Sterile Zone Segmentation in Plastic Preform Blowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing aseptic plastics-material containers require extensive sterile environments for the entire production and filling process, leading to high sterilization costs and contamination risks due to the large areas and multiple machine parts that need to be kept sterile.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a conveying device that positions blow-moulding stations within a clean room while keeping other parts outside, utilizing a compact clean room design with a conveying device that rotates on a circular path and a movable wall to minimize contamination, and incorporating a sterilization device for pre-forms before shaping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire production process is carried out in a clean room, then the sterility of containers is improved, but the cost and complexity of sterilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clean room is segmented into multiple zones (sterile zone and non-sterile zone) separated by a partition wall. The sterile zone contains only essential components (conveying device, blow-moulding stations, filling device), while non-sterile components (heating device, closure device) are placed in the non-sterile zone. This segmentation reduces the sterilization burden while maintaining container sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
Non-sterile components (heating device, closure device) are extracted from the clean room and placed in the non-sterile zone. Only the essential shaping and filling operations remain in the sterile zone, reducing the area requiring sterilization and simplifying the sterilization system.
2Reliability
If a large clean room is used to accommodate all production equipment, then all processes can be performed under sterile conditions, but the sterilization cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The production area is divided into a sterile zone with limited area containing only essential equipment, and a non-sterile zone for auxiliary equipment. This segmentation significantly reduces the clean room area while maintaining sterility where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall acts as an intermediary between sterile and non-sterile zones, allowing controlled transitions while maintaining spatial separation. This enables compact clean room design by eliminating the need for large open sterile spaces.
3Reliability
If multiple machine parts are kept sterile, then contamination is prevented, but the sterilization maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Machine parts are segmented into sterile components (conveying device, blow-moulding stations, filling device) and non-sterile components (heating device, closure device). Only sterile components require sterilization maintenance, simplifying the overall maintenance process.
Solution Approach 2:
Non-sterile machine parts are extracted from the sterile environment and placed in the non-sterile zone, eliminating the need for their sterilization maintenance while preventing contamination through spatial separation.
4Reliability
If the clean room includes the heating device and closure device, then all processes occur under sterile conditions, but the clean room size and sterilization cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The production process is segmented into sterile operations (shaping, filling) and non-sterile operations (heating, closure). Equipment is accordingly divided and placed in appropriate zones, reducing clean room volume while ensuring sterile process completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device and closure device are extracted from the clean room and placed in the non-sterile zone. This extraction reduces clean room volume while maintaining sterility for the critical shaping and filling operations.
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 approach reduces the sterile area and maintenance costs while maintaining sterile conditions throughout the container production and filling process, preventing contamination and ensuring high cleanliness and sterility of the containers.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device, this heating device being arranged upstream with respect to the apparatus mentioned above in a conveying direction of the plastics-material pre-forms
Implementation Method 2
the plastics-material pre-forms being expanded against an inner wall of the corresponding blow mould by being acted upon with compressed air inside these blow-moulding stations
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for shaping plastic preforms into plastic containers is disclosed. Said apparatus comprises a conveying device on which a plurality of blowing stations are arranged. Each of said blowing stations encompasses a blow mold, within which a plastic preform can be shaped into a plastic container. The apparatus further comprises a clean chamber, within which the plastic preforms can be conveyed. According to the invention, the zone of the conveying device in which the blowing stations are arranged is located in the clean chamber, and at least one additional zone of the conveying device is located outside the clean chamber.