The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring and regulating sections of a for forming hollow glass articles. Each section includes a parison-forming device forming device includes a device for cooling its two parts. The system includes a processing unit configured to deliver corrective data allowing the cooling devices of the parison-forming devices to be controlled. The system further includes the same number of cameras measuring in the near infrared wavelength (e.g., NIR cameras), which deliver shades of grey measured on the parison-forming moulds. The processing unit includes a database of visual hues corresponding to temperatures defined on the parison-forming devices in an open position. The processing unit delivers corrective data as a function of the shades of grey measured in real time by the NIR cameras on the parison-forming devices in the open position and of at least one reference temperature adjusted on said system.

A glass container blank mold includes a mold portion having a neck end, an opposite baffle end, and a molding surface located between the ends that partly defines the shape of an exterior surface of a glass parison formed in the mold. Axial cooling channels formed within the mold portion extend axially alongside the molding surface and radially outboard of the molding surface. Heat block channel locators are formed on one of the ends of the mold portion. Each locator is visibly discernible from the end on which the locator is formed and radially inboard of the cooling channels. Each locator has a thermally insignificant depth and is located such that, when a heat block channel having a thermally significant depth is formed at the locator, heat transfer characteristics of the mold portion are altered between the molding surface and at least one of the cooling channels.

A method of forming a glass container includes providing a glass parison having a tubular wall that includes an inside surface, which defines an interior parison cavity open at one axial end of the tubular wall, and an outside surface. The tubular wall includes an expandable blow portion that has a forming viscosity between 10.sup.7.5 Pa.Math.s and 10.sup.5.5 Pa.Math.s and is also in an isoviscous state. The glass parison is blow molded into a glass container by introducing a compressed gas into the interior parison cavity to thereby cause the expandable blow portion of the tubular wall to expand outwardly into a portion of a wall that defines the glass container.

A method includes forming a first parison in a glass blank mold, forming a first glass container from the first parison, altering thermal characteristics of the glass blank mold, and subsequently forming a second parison in the glass blank mold and a second glass container from the second parison. Altering the thermal characteristics of the glass blank mold includes forming a heat block channel at the heat block channel locator on an end of the mold or altering coolant flow characteristics of an axial cooling channel by accessing the cooling channel through a coolant deflector of the mold.

A plunger actuation arrangement, parison forming arrangement, a forming machine and methods are provided. Improved fluid flow paths are provided. Cooling arrangements for cooling a linear actuator are provided. Attachment and alignment features are provided for attaching and allowing alignment of a plunger relative to the actuator. Simplified mounting arrangements for mounting the actuation arrangement relative to a machine frame are provided.