"Can PET get any lighter?"
"How light can I go without losing quality?"
These are the questions you are probably finding yourself asking more and more right now.
KHS has noticed.
The solution comes down to one part of your process – the line heater.
The InnoPET Blomax Series IV stretch blow moulder uses near infrared (NIR) to heat preforms. In other words, less energy. Only shortwave infrared radiation with an especially high energy density is used. With NIR, the heat penetration of the preform wall is extremely intense. The KHS system also feeds the preform through a closed heating chamber with all-round reflection, which saves even more energy.
During the controlled heating process the neck area of each preform is shielded. This is because heat applied to the neck may deform it and interfere with its proper closing. There is an extremely temperature-sensitive zone directly below the support ring. The KHS line heater makes it possible to protect the neck from heat while heating the preform body with precision so that the PET material in this area can be perfectly stretched.
The line heater is integrated into a specially designed module, which has a reflector. The module has a parabolic mirror, which produces a defined, precisely adjustable ray of heat. This permits focused heating of the critical area beneath the support ring without affecting the sensitive neck area. Additionally heated PET material can be transferred to the bottle body during the stretching process. This means that lighter preforms can be used in the manufacture of PET bottles.
What’s in it for you? The sustainability factor is one given. Responding to your customer's needs and staying competitive is another. The third is a significant cost saving due to lower PET material and energy use.
The line heater is a module that is usually integrated into the rear heater area of a KHS stretch blow moulder. On request, the system can also be quickly retrofitted with little effort. All the necessary connections are provided and the relevant interfaces standardised.
