Y. Salomeia

Experimental Investigation of Process Conditions in Injection Stretch Blow Moulding

Various processing parameters influence the final product properties in the stretch blow moulding process. These properties are highly dependent on the balance between the stretching of the polymer and blowing times as well as the level of the pressure inside the bottle. A data acquisition system capable of accurately measuring the process conditions within an industrial environment is discussed. Experimental work has been conducted on an industrial stretch blow moulding machine by means of replacing the original stretch rod with one that contains a force cell and a pressure transducer. Correlation between the stretching force, displacement of the rod and the pressure inside the bottle give a better understanding of the process and should allow a more precise final element simulation of the process to be developed.