The invention concerns a method for managing captive preforms immobilized in a heating station during an interruption of production, the preforms following a production stream, the heating station including a device for conveying preforms and a heating cavity bordered by at least one row of emitters of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. The method consists in ejecting from the production stream the cold captive preforms that have been immobilized before they have been exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a recycling stream and rejecting from the production stream the hot captive preforms that have been at least partly exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a reject stream separate from the recycling stream.

The invention relates to a gripper for holding workpieces, in particular preforms or containers, in their neck region, having a gripper base on which two gripper arms are pivotably arranged, which each have gripping ends for partially enclosing the neck region, wherein the gripper arms are held in a base position under spring tension, in which the gripping ends can jointly enclose and hold a neck region and, if they come into contact with an obstacle, can be pivoted out of the base position jointly in one direction, wherein one of the gripper arms as the main arm (13, 13′) is clamped via a spring (20) with the gripper base (11), which pulls the main arm (13, 13′) into contact with the other gripper arm, functioning as a secondary arm (14, 14′), in the base position, and the main and secondary arm (13, 13′; 14, 14′) are each mounted in a joint (18, 19), wherein the joint (19) of the secondary arm (14) is closer to its gripping end (16) than the joint (18) of the main arm (13), and the main and secondary arm press against one another in the closed position at least in two regions (21, 22), one of which is located above the joint (19) of the secondary arm (14) and the other below it on a lever (25) of the secondary arm (14) extending downward from the joint (19).

A linear drive for a stretch and/or blow moulding machine has a force sensor for detecting actual force absorption of the linear drive during operation, a storage device in which data for a desired force absorption during operation are stored, and a comparison device for comparing actual force absorption with desired force absorption and a signal emitter for outputting a signal if a previously defined deviation between desired force absorption and actual force absorption is exceeded. Also provided is a method for determining a friction coefficient of a linear drive for a stretching and/or blow moulding machine, by determining a desired force absorption of the linear drive during operation, detecting using a force sensor, actual force absorption of the linear drive during operation, comparing actual force absorption with desired force absorption, and outputting a signal if a previously defined deviation between desired force absorption and actual force absorption is exceeded.

Blow molder system and associated method optimizes the performance, energy efficiency and/or operating costs of the blow molder. A blow molder controller executes a system model that relates blow molder input parameter changes to the characteristics of containers generated by the blow molder. Equipped with energy and/or operating cost data for operating the blow molder, the blow molder controller can select a set of blow molder input parameter changes for the blow molder that: drives the containers produced by the blow molder toward desired container characteristics, in an efficient amount of time, and in cost effective manner, considering the energy costs involved in implementing the changes.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a production facility of a series of containers from a series of preforms made of plastic materials. The method includes a first step of producing a preliminary series of individual containers from a preliminary series of preforms made of plastic materials. For each individual container produced during a tracking period, the method records (i) a marking that distinguishes said container other containers produced during said tracking period, and (ii) data relative to the production facility, its operation, and/or the preform or container. The method also includes a second step during which one or more physical values of each of the individually identified containers are measured during the first step, and a third step of compiling a database that matches, for each individually identified container, the measurement(s) of the second step, and the series of data acquired during the first step.

The invention concerns a method for managing captive preforms immobilized in a heating station during an interruption of production, the preforms following a production stream, the heating station including a device for conveying preforms and a heating cavity bordered by at least one row of emitters of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. The method consists in ejecting from the production stream the cold captive preforms that have been immobilized before they have been exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a recycling stream and rejecting from the production stream the hot captive preforms that have been at least partly exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a reject stream separate from the recycling stream.

Method for the production of containers from a series of plastic preforms heated in a container production facility having at least one heating station, a forming machine with a number of forming stations, one or more treatment machines with a number of treatment stations. The method includes: forming the preforms in the forming machine; treating the individual containers in the treatment machine; and circulating each container held individually between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s). The method also includes individual identification of each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period, an individual identification phase including a marking step during which each individual container that is produced during the tracking period receives a marking that matches the container, making it possible to identify individually the container by distinguishing it from all of the other containers produced by the production facility during the tracking period.

The invention relates to a method for controlling confined preforms which are stopped in a heating station during a production interruption, the heating station comprising a device for conveying preforms comprising individual supports which move in a closed circuit and a heating cavity which is bordered by at least one row of transmitters of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. The method includes a step of heating, by the transmitters of the heating cavity, the confined preforms referred to as “cold” preforms which have been stopped before being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitters.

Facility for the production of bottles of liquid products, the bottles being formed from thermoformable plastic, the facility including a blowing device for blowing bottles from preforms, with a heating tunnel, a filling and finishing line including bottle filling, sealing, and/or capping stations, with a buffer conveyor interposed between the blowing device and the filling and finishing line, formed mainly as an endless conveyor suitable for receiving bottles, the buffer conveyor including a first section used under normal flow conditions, and a second section complementary to the first section and serving as buffer storage space under conditions of unplanned stoppage of the filling line, the bottle storage capacity of the second section being at least equal to the number of bottles and preforms which can be received in the blowing machine including in the heating tunnel.

Blow molder system and associated method optimizes the performance, energy efficiency and/or operating costs of the blow molder. A blow molder controller executes a system model that relates blow molder input parameter changes to the characteristics of containers generated by the blow molder. Equipped with energy and/or operating cost data for operating the blow molder, the blow molder controller can select a set of blow molder input parameter changes for the blow molder that: drives the containers produced by the blow molder toward desired container characteristics, in an efficient amount of time, and in cost effective manner, considering the energy costs involved in implementing the changes.