25 Oct 2001
New system inspects and verifies preform quality
Husky, Pressco partner to develop an integrated injection molding system with vision inspection for continuous part quality monitoring
Bolton, Ontario, Canada — Husky Injection Molding Systems and Pressco Technology Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, have partnered to develop an integrated system that will inspect and verify every molded preform. The jointly developed system will allow molders to quantify key production variables such as reduction in scrap, down-time and associated product handling expenses. In addition, the system will provide such intangible benefits as objective inspection results, early identification and correction of defects, consistent product quality and a tool for predictive maintenance.
The prototype workcell, located at Husky’s Advanced Manufacturing Center on its Bolton campus, consists of Husky’s Index 250 PET machine, a 48-cavity preform mold, specialized product handling equipment developed by Husky and Pressco’s INTELLISPEC™-PSW3 in-line inspection system.
The workcell produces 19.5 gram water preforms at a 10-second cycle time. Sampling and manual inspection of preforms have been replaced by automated inspection of every part. The system provides trend data and correlates the results to individual molding cavities.
Husky is now finalizing detailed design and manufacturing of the product handling system required to support in-line inspection and is now inviting selected PET preform producers to participate in Beta testing.
Reader enquiries
Husky Injection Molding Systems
Notes for editors
Fact Sheet
BACKGROUND
- Preform quality is an expectation in today’s market
- With molding equipment now able to produce in excess of 40,000 preforms per hour, every single part must be inspected to avoid creating truckloads of scrap in hours
- Because many customers’ produce and store preforms before they are blown into bottles, quality defects may not be recognized until millions of parts have been produced. The quality costs associated with this can be crippling.
- Husky Injection Molding Systems and Pressco Technology Inc. have partnered to develop an integrated system that inspects and verifies every molded preform
- The new system will provide benefits that typically lead to paybacks in less than 18 months
- Reduced operating costs from fewer start-ups and operational scrap
- Leaner operation with fewer machine operators and QA technicians
- Reduced transportation and warehousing costs of suspect-gaylords
- Early and consistent identification of defects
- Inspection of many other attributes including defects not easily seen by the naked eye as well as potential to correlate defects to individual molding cavities
- A tool for predictive maintenance of the mold and injection machine
- Most important, by inspecting all preforms the injection and blow machine cycles can be pushed beyond current limits
- Husky is now inviting selected PET preform producers to participate in Beta testing
- The prototype workcell, located at Husky’s Advanced Manufacturing Center on its Bolton, Canada campus, consists of Husky’s 250-tonne Index Quad PET injection molding machine, a 48-cavity preform mold, specialized product handling equipment developed by Husky and Pressco’s INTELLISPECTM-PSW3 in-line inspection system
- The workcell produces 19.5 gram water preforms at a 10-second cycle time
- Sampling and manual inspection of preforms have been replaced by automated inspection of every preform.
Editorial enquiries
James Rodrigues
Husky Injection Molding Systems
Tom O’Brien
Pressco Technology Inc.