A method for forming containers from preforms. The method includes loading successive preforms into successive molds at a mold loading station, each mold having a mold cavity in the shape of the containers to be produced. The containers being formed in a forming station by injecting a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform in order to expand the preform and acquires the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity. The steps performed at the mold loading station and the forming station are distinct from each other, and a transferring step occurs at a transferring station arranged between the mold loading station and the forming station where successive molds containing the preforms are transferred from the mold loading station to the forming station.

Systems and methods control the operation of a blow molder. 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.

A plastic container includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, at least one thread, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A non-compliant fiber-reinforced medical balloon comprises a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer embedded in a continuous matrix of thermally-weldable polymer material defining a barrel wall, cone walls and neck walls. The fibers of the first fiber layer have a pattern of different lengths and are divisible into a first group and a second group based on length. The length of the fibers of the second group varies progressively in accordance to their proximity to the fibers of the first group; the fibers of the second group closest to the fibers of the first group being longer than the fibers of the second group further from the fibers of the first group. The fiber of the second fiber layer winds circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the balloon substantially over the entire length of the balloon.

A mold assembly includes a services block and a cavity plate defining at least a portion of a molding cavity. A quick connection mechanism can connect and disconnect the plate and the services block. The cavity plate may include a base block and a mold cavity block. A mold assembly may include two opposed combinations of such a service block and a cavity plate each mounted to an opposed platen. The base block may include a quick connection device operable connect with and disconnect from a quick connection device on the services block. A services channel in the cavity plate may connect with and disconnect from a service channel in the services block with a quick connection mechanism. A molding system may include a plurality of such cavity plates, each operable to connect with and disconnect from the same services block.

A method of sub-ambient pressure processing of blow-molded polymer foams and skin-over-foam sandwich panel configurations for lightweight components having improved structural properties. The method can create either skinned or un-skinned foams that offer smooth interior and exterior surfaces, zero or controlled surface porosity, skins of pre-defined thickness, and foam cells that are expanded and oriented normal to the material plane, effectively spherical or polyhedral in nature, and offering improved bending and compressive strength.

A method for producing a preform includes inserting the preform, while still hot after having been injection molded, into a cooling apparatus, which cooling apparatus has an internal space, the inner contours of which conform to the outer contours of the preform. A negative pressure is generated between the inner contours of the internal space (29) and the outer contours of the preform. The injection point created on the preform during injection molding is pushed by the negative pressure to a stamp present on the inner contour and pressed to the stamp.

A preform for an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container uses an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the preform forms a two-layer container upon blow-moulding, and wherein the obtained inner layer of the container releases from the thus obtained outer layer upon introduction of a gas at a point of interface between the two layers. At least one of the inner and outer layers includes at least one additive allowing both inner and outer layers to reach their respective blow-moulding temperatures substantially simultaneously.

A mold for injection molding, the mold including two or more cavity rows, each cavity row having a plurality of cavities, and a cooling flow path, the cooling flow path including: at least one supply port, a distribution conduit, a supply conduit, a cavity cooling portion, a discharge conduit, a collecting conduit, and at least one discharge port. The supply conduit and the discharge conduit are parallel to the cavity rows, and at least one supply conduit and at least one discharge conduit are provided for each cavity row. The distribution conduit and the collecting conduit have larger diameters than the supply conduit and discharge conduit. The distribution conduit and the collecting conduit are arranged below the supply conduit and the discharge conduit such that the distribution conduit and the collecting conduit are provided at different heights from the supply conduit and the discharge conduit.

Systems and methods control the operation of a blow molder. 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.