At the upcoming NPE 2006 trade show in Chicago, June 19-23, Sidel plans to introduce in North America its new SBO 4 Compact, designed for rates below 7,000 bottles per hour, and its new SBO 34 HighSpeed, a machine that has broken the 60,000 PET bottle per hour barrier.
Sidel said it has incorporated customer feedback into its third generation platform for blow molding equipment, designed to reduce operating costs, the company claimed in a press release.
The SBO 4 Compactis a linear blow molding machine. It is designed to produce at rates of up to 6,400 bottles per hour. The company claims the changes to the design reduce bottle blowing costs by 20 per cent compared to its previous models. The machine has an efficiency rate of 95 per cent and production rates of 1,600 bottles per hour per mold for sizes up to three liters.
The SBO 4 Compact being exhibited at the show is the first to be sold to a US customer.
The SBO 34 HighSpeed is for small bottles. It can run at 61,200 bottles per hour for bottles under 24 oz. It is equipped with 28 heating modules and 34 blowing stations.
The company says it has brought operating costs down by 30 per cent compared to previous models.
"These impressive gains in performance are due to improvements in many cost factors including overall dimensions, air and electricity consumption, maintenance, and quick production changeovers," the company stated.
The machine operates at 25 bars and an output rate of 1,800 bottles per hour when producing 12 oz. bottles weighing 16.5 grams for the carbonated soft drink market. In addition, Sidel claimed its innovation can give the bottles a shelf life of 20 weeks when used with its Actis barrier treatment.