle time/ less cavities
Thick and thin wall capabilities
Hollow handleware
Necks made with blow molded tolerances
One technician per 1-2 machines

3. Consequences of Blow Molding

i. When the blow molding is broken then the production of Yakult cannot run because the
production process of the bottle is first made to produce Yakult.

ii. If the production of Yakult is using another bottles from others manufacturer, Yakult
might be not fresh and pure because of the chemicals from the bottles will reacts with the
Yakult.

iii. The material of Yakults bottles is which is polystyrene, made in Japan and is made only
for production of Yakult which is contains very low of chemicals contain.

iv. If the structure of the bottles of Yakult is broken, the bottles are removes as trash to
maintain the production of bottles and Yakult.