THE CYPET PROCESS

The Cypet process is a 1-stage process, which can be implemented on a standard injection moulding machine, by fitting it with the following systems:

- An innovative composite injection-blow mould set with a novel layout of injection moulding and blow moulding cavities, fitted within the machine’s clamping unit.

- A stretch-blowing station, mounted on the machine’s clamping unit, for preform transfer, stretch blowing and container removal.

- A control system, integrating the operation of the injection moulding machine with that of the stretch blowing station, with full safety and diagnostic features.

• CYPET PROCESS ADVANTAGES
• CYPET PROCESS DESCRIPTION
• CYPET PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

CYPET PROCESS ADVANTAGES

The patented Cypet process eliminates the two major drawbacks of previous one-stage technologies:

- Investment cost is much lower because of the use of a standard injection moulding machine and the elimination of costly duplication of mould parts (e.g. lip cavities).
- Production rates can be much higher because of the ample space and clamping force available in the clamping unit of the injection moulding machine, which enables the use of more cavities.

At the same time, all the one-stage process advantages are retained:

-Low energy consumption
-Suitability for containers with asymmetrical shapes or wide neck openings (assured neck orientation).
-Superior container clarity and gloss (no preform surface deteriotation due to storage & transport).
-No requirement for expensive preform storage and transport.
-Flexibility to produce a wide variety of container sizes, shapes and neck diameters on the same machine.

Further important features of the Cypet process include:

- All-electric execution can be easily implemented, for production of containers under clean room conditions for medical, pharmaceutical or food contact applications.
- Very fast production changes for shorter production runs, are made possible with a horizontal quick injection mould change system.
- Proven injection mould design based on the mature two stage technology, with a naturally balanced hot runner for consistent preform quality and with large, pneumatically valved gates for low shear rates, fast injection and no stringing.
- Conditioning of preforms prior to stretch blowing can be implemented for fine tuning the temperature profile, thus widening the processing window, especially with respect to preform design tolerances.
- Upright container delivery to belt or air conveyors can be easily incorporated, for convenient container transport to further processing steps like in-line filling.

CYPET PROCESS DESCRIPTION

The innovative Cypet process is based on a composite injection-blow mould set, mounted in the clamping unit of a standard injection moulding machine. The novel way of arranging the injection and blow cavities in relation to each other and to the machine clamping plates, gives the Cypet process the following very important characteristics:

- The opening and closing of the machine clamping plates achieves opening and closing of both the injection and the blow cavities simultaneously (no need for the separate clamping units).

- The machine's clamping force is used to keep all injection and blow cavities securely closed against both the injection pressure and the blowing pressure.

- The preform necks ae accessible from outside the clamp area, so the stretch blowing mechanisms are located adjacent to the clamping unit, leaving the entire clamp area available for the maximum number of caviries.

These characteristics allow for a very cost effective and productive implementation of the Cypet process, with several cavity layouts being possible, for maximum output rates.

In a typical production cycle, when the clamping unit of the machine opens, there are ready containers in the blow moulds that are removed and there are also ready preforms, which are tranferred from the injection cavities to the right position in the blow cavities ready to be stretch-blown into containers in the next cycle. Then the clamping unit closes and while the next set of preforms is beign injected, the preforms just placed in the blow cavities are being stretch-blown into containers.

CYPET PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

Following the patent protection of the Cypet process, Cypet technologies entered the development phase, which was supported by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation and co-funded by the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. The results have been the successful design, development, improvement and testing of the complete CYPET production system, including:

-Design and development of the stretch blowing station for preform transfer, stretch blowing and bottle removal.

-Development of the control system with software for operation control, safety and interface with the injection moulding machine.

-Successful and consistent production of 5 liter PET bottles and 80 mm neck jars of excellent quality.

-Successful implementation of a conditioning station allowing preform temperature conditioning, including control modes for oval and square bottles.

The beta testing phase was conducted with two machines, installed in associates’ premises, one producing 10 liter bottles with 2 cavities and one producing 100 ml pharmaceutical bottles with 16 cavities. The successful completion of beta testing on both machines has proven the process technically for both small and large bottles, indicating that it was mature for commercialization.

In view of the positive results of the development efforts as well as the beta testing phase of the project, CYPET Technologies has undertaken substantial investment. In preparation for the commercialization of the CYPET process, the construction of a new purpose designed building has been completed and the new premises have been operational since the second quarter of 2011.

In addition to the new building, an important part of the investment in preparation for commercialization has been the installation of the large CYPET machine model for the production of 5 gallon PET bottles with 2 cavities and can also be used for the development of large, customer specific containers.

With the infrastructure at the new building now completed, with two CYPET systems (K-16 and K-53) in operation, including all relevant utilities (Resin drying, compressed air, chilled water, measuring and testing), the Cypet process is commercial, with three machine models on offer, for the production of bottles up to 30 liters capacity and jars of up to 145 mm neck diameter.