| Extrusion Blow Moulding |
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| Bottles and containers |
| Automotive fuel tanks |
| Venting ducts |
| Watering cans |
| Boat fenders etc | |
Inside an RPC container production plant showing automated bottle blowing machines. |
The Process
The blow moulding machine is based on a standard extruder barrel and screw assembly to plasticise the polymer. The molten polymer is led through a right angle and through a die to emerge as a hollow (usually circular) pipe section called a parison.
When the parison has reached a sufficient length a hollow mould is closed around it. The mould mates closely at its bottom edge thus forming a seal. The parison is cut at the top by a knife prior to the mould being moved sideways to a second position where air is blown into the parison to inflate it to the shape of the mould.
After a cooling period the mould is opened and the final article is ejected.To speed production several identical moulds may be fed in cycle by the same extruder unit.
The process is not unlike that used for producing glass bottles, in that the molten material is forced into a mould under air pressure.
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To view a flash animation of this process please click below:
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About The RPC Group
The RPC Group is one of Europe's leading manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging and is unique in offering products made by all three conversion processes, blow moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming, from its 38 autonomous sites in 11 countries.
RPC has six factories dedicated to blowmoulding and others sites involved to a smaller extent. We specialise in producing co-extrusion blow moulded barrier bottles and Food Service Jars made for ambient, long-shelf applications where High Temperature Processing (hot fill, pasteurisation or sterilisation) or Aseptic Filling is used. We have extensive standard ranges available for immediate shelf-life testing against Oxygen and UV light penetration, as an alternative to glass.
We supply a comprehensive range of customers - from the largest European manufacturers of consumer products, including Unilever and Nestlé, to the smallest national businesses. In Blowmoulding, Custom-mouldings are designed and supplied. In addition to blow moulded bottles and jars for Ketchup and other sauces, fruit & vegetables, soup and drinks, RPC covers a variety of end markets including food and drink, personal care, paint and DIY, industrial and pharmaceutical with particularly strong positions in the beauty and personal care sector, the vending and drinking cup market, the margarine industry, and in multilayer sheet, trays, tubs and bottles for oxygen sensitive food products.
To find out more about RPC Group CLICK HERE
To find out more about the blow moulding activities of RPC CLICK HERE
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