PET preform and bottle production technology provider Sipa will show one of its latest XFORM preform injection molding systems at NPE2015. Also on its stand, W-151, will be a single-stage injection-stretch-blow (ISBM) molding system, Sipa T80. Sipa is sharing its stand with Athena Automation, its partner in the development of the XFORM 300 and the smaller XFORM 150.

The XFORM 300, which has an electrically-driven two-platen clamp unit, accepts molds with anything up to 96 cavities. At the show, it will be equipped with a 72-cavity preform mold, produced by Sipa's own moldmaking operation at its headquarters in Vittorio Veneto, Italy.

With its ability to produce a wide range of preform shapes and sizes, including thick-walled types, the XFORM 300 provides users with production flexibility. It has been engineered for quick and easy mold changeovers. It accepts legacy molds from all leading mold manufacturers, and can also be fitted with an innovative post-mold cooling system that, in its DUO configuration, cools the preforms for up to six cycles. The company says that the physical footprint of the XFORM 300 is among the smallest in the industry.

The ISBM system on the booth, Sipa T80, is a four-station model, originally developed by another Italian PET technology specialist, Automa, whose ISBM business Sipa acquired last year. Running with a six-cavity mold, it will produce 500-mL asymetric PET bottles for household cleaning products. These ISBM machines are designed for production of containers in smaller lots than Sipa's existing units, with features that enable quick change-overs between diffferent product configurations. They are also characterized by their compact lay-outs and high energy efficiency. The 800-kN ISBM 80SR consumes 20 kW/h.

The acquisition of Automa’s ISBM business has enabled the company to extend its existing offering in single-stage systems. Sipa now has an even stronger position in the market for equipment producing specialty products, such as containers for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, and spirits.

In addition to these two machines running on the stand, Sipa will present its latest innovations in production and refurbishing molds to optimize performance and output. In addition, it will illustrate the latest innovations in packaging created by its own engineering and design experts.

During the show, Sipa will also hold seminars on its Sincro XTREME technology for producing PET bottles using injection-compression-stretch-blow molding (ICSBM). On March 25 and 26, speakers will discuss how this compact, flexible and easy to operate system produces bottles with outstanding performance and quality, while keeping materials and energy consumption to a minimum. Compression-injection molded preforms are 10% lighter than even the lightest preform produced by conventional injection molding.