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Plastics Closure Innovations April 2013

Steve Thomson

Case Studies on the benefits of 1 piece barrier

closures using IRIS co-injection Technology

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Introduction – Steve Thomson

• Age 37

• Strategic Account Manager

• 8.5 Years Service with Mold-Masters

• BSc Polymer Science & Technology

• Coventry University

• 21 years experience in Plastics Industry

• Domestic Appliances

• Automotive

• Plastics Machinery & Equipment Sales

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Examples of 2 Piece Barrier Closures

• Tamper evident feature

• Liner for sealing and/or barrier

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Examples of 3 Piece Barrier Closures

• Tamper evident feature

• Liner for sealing and/or barrier

• Foil liner for barrier or tamper evidence

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Liner Costs

• 30% of the material used to produce the seal for φ38mm plastic cap is

scrapped

• 48% of the material used to produce the seal for φ91 mm plastic cap is

scrapped.

.

305 mm

165 mm

305 mm

127 mm

Plus other costs: Multiple handling, inventory, WIP, Labour

Barrier Sheet cost: $0.35 to $0.45/m

= €5-6/1000 for liner material

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• Cost reduction

• Part consolidation, elimination of assembly,

elimination of scrap and improved yield

• Cost Comparison between IRIS and 2/3 Piece

Closure (48 Cavity)

• 2/3 Pc Closure $16.49

• IRIS $9.73 -69%

• Consumer Simplification

• Foil Seal Removal

Market Drivers for One Piece Barrier Closure

Design compliments of F&S Tool

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• Sustainability

• Reduced weight packaging via part

consolidation

• Elimination of liner scrap

• Use of PCR as filler into new parts

• Brand or Packaging differentiation

• Unique features or appearance, less form

factor constraints

Market Drivers for One Piece Barrier Closure

Design compliments of UCL closures

Design compliments of F&S Tool

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Selected Market Opportunities for Co-injected Closures

Sport Drinks

Condiments

Chemicals

Medical

Fruits / Puddings

Spreads

Tea

Beer / Wine

Dairy

Soups

Baby Food

Pet Food

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BARRIER Co-injection Molding

• Barrier and skin materials injected

simultaneously through a single gate

• Barrier and skin do not mix

• Additives are mixed into the skin

material to make the dissimilar

materials bond

• Barrier Co-injection systems have

been commercialized for 20 years

• Historically High Cost, complex to run,

maintenance intensive Systems

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1) Sequential Co-Injection

Fillers & High Core Percentage

• Beverage

• Industrial containers

• Pallets and Crates

• Personal care

35 to 45% filler possible

• Post Consumer Resin

• Lower grade materials

• Structural components

• Automotive

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2) Simultaneous Co-Injection

Barriers & Thin Core Layers

• Beverage containers and lids

• Beer, juice, carbonation, teas, milk, coffee

• Closures – single piece

• Food containers and lids

• Tomato based, diced fruit, puddings

• Wet pet food

• Medical

• Chemical

• (For Barrier & Thinner Core Layers)

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New Stand alone Mechanical and Controls Options

Co-injection System Components

Co-injection Hot

runner

Controller for:

•Inj. Units

•Valve gate

•Temperature

•Sequence

Auxiliary

Injection Unit

Ability to utilize installed capital and existing suppliers

Cold Half Standard IMM

(IRIS)

OR

2K IMM

Inspection

equipment

components

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Importance of Balance in Co-injection

• First shot balance is critical as it determines the position

and balance of the barrier in the final part

• iFlow Manifold Technology

• Contoured melt channels and brazing

• More even filling

• 10% less fill pressure

• faster fill rates

• faster color changes

Fill balance within

10% at 50% fill

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Balance - Precision Valve Gate Movement

• E-Drive – Servo Valve Gate Control

• Synchronous movement of all pins

• 2-5 times faster reaction times than air

• Controls the valve pin though it’s stroke

• No air or hydraulic fluids

• Essentially maintenance free

• High closing forces

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E-Multi portable Injection Unit

Note: typical usable shot sizes are up to 50-75% of the specification shown here. Consult with MM Engineering.

• Mounts directly to the mold

• Can be used on any conventional molding machine

• Flexible/portable

• Fast, precise, repeatable

• Reduced melt flow path when the unit is mounted on

hot runner

• Low maintenance and energy efficient

• All-electric design

• Compact foot print

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E-Multi Simple Installation & Hookup

Euromap

67 / SPI

Inj unit I/O and carriage power

Barrel Heat and Thermocouple

Robot interface E67 / SPI

Servo motor power and encoder cable

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Case Study: 38mm Hot Fill Closure

Equipment:

• 200T Machine:

• 16 cavity Mold *:

• Co-injection system:

• Inspection System:

• Part Weight: 3.17g

• Wall thickness: 0.73mm

• Skin Material: HDPE [GRADE]

• Barrier content 3% EVOH

• Cavitation: 16

• Cycle time: 4.5 sec *

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System Details Valve pin actuator

Manifold

Nozzle

Inlet

Valve disk

Valve pin

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Integrated Control System

• Single 15” touch screen HMI for all functions

E-Multi injection unit control

E-Drive VG Control

Hot runner temperature control

Primary inj. unit pressure sensing

• Co-injection specific screens

Closed loop feedback and optimization algorithms

• PC based platform with remote diagnostics

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Integrated Process Control

• 3 Key variables on same chart:

Valve pin position

Primary Injection Unit pressure

Secondary Injection unit pressure

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Process Control – Barrier coverage

Top Panel Coverage Full Part Coverage

• Barrier coverage can be adjusted using process changes

• Valve pin position and timing

• Primary versus secondary injection unit sequencing

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• 63 mm cap, 0,5mm (0.020”) nominal part

thickness

• Average barrier thickness was 0,035mm

(7% of wall)

• 0,025mm range (0.001”)

• 63mm cap, 1,0mm (0.040”) nominal part

thickness

• Average barrier could be as much as 0,5mm

or 52% of the wall section

Barrier Control – Thickness

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Barrier Control – Thickness

• Barrier can be tuned in to the desired thickness

through process changes

• Barrier thickness can be as little as 5% or as

much as 60 % of the wall section

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Barrier Control – Flow to the Parting line

• If barrier is required along the entire length of the part then barrier can be

achieved up to within 2 mm of the parting line

• At the parting line the lagging barrier catches up as the leading barrier

decelerates when it reaches the end of fill.

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Barrier Control – No Flow into Plug Seal

• Barrier flow front can be controlled to prevent barrier penetration into ribs or

plugs

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Barrier Control – Position within section

• Barrier and skin flows were adjusted to move the barrier to the core side

Standard flow Revised flow

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Barrier Detection by

• What’s the difference?

• these two closures?

With barrier Without barrier

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SUMMARY: 1 Piece Barrier Closures

Design compliments of UCL closures

• New Technology advancements for

multi-cavity capability

• Lower cost, higher yield opportunity

• Recyclable in current waste streams

• Eliminates foil/liner waste

• Injection molding quality and part

design freedom

29 30 April 2013

IRIS Co-injection Technology Overview

Thank You