Plastic Preform Temperature Sensing for Energy-Efficient Blow Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic container production processes are inefficient in energy usage and lack dynamic control over forming and production parameters, leading to unstable operating behavior and limited lightweighting possibilities.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a production unit, forming stations, and temperature detection devices to monitor and control plastic preform temperatures, allowing for dynamic adjustment of parameters such as pre-blow, intermediate, and final blow pressures, and temperature profiles during the stretch blow molding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If plastic preforms are directly processed from injection molding without additional heating, then energy consumption is reduced, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temperature detection devices to continuously monitor the temperature of individual plastic preforms during transport, and feeds this information back to the control system. This enables dynamic adjustment of forming parameters based on actual temperature conditions, achieving precise temperature control without additional heating energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts forming parameters (such as blow pressure, heating time) based on the detected temperature of each individual preform. This dynamic adaptation allows the process to optimize for energy efficiency while maintaining manufacturing precision through real-time parameter modification.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional heating processes are used for plastic preforms, then temperature uniformity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process itself is utilized to preheat the plastic preforms to a temperature close to the required forming temperature. This preliminary heating action reduces or eliminates the need for additional heating processes, achieving energy savings while maintaining adequate temperature uniformity through optimized injection molding parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The residual heat from the injection molding process, which would normally be wasted, is converted into a beneficial resource by directly utilizing it for the forming process. This eliminates the need for separate heating steps, reducing energy consumption while maintaining temperature uniformity through proper process design.
3Reliability
If individual preform temperature monitoring is implemented, then process stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical temperature control mechanisms with optical or infrared temperature detection devices that non-contactively measure preform temperature. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while improving measurement accuracy and process stability through electronic sensing and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing transport mechanism to bring preforms past the temperature detection devices, eliminating the need for separate positioning or handling mechanisms. The transport device serves dual purposes: material handling and enabling temperature measurement, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining process stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces energy consumption by utilizing residual heat from injection molding, stabilizes the process, and enables more efficient lightweighting of plastic containers through precise temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
the first temperature detection device (120) comprises at least one image recording device, in particular a camera and in particular a thermal imaging camera
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Apparatus (101) for producing plastic containers (20) with a production device (102) for producing plastic preforms, wherein the production device (102) has a plurality of production units (103), each of which is suitable and intended to produce plastic preforms (10) from a plastic mass, with a forming device (110), wherein the forming device (110) has a plurality of forming stations (112), wherein the apparatus (101) has at least one transport device (104, 105, 130), which is suitable and intended to transport the plastic preforms (10) at least in sections individually from the production device (102) to the forming device (110), wherein the apparatus (101) further has a first temperature detection device (120, 121), which is suitable and intended toto detect a temperature of individual plastic preforms (10) produced by the production device (102), characterized in that the device further comprises at least one assignment device (114) which is suitable and intended to assign to a plastic preform (10) whose temperature has been detected, the production unit (103) which produced this plastic preform and/or the forming station (112) which will form this plastic preform (10) into a plastic container (20).