Method for initial adjustment of a facility for producing a series of containers from a container model based on a series of preforms from a preform model. The facility includes a forming machine with a forming station where a preform is formed into a container. The initial adjustment method includes: determining a preform parameter relative to the preform model and a container parameter relative to the container model to be produced based on the preform model; determining at least one adjustment parameter of the forming machine, making it possible to produce a container in conformance with the container model based on a preform in conformance with the preform model; and adjusting the forming machine according to the preform, container and adjustment parameters. The step for determining at least one adjustment parameter of the forming machine is done by calculation based on pre-recorded formulas, utilizing the preform and container parameters.

A method for parameterization of a station of a production facility for heating a series of containers based on heated preforms including: determining a preform parameter; determining a parameter that is representative of the heating station; determining a heating adjustment parameter making it possible for the heating station to heat the preforms at the reference temperature based on the machine parameter; and adjusting the heating station according to the preform and heat adjustment parameters.

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.

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.

A method of thermal imaging a preform for a blow molding operation is provided. The method involves heating a preform and measuring its temperature along is longitudinal axis and around its circumference and converting the temperature measurements into a two-dimensional thermal image.

A closed-loop method of heating a preform for a blow molding operation is provided. The method involves inspecting a preform upon entry into a system, heating the preform, measuring a preform temperature along its longitudinal axis and around its circumference, heating the preform again, measuring a preform temperature again along its longitudinal axis and around its circumference, comparing the second temperature measurement to a known, acceptable temperature measurement, and optimizing the heating step(s) to ensure subsequent optimization of the heating of subsequent preforms.

The invention relates to a method for operating mechatronic functional modules for the production, processing, inspection and/or intermodular transport of containers for liquid products in a production system, and to a corresponding production system. According to the invention, the functional modules each store, in machine-readable form, individually assigned initial design data and specification data and initial topological data at least regarding the product flow in the production system and the communication between the functional modules. Because the functional modules are also controlled using the initial design data, specification data and/or topological data, production processes and maintenance measures can be particularly flexibly carried out, in a decentralized way, with greater efficiency and with the possibility of intermodular data transfer.

A medical stent mold includes a tube having an interior passage sized and dimensioned to receive a stent assembly disposed at least partially about a central portion of a stent balloon. The medical stent mold may also include a housing forming a chamber through which the tube extends. The tube may include a thermally conductive material and may have a body portion that extends within the chamber and an end portion that is proximate the body portion and that extends away from the housing. Forced convection may be used to quickly heat and cool the tube. Methods of increasing retention of an expandable stent assembly on a stent balloon and of detecting a leak in a stent balloon are also included.

An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers has a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path. The conveying device has a movable station carrier arranged at least indirectly on a stationary base carrier and on which a plurality of shaping stations are arranged. The shaping stations have blow moulding devices which form cavities inside which the plastics material preforms are shaped to form plastics material containers. The blow moulding devices are arranged on blow mould carriers. The apparatus has a changing device suitable for removing at least the blow moulding devices from the blow mould carriers and/or arranging blow moulding devices on the blow mould carriers. A changing device has a gripping device for gripping the blow moulding device, wherein this gripping device is movable in at least two different directions and is pivotable about at least three different axes.

Method for controlling a method for the manufacture of a container by stretch-blow-molding of a plastic preform (2) in a machine (1) including a mold (26), the preform (2) having a body (3), a neck (4) opening at one end of the body (3) and a bottom (5) closing the body (3) at another end thereof, the manufacturing method including the operations involving:heating the preform to a predetermined temperature in a thermal conditioning oven (10);introducing the preform (2) into the mold (26);moving a stretching pin (28) so as to stretch the preform (2); this control method involving a step that consists in determining the position of impact (P0r) of the stretch pin (28), namely the position it occupies at the moment at which it reaches the bottom (5) of the preform (2) during its movement.