Coating System Improves Handling of PET Preforms

A new preform coating system (PCS) that enables preforms to be accurately sprayed directly after the injection-molding process has been developed collaboratively by Chem-Trend, Bonino Group, and Steidle.

A global manufacturer of high-performance release agents, purging compounds, and other ancillary molding products, Chem-Trend (Howell, MI) worked closely with Bonino Group, a manufacturer of orientation and sorting systems based in Italy, and Steidle, specializing in micro-spraying lubrication systems in Leverkusen, Germany, to engineer the system.

“The preform coating system from Bonino reliably reduces scratches on PET preforms with precision spraying of Lusin Lub O 32 F. It also increases the number of preforms that can be stored in an Octabin container, which reduces the shipping and warehousing cost of preforms,” said Granziano Pestarino, Global Account Manager, Thermoplastics Packaging, at Chem-Trend. “Together with our partners, we are now able to present a revolutionary system that will allow converters to coat preforms in a safe way.”

The system is installed directly after the injection molding machine and before the soft drop or Octabin. The preform coating agent is food-contact compliant and is a hybrid product that combines the effects of a lubricant and release agent, said Chem-Trend. The system is designed to precisely spray only the body of the preforms without applying any coating agent to the thread. A specially designed safeguard installed around the neck area of the PET preforms prevents the coating agent from entering the preforms. The application method allows Lusin Lub O 32 F to coat preforms on the full body, which results in a drastic reduction of scratches during filling and unloading of the Octabins, explained the company.