PET units take aim at high-speed production. (Keeping up with Blow molding).

Two new high-output integrated injection stretch-blow machines for PET--one geared for recycled material and the other an upgraded model for wide-mouth products--were introduced recently by Aoki Technical Laboratory Inc. in Japan. (U.S. office is in Elk Grove Village, Ill.)

Aoki's new

model 250LL-50S is designed to mold new PET bottles from 100% recycled bottle flake without having to repelletize the PET. The new unit operates at up to twice the production rate of the previous model 250LL-50, unveiled at the K2001 show in Germany. Features of the new machine system include a vented barrel and special screw, agitator hopper, and metal separator. The injection unit is more robust, providing 35% greater injection pressure. The three-station rotary turntable is operated by an electric servo motor, which allows for overlapping other functions to help trim cycle limes. A mechanism for raising and lowering the blow-mold unit allows for a fixed hot-runner nozzle height. The unit recently produced 6.1-g, 125-cc containers in a four-cavity mold in 4.5 to 4.8 sec. It can mold bottles with neck finishes from 18 to 107 mm, in 1 to 10 cavities, at rates from 120 to 5000 bottles/hr.

Aoki also upgraded its SBIII-350LL-100 model with 25% greater injection pressure, 30% higher screw speed, and a larger (60-hp) hydraulic pump motor (previously 50-hp). The unit is designed mainly for PET jars of 2 to 6 liters. It can handle neck finishes of 26 to 120 mm. It can run two to 10 cavities at 350 to 6000 parts/hr. At a recent demonstration, it molded 220-cc, 13-g beverage cups in six cavities with a cycle time under 9 sec-or 2700 bottles/hr. Tel: (847) 981-6000, www.aokitech.co.jp