NPE2024 Wrap-Up: Sustainability Dominates Show Floor News

The following report wraps up our coverage of machinery and equipment on display during May’s NPE20024. Please refer to issues from March to July for additional reportage of all processing technologies or point your browser to ptonline.com/topics/npe to get all NPE2024 coverage in one place.

Sustainability on Center Stage

Sustainability in the form of processing recycled or biobased resins and AI through existing Industry 4.0 platforms, as well as hinted at generative AI offerings, were omnipresent in injection molding. Asked about Arburg and the industry’s response to ever increasing public pressure on the plastics industry to address sustainability concerns, Martin Baumann, CEO at Arburg USA, acknowledged the environmental elephant in the room. “Sustainability is on everyone’s mind,” Baumann said during the German-headquartered injection molding machine suppliers NPE2024 press conference. “The scientific assessment — not the emotional assessment — says plastics are best answer for many applications. Plastics are here to stay,” but when it comes to improving their sustainability, “Everyone has a role to play.”

For Husky, which has long dominated technologies applied in single-use applications, including PET preforms, the company defended plastics while recognizing current challenges. Positioning PET as “the clearly superior choice” over paper or aluminum based on performance and carbon footprint, Husky CEO John Galt also addressed challenges facing the industry, saying in the company’s NPE2024 release, “Make no mistake, plastics pollution is a problem.” For its part, Husky says the solution to that problem is to transition the industry from a linear to a circular economy. To that end,

showcasing the potential circularity of a PET bottle, Husky showed how a bottle could be taken from collection, to washing, grinding, blowing and filling and be back on store shelves and into consumers’ hands in as little as five days.

At the show, a HyPETHPP6e machine molded a 5.89-g preform from 100% rPET material. Elsewhere in the booth, an Hylectric 4.0 system utilizing the company’s UltraShot injection technology molded a bioresin part, as Husky positions its UltraMelt technology, with precised process control, as an answer for molding bioresins. Other sustainability-led efforts at the show included design and development in lightweighting, tethered closures and introduction of bottle closures manufactured from 100% PET, creating monomaterial packaging that could streamline recycling of bottles that currently deploy polyolefins in the caps.

KraussMaffei went a step further, closing the loop on products molded in its booth and not just using regrind, but reformulating and repelletizing the components into new pellets. Clear blood vials molded from a 32-cavity tool on all-electric medical-graded PX 251-1400 press in a 7-second cycle, were granulated and air conveyed to a ZE 28 BluePower twin-screw extruder, which was fed the flake by a gravimetric blender. Four liquid dosing units, which were integrated into the extruder’s controls, enabled the creation of new “KraussMaffei blue” pellets. Photometric sensing was used to watch for color disturbances, automatically altering the liquid dosing unit to change settings as the ExxonMobil PP 9074 MED material was recompounded into new blue pellets. Processing at a rate of 40 kg/hr, the extruder was connected to an underwater pelletizer which in turn fed newly compounded pellets to a spin dryer that separated the water from the resin and dumped the output into a clear gaylord.

These newly created pellets were then fed to a PX81 electric injection molding machine running a standard general-purpose screw. The meltflow index (MFI) for the new pellets was slightly higher — 28 vs. 24 — as the material was overmolded onto metal inserts, fed by an automation system, for a bottle opener. To deal with the differing material viscosities, the machine deployed KM’s APCplus dynamic control. At the show, the system ran a 39-second cycle, but KM said in production that could be cut to 30 seconds. A Keyence system laser etched a QR code on each bottle opener, providing attendees who scanned it all of KM’s NPE2024 details.

In another display of processing recycled resins, KM operated an 1,100-ton model of its Direct Compounding Injection Molding (DCIM) system, molding five components of a reusable crate in a 40-second cycle, which were automatically assembled by a robot post molding. In this exhibit, six different materials, including three types of postindustrial recycled scrap, were combined with compounding and injection occurring in the same machine. The materials mix included an injection molding grade of PP from an automotive application, in addition to PP fiber from ground up FFP2 face masks and a blow molding grade of PP. Additives introduced included a stabilizer, colorant and iron powder, which aided in demolding. Altogether the inline compounded material mix is said to cut material costs by up to 50%. 

The tool was fed by a 90-mm screw with a 950-g shot. KM noted that the DCIM can process virtually any material, save PVC (which would require a counter-rotating twin screw). Melt filters can be added as well to deal with any potential contaminants in the recycled material stream.

Under the maxim of “green is more than a color,” Engel positioned sustainability as the third key pillar in its NPE2024 display. Being one of only 80 companies to earn EcoVadis Platinum status in 2023, Engel considers itself part of the global circular economy with an internal department focused on the topic. Beyond producing equipment that enables recycled and biobased materials to be processed, the company also positioned energy efficiency as a key sustainability focal point, noting that use of its temperature controllers and intelligent assistants in its presses can lead to energy savings up to 67% compared to standard hydraulic machines.

In Orlando, Engel Group CEO Stefan Engleder said the perception that the U.S. plastics industry lags the European Union in recycling activity is false, noting that many of its customers currently use large quantities of reclaimed materials. If clear legislation around collection is introduced and there’s a correlation between the demand and supply of recycled materials, Engleder says Engel believes there’s huge potential for plastics recycling in the U.S.

At the show, an 830-ton Wintec t-win 750/7800 machine molded garage floor tiles from 100% recycled ocean waste, using an integrated Engel viper 40-linear robot for part removal. Engel’s iQ weight control managed viscosity changes in the recycled materials, which ran on Wintec customer CH3 Solutions’s mold, with raw material from Chilean firm Atando Cabos, which takes on ocean waste by recycling discarded fishing ropes in Patagonia.

JSW, which has installed a machine in moldmaker StackTeck’s facility as part of its iMFLUX center of excellence, showcased that technology’s ability to run postconsumer recycled (PCR) materials on the basis of its ability to adapt to shifting viscosities. At the show, a 100-ton all-electric JSW machine, which came fromiMFLUX’s tech center in Ohio, ran dosage cups for P&G. JSW developed software specifically for iMFLUX, which can automatically eliminate previous set points and put the machine in full iMFLUX control. The medical-spec machine featured powder-coated panels to eliminate dust and utilized integrated J-Mag magnetic platens for securing tools.

Not physically at the show but announced there via video, JSW also debuted large 2-platen J3000F for the first time in North America. Available in tonnages of 1800, 2500 and 3000, the fully servo two-platen has an auxiliary hydraulic unit. Utilizing a tiebar lock-type clamping unit gives the machine a compact-for-its-size length of just under 50 feet and a dry-cycle time of 6.7 seconds.

Niigata showcased the ability to run recycled material in a completely unbalanced tool via its Constant Pressure Fill (CPF) low-pressure molding process. Now standard on all new 8000 Series all-electric injection molding machines, CPF also means there’s less molded-in stress in the parts; less clamp force required; potentially shorter cycles and easier venting for tools. Filling with low, constant pressure — 6000 psi at the show — versus speed, the machine was able to provide balanced, completely filled cavities despite an intentionally unbalanced tool and the use of recycled resin. Niigata says CFP uses constant, low pressure to pack as parts are filled in the shortest possible time. Under the process, significantly lower than standard constant pressure is maintained throughout the cycle until the cooling stage. Meanwhile, screw speed is constantly adjusted as sensors signal the changes in resistance, temperature and viscosity.

Nissei showcased the molding of several renewable materials including a PLA filled with wood flour that the Japanese injection molding machine supplier made itself and will begin selling commercially in 2025. Sustainably sourced from forests in Japan, Nissei has been able to load biobased PLA resin with up to 35% by weight of the wood flour. Also in the booth, a Nex80 injection molding machine with the latest Tact 5 controller molding biobased PHA from Danimer. The machine includes a plasticization analyzer that can optimize melt settings based on the resin. In a co-injection display featuring foaming, Nissei showed how foamed scrap material can be sandwiched inside a part, reducing material usage and enabling use of recycled resin.

Artificial Intelligence on the Mind

AI was also on the lips of many exhibitors, even if its specific AI offerings were still in development. Some exhibitors sought to differentiate between the latest AI, which often apply large language model neural networks to automatically generate outputs vs. longstanding industry efforts in machine learning and Industry 4.0. “You have to ask, ‘What is an intelligent, advanced algorithm and what is AI,” Guido Frohnhaus CTO Arburg posited. At this point, Arburg says it will apply AI in three areas: customer support, advancing its process assistants and applying it internally for the company’s own R&D efforts.

On the first point, the company has created the Ask Arburg generative AI chat bot, which is filled with information on the injection molding process and Arburg’s equipment. On the second point, the company will use AI to advance its process assistants, like fill assist or in automation. “We will use learning to correct and generate really precise programs,” Frohnhaus says, viewing AI as a possible solution for collision control, among other topics. On the first two points, where customers allow, Arburg will collect and analyze specified customer machine data to further improve the technology.

Internally, the company is looking at how AI can speed up its R&D process, including how it handles intellectual property protection and patent work.

Michael Wittmann, managing director of injection molding machine, automation and auxiliary supplier Wittmann, for his company’s part noted that Wittmann planned to share more details about its efforts in AI at its Competence Days event in June. At the show, Wittmann said that for now the company sees AI as being initially most applicable as a user interface, with the company collecting data from operation manuals and customers, and feeding that into a neural network. In a tight labor market, Wittmann said its customers are interested in collecting the knowledge they have and storing it in central locations.

Down the line, the company has plans to use AI for robot teach programs as a support, providing recommendations. Wittmann said what AI won’t do is interfere with or alter a process without user consent. “Where there is a user interaction, it’s a perfect potential application for AI,” Wittmann says.

At the Competence Days event, held June 19-20, the company used interactive presentations to show current developments in digitalization, Wittmann 4.0, data transparency through intelligent assistance systems and the use of AI in customer service. Alexander Kronimus, acting CEO of PlasticsEurope Germany, provided a presentation entitled “AI and Digitalization — The Gamechangers for the Plastics Industry.”

In the weeks that followed NPE, Engel too made an announcement around AI. During its Digital Days event held June 18-20 at its facilities in Schwertberg and St. Valentin, Austria, Engel introduced a prototype large-language model assistant for its customers: Engel GPT. Using voice input, molders can access “extensive and interconnected knowledge,” with the system integrated directly into the customer portal. An Engel spokesperson declined to provide a release date for Engel GPT, noting the dynamic nature of large-language models and adding that Engel’s internal AI team joked that every two weeks they could completely change the Engel GPT presentation.

At Shibaura, digitization and sustainability came together in the form of the company’s MachiNetCloud smart factory platform equipped with the new Sustain app. Shibaura’s Michael Werner noted that the program can measure energy consumption required to mold each part and use that and more data points to calculate the carbon footprint for a given component and process.

Using some additional hardware to measure amperage and voltage consumed, the program can generate a factorywide report. Based on the local power grid and its sources for electricity generation, the program can calculate the environmental footprint of the part and the plant. It can also measure water and air usage for process cooling and pneumatic systems. Brand agnostic, Werner says MachiNetCloud can connect any molding machines or auxiliary equipment, displaying all the data on one screen.

“Everybody loves an app,” Werner says, “but if I’m on the shop floor, the last thing I want to do is open five different apps.” Cloud based, the program gives molders traceability and visibility with all firmware updates handled by Shibaura. At the show, the IIoT platform was connected to four presses in the company’s booth, as well as three more at the convention center and a customer in full production outside of NPE.

RJG partnered with Sodick Plustech to showcase its AI offering, Max, at NPE2024. During the show, RJG’s Doug Espinosa showed how altering process settings such as fill, pack and injection pressure would prompt Max to alert the molder. As an example, Espinosa altered the process’s hold time, prompting Max to say that the new hold time is below target and does not match the template. By accepting Max’s recommendation to get the process back to its template, Max displayed a green check. On the plant floor, RJG says Max will help process techs start to learn the correlation between process changes and the impact on molded parts.

In extrusion, three Italian machine builders brought out the big guns, two of them (Macchi and Bandera) running all-PE, multilayer film lines and a third, Colines, running the first cast film line at an NPE in memory. Colines and ExxonMobil collaborated on an innovative low-thickness High Tenacity Hand Wrap (HTHW) film. This new product boasts an ultrathin thickness of 8 microns and contains 35% postconsumer recycled (PCR) material. Designed for both manual use and automatic machines (up 50-100% prestretch), the film showed exceptional quality and excellent retain force characteristics.

The film's formula was developed by ExxonMobil in collaboration with Colines’ R&D department, using Enable 1617, which ExxonMobil also launched at the NPE 2024. This collaboration highlighted the extreme versatility of Colines ALLrollEX lines for the extrusion of stretch film. The ALLrollEX lines also feature an inline edge folding system, making them well suited for the production of high PCR content films for automatic machines use.

New PET Blow Molding Developments

Overall, the news in blow molding machinery at NPE2024 was pretty well balanced between packaging and industrial sectors, PET and other resins. News from 15 suppliers was previewed in our April, May and June issues. However, additional news gathered from the show floor is much more heavily weighted toward PET consumer packaging.

Here’s what was not previously reported:

• Nissei ASB presented the global debut of three ASB Series injection stretch-blow (ISBM) machines with the new Vision 1 control and monitoring system. First introduced on one model in 2021, Vision 1 is now standard on all U.S. ASB machines. This is a multipurpose system based on a B&R industrial PC. Apart from machine control, it can be networked into a factory management system — or can even be networked globally for large, multiplant operations. It’s said to be fully compliant with the OPC UA global standard protocol for industrial network communications, known as Industry 4.0. Compatible upstream and downstream auxiliaries can be integrated into the molding machine’s control panel, and the Vision1 can enable offsite data collection and diagnosis by the processor’s technical staff or ASB tech support.

At the show, Vision 1 was featured on ASB-70DPW v4, ASB-150DP and ASB-150DPW machines, all of which were also equipped with ASB’s patented Zero Cooling technology. Introduced in 2019, Zero Cooling is said to increase productivity up to 50% by transferring preform cooling from the injection station to the conditioning station, shortening overall cycle time.

The molding demonstration on the ASB-DP Vision 1 machine was notable for converting a flat-disc preform into a deep-draw, 16-oz. PET beer cup. Weighing 14.5 g, the cups were molded in seven cavities in around 8 seconds, for 3,000 cups/hr. The cycle first molds a flat preform, then preblows it into a shallow cone in the conditioning station, and finally stretch-blows the deep cup (see illustration). This approach is said to speed molding of deep, thinwall containers and to be more cost-effective than thermoforming or injection molding.

Also noteworthy was the demonstration of the model ASB-70DPW molding 12-oz, oval shampoo bottles — not from PET, but HDPE. This had previously been demonstrated in the U.S. market in a less demanding single-row molding configuration. To meet requests for higher output, the tooling was converted to double-row, reportedly making this approach economically competitive with injection-blow molding, which predominates in this application. ASB says its 70DPW machines can easily be adapted to molding PET, PP, HDPE, COC and a wide range of other resins, including bioplastics that may be unsuited to conventional injection-blow molding.

• KHS highlighted three advances in PET containers at NPE2024. One was the design of the brand-new Factor 101 591-ml PET water bottle molded of 100% rPET. Husky Technologies developed the preform, which weighs 5.8 g with a 25/22 neck. It uses less PET than a typical 7-g 500-ml bottle while holding more liquid contents. A special base helps the bottle withstand >200 N topload force with 8-mm deflection. On KHS rotary two-stage machines, it reportedly can be produced at 90,000 bph.

In addition, KHS showed off an evolution of its system for NIR heating of PET preforms. Compared with more commonly used mid-IR heating systems, NIR is said to be absorbed faster by PET, providing faster heating with less energy consumption in shorter ovens. A newer development is replacing the former single-lane heating with dual lanes of preforms, which is said to save up to 30-40% of heating energy and enables a shorter oven — though it does involve higher upfront cost. Available for more than four years, the dual-lane heating system has been sold mostly in Japan — and one system in Europe —but is now gaining more interest in the U.S.

KHS also has upgraded its Plasmax plasma coating system for depositing a microthin “glass” layer inside PET bottles. The system now applies a thinner coating (<100 nm) while still providing required barrier properties. A new, more robust system has fewer components for less wear and tear, and occupies the same floor space. It now can coat on up to 60,000 bph, vs. 40,000 bph for the earlier version. The coating is said to wash off during caustic washing in recycling operations.

Pet All Manufacturing of Canada supplies its own range of Can Mold extrusion blow and injection-blow machinery, as well as two-stage PET machines from Chum Power of Taiwan. The newest model from Chum Power is the CPSB LL2, a two-cavity, all-electric, linear, continuous-motion machine for large bottles, capable of up to 2400 bph.

SIPA of Italy sees the current “overall market uncertainty” as encouraging molders to buy multiple small machines rather than one big one. Thus, its newest two-stage PET machine is the two-cavity SFL Flex linear, all-electric model, which is said to provide all the features needed to mold complex packaging. It features modular preferential heating with two ovens — one for internal heating of preforms and one for external heating. The utility of this system for making oval bottles was demonstrated at the show in molding 375-ml whiskey bottles.

SIAPI of Italy has a new prototype all-electric, two-stage PET machine, dubbed Galileo. Designed for up to 24,000 bph, it features a new SuperTrak conveying system that’s said to enable up to 40% energy savings by heating two preforms at the same time. It enables full control of speed and position of each preform carrier along the heating path. This modular machine enables blowing stations to be temporarily excluded for maintenance or lower output operation. The absence of rotating part is said to minimize maintenance. The machine is described as “combiblock-ready” and easily combined with filling systems. Galileo may be ready for sale by the end of the year.

Flexblow of Lithuania also has a two-stage, all-electric PET machine in prototype form. It will offer features intended to be the new standards for the company: automatic lamp positioning and servo-assisted setup, which reportedly can save around 30 minutes in getting new jobs running. In the past six months, Flexblow also introduced toolless changeover capability with magnetically mounted blow molds. Also new is integrated NIR wall-thickness monitoring and leak testing. The latter uses an expansion gripper suited even to lightweight containers.

Another two-stage, all-electric PET machine is the new APF-Max 3U from PET Technologies of Austria. Described as the company’s most universal and customizable model, it offers productivity up to 5400 bph in sizes from 0.1 to 8 L and two, three or four cavities. This linear, continuous-motion machine handles preform neck diameters of 18 to 48 mm and offers a hot-fill option. It can even accept molds for rotary-type machines. Key features include quick-change capability, preferential heating and NIR heating, which is said to be faster and more energy-efficient than standard IR heating.

From France, 1Blow showed off its extremely compact, all-electric, two-stage PET machine with a new feature: multiple sensors from Keyence to monitor wall thickness at particular spots on the bottle — neck, shoulder and base area — along with alarms if any measurements are out of tolerance.

SIDE builds all-electric, linear, two-stage PET machines in Spain, but has a new U.S. office in Miami, Florida. At the show, SIDE featured a new stackable 5-gal PET container.

Two Brazilian makers of PET stretch-blow and extrusion shuttle machines sought to raise their profile in the Americas at NPE. Multipet Sopradoras has been building two-stage PET machines since 1998. It has up to 1,500 machines installed in South America and one each in Mexico and Canada; none so far in the U.S. The firm’s latest series is the all-electric VBlow family, capable of up to 2,250 bph per cavity, or up to 18,000 bph with eight cavities of 500-ml bottles. Other capabilities are up to 10,000 bph in 2 L and up to 5,000 bph in 5 L. Aimed at medium-sized businesses, Multipet specializes in customized systems. Features include an air recovery system, low blowing pressure of 27 bar (392 psi) and Mcloud remote monitoring.

One-stage PET ISBM machines are a recent entry from Mulipack Plas of Brazil, also known as Multiblow. Its all-electric Ecoblow machines are four-station rotaries with injection, heat conditioning, stretch-blowing and ejection stations. However, the company’s main market is extrusion shuttles in hydraulic Autoblow and all-electric Ecoblow versions. The electrics have come to dominate its sales. In business for 30 years, Multiblow has sold 400 machines, mainly in Latin America, where its largest market is agro chemicals in 20-L sizes.

To enter the U.S. market, Multiblow developed the Ecoblow EB 600D, a double-sided machine with higher clamp force (30 tons) to broaden its capabilities for products from 5 L to 10 L. Two of these machines were sold to Greif, a large U.S. molder of industrial plastic packaging. These are five-layer coex machines with heads from W. Müller.

The newest development from BBM American is the HX Series extruders, which have an air-cooled feed zone instead of the usual water cooling. This is said to save energy and maintenance costs. There are no fans, except on the feed zone and those are used mainly for startup. The extruders are also designed for “gentle” low-shear processing. BBM also claims very little loss of productivity (within 10%) when extruding PCR flake vs. virgin pellets.

Blow Molding Automation

As is the case throughout the plastics industry, shortages of available workers have increased the demand for downstream automation in blow molding. Collaborative robots, or cobots, showed up frequently at NPE as cost-effective solutions. 

Proco also introduced a cobot system that automates palletizing of trays and tier sheets up to 104 inches high, which is said to exceed the capability of other systems. The company also showed off new automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to pick up filled cartons.

AGVs were also demonstrated by And&Or, a Spanish supplier of downstream automation for blow molding (U.S. office in Doral, Fla.). The “automated mobile robots” (AMRs) use WiFi navigation to “self-map” their operating environment.

In recycling news, changes are coming for PET bottle closures that could boost recycling. If widely adopted, developing container technologies have the potential to boost one of the highest value and most widely collected postconsumer recycling feedstocks, that of PET beverage containers. Beverage closures for PET have historically been made from PP, and more recently there has been a shift to HDPE caps with an integrated plug seal. Now, producers and equipment manufacturers are collaborating to make PET closures available, enabling beverage brands to adopt PET bottles with PET closures.

PET containers are accepted by a majority of recycling programs and a significant percentage of them are actually recycled, often into new PET bottles. Their clarity and relative cleanliness make them valuable, and the form factor is relatively easy to separate, especially when compared with films or fibers. But the polyolefin caps represent a challenge and an opportunity. The closures can be recycled as part of a mixed color polyolefin stream, but first must be separated from PET and sold for a much lower price for subsequent downcycling.

Material Properties for Closure Manufacturability

The material properties of HDPE are right for a closure application. The elasticity of the material affords flexibility in assembly operations. A closure for a disposable PET bottle consists of a shell and a tamper-evident band. In an injection molded closure, the band can be filled through a series of bridges. A thermoformed closure will undergo a separate slit-and-fold operation that creates the band. Either way, it is important the closure can be placed over the neck of the bottle, remain in place and provide witness of any tampering.

During capping, the tamper-evident band must stretch over the pilfer-proof retaining ring feature on the bottle just below the threads. Either an integrated cam feature or the folded portion will slide over the ring and remain until opening. Upon opening, the bridges break and the ring remains on the bottle neck. If the interference between the inner diameter of the tamper-evident band and the outer diameter of the retaining ring is too great, the bridges may break off during capping. If it is too small, it may be possible to remove the cap without breaking the bridges, defeating the tamper evidence.

The elasticity of HDPE leaves ample space between these extremes for a process to target. However, a closure made from stiffer, more brittle PET will not stretch as far when applied, effectively closing the dimensional window for making a functional product.

“With PET, the challenge is if you use this approach where you have an integrated cam and you start to apply it, the bridges start to fracture,” says Michael White of Husky.

Post-Capping Forming for PET Closure

Husky has approached this challenge with a post-capping forming machine. By moving formation of the tamper evidence to after capping, the problem of stretching the tamper-evident band over the retaining ring is avoided entirely.

According to Husky, the approach not only improves recyclability, but also safety. The band is nearly impossible to defeat, even with intent. Not only do the bridges break when opening but they do so much more audibly. Another benefit of the rigid material is that it enables lightweighting. A PET cap does not need as much thread engagement as an HDPE closure, so it can be made significantly shorter.

According to Husky, this solution is ready for water bottles now, with some more testing and development needed for the more challenging carbonated soda drinks (CSD) application.

Production of PET Formulated for Closures

While Husky has been testing its solution for use with a variety of PET resins, including recycled PET, there is also a product that has been developed specifically for producing caps. Alpek Polyester, working in collaboration with Husky, has created the caPETall resin. According to Alpek, the resin is designed to reduce the friction between the bottle and cap, facilitating opening. The caPETall is capable of supporting both water and carbonated soda applications.

Bottles have been filled and capped with caPETall closures on industrial equipment, and subsequent testing is showing they can be capped and unscrewed, and is subjecting samples to the challenges of drop impact and environmental stress cracking.