Preform Conditioning Tooling With Air-Gap Cooling and Core Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern blow molding machines lack effective conditioning station tooling to adjust and maintain the temperature of preforms after injection molding, leading to improper article formation and visual defects due to heat retention.
Innovation Solution
The conditioning station tooling includes a mold with a cavity and a core that allows air to be injected between the mold and the preform, along with a bubbler mechanism to cool the interior and exterior surfaces of the preform, enabling precise temperature control and form modification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the conditioning station is removed to reduce cycle time, then productivity increases, but temperature control of preforms deteriorates causing article formation defects
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning station tooling is divided into two separate functional components: a mold for conditioning the exterior surface of the preform and a core for conditioning the interior surface. This segmentation allows independent temperature control of each surface, enabling precise temperature management without requiring a full conditioning station cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The mold and core are positioned to contact the preform during or immediately after injection molding, performing preliminary temperature adjustment before the preform proceeds to the blow molding stage. This preliminary action ensures the preform is at the optimal temperature for article formation, eliminating the need for a separate conditioning station
2Temperature
If air is injected through the gap between mold and preform, then exterior surface cooling improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air injection system is extracted from a complex centralized conditioning system and integrated directly into the mold structure. Air inlet channels are built into the mold itself, allowing direct injection of cooling air through the gap between the mold and preform exterior surface, simplifying the overall system while maintaining effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The gap between the mold and preform serves as an intermediary channel for air flow. Instead of requiring direct contact or complex internal channels within the preform, the system uses the natural gap as a conduit to deliver cooling air to the exterior surface, simplifying the cooling mechanism
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
This solution effectively adjusts the temperature and form of preforms, preventing defects and ensuring high-quality article formation by maintaining optimal conditions before blowing.
Implementation Method 1
air to be injected from the air inlet, through the gap between the mold and the preform, and out of the air outlet
Implementation Method 2
a core configured to be received within an interior of the preform and configured to contact an interior surface of the preform
Data Source
AI summary
Conditioning station tooling for adjusting a temperature of a preform. The tooling comprises a mold presenting a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the preform. The mold is configured to receive the preform such that a gap is present between the mold and the preform. The mold includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The tooling is configured to permit air to be injected from the air inlet, through the gap between the mold and preform, and out of the air outlet. The tooling further comprises a core configured to be received within an interior of the preform and to contact an interior surface of the preform.