Stretch Blow Moulding
A Hands-on Guide
I am pleased to announce that after years of answering questions about
stretch blow molding by people from all over the world I found the time to sit
down and write a book that will answer most of them. This book details machines,
process, and auxiliaries in a way both novices and experts will be able to make
good use of. 
Starting with material basics, process parameters that drive molecular orientation during bottle blowing are explained in an easy to understand format. This chapter shows the importance of orientation and the ways to get it. To implement the resulting process requirements the reader learns about the way heat is transferred into the PET preform, how stretch ratios affect the process and what the optimal preform temperature is. Detailed graphs show the relationship between inside and outside preform wall temperature and power settings of the oven lamps.
Putting this into practice the book examines the oven system in detail elaborating on airflow and equilibration times with different oven systems. Unique diagrams then show what happens inside the blow mould with a detailed description of each step. Bringing this one step further detailed instructions on how to start production with a new preform/bottle combination follow. The most extensive trouble-shooting guide ever compiled lists detailed causes of each common bottle problem as well as solutions.
Throughout the book references are made to both rotary and linear machines. Both machine types are described in a general overview as well as close detail for those who want to learn more about the inner workings of these machines.
The economics of bottle production is the topic of another chapter. It lists the various business models and key cost drivers of both preform and bottle production before outlining the many considerations to be taken before starting a new production. A sequential checklist for those readers who want to start a new venture should prove helpful and avoid many costly mistakes.
Besides the common bottles for water and carbonated soft drinks special applications have also found room in the book. Multi-layer, Oriented Polypropylene, and the heat-set process for hot-fill applications are worth mentioning here as the growth of the industry is relying to a large part on these more advanced technologies.
Laying out a plant also entails specifying auxiliary equipment such as compressors, chillers, and bottle conveying and storage devices. The book describes these machines and shows how capacities can be calculated and what the advantages and disadvantages of different systems are.