An apparatus for heating plastic preforms, having a transport device which transports the to plastic preforms along a predetermined transport path, having at least one heating element which is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms in order to heat the plastic preforms during their transport, wherein the apparatus has a temperature detection device which is configured to detect a temperature of the plastic preforms in a spatially resolved manner.

An apparatus for producing plastic containers with a heating device configured to heat plastic preforms and with a forming device which forms the heated plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein this forming device being arranged downstream of the heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, and wherein the heating device and/or the forming device having at least one regulating device which makes it possible to regulate the heating process and/or the forming process as a function of at least one property of the plastic preforms. According to the invention, the at least one control device for controlling takes into account in advance at least one variable value which influences the heating process and/or the forming process.

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.

Systems and methods for controlling the operation of a blow molder are disclosed. An indication of a crystallinity of at least one container produced by the blow molder may be received along with a material distribution of the at least one container. A model may be executed, where the model relates a plurality of blow molder input parameters to the indication of crystallinity and the material distribution and where a result of the model comprises changes to at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters to move the material distribution towards a baseline material distribution and the crystallinity towards a baseline crystallinity. The changes to the at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters may be implemented.

The invention concerns a method for measuring the temperature of a preform in a facility comprising: a device for transporting preforms; a device for contact-less measurement of the temperature of a portion of the preform, comprising a sensor which is capable of measuring the temperature of the preforms in continuous travelling motion over a measurement section of the production path. The measurement device is equipped with an optical device which can project an image of the sensor in a measurement direction in the zone for measuring the temperature of the preforms, the measurement zone having a cross-section of dimensions less than the outer diameter of the portion of the preform to be measured. The invention also concerns a facility for implementing the method.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In one embodiment, a system for conditioning a preform for molding includes a heating cavity for receiving the preform, a heater configured to heat a gas, and a blower configured to force the gas heated by the heater into the heating cavity. In another embodiment, a method of conditioning a preform for molding includes positioning the preform in a heating cavity and forcing a heated gas into the heating cavity onto an exterior surface of the preform.

A system for molding an object includes an articulated mold having an axis and a plurality of mold portions configured to collectively define a molding cavity for shaping the object when arranged in respective molding positions. The system includes a plurality of actuators, each operatively coupled to a respective mold portion and configured to move the respective mold portion along the axis from the respective molding position toward a respective ejecting position for releasing the object. The system includes a controller in communication with each of the plurality of actuators and configured to independently activate each of the plurality of actuators such that one of the plurality of mold portions moves along the axis from the respective molding position toward the respective ejecting position while at least one other of the plurality of mold portions remains stationary relative to the object in order to at least partially support the object.

An actuator system for use in a mold system includes a first actuator operatively coupled to a first mold portion and configured to move the first mold portion along an axis in a first direction from a first molding position toward a first ejecting position. The system also includes a second actuator operatively coupled to a second mold portion and configured to move the second mold portion along the axis in the first direction from a second molding position toward a second ejecting position. The system further includes a controller in communication with the first and second actuators and configured to independently activate the first and second actuators.