This aids bottle-to-bottle weight consistency, as well as light weighting capability. With a single flowhead, the layer thickness distribution is also much easier to control on the MINI Wheel. Tight parison programming using Graham’s high-speed XBM Navigator PC control system ensures minimal variation from target weights and specifications.
The MINI Wheel is significantly more energy efficient than shuttle machines. It offers the advantages of all-electric drive technology yet employs simple mechanical timing mechanisms for maximum consistency and repeatability. The high-speed parison programmer uses only a small, low-flow hydraulic power unit for the servo valve to control the die gap. The hydraulic unit typically pulls less than one percent of the total system power when the machine is in operation. This hybrid design approach makes the most of all available technologies while retaining the simplicity and repeatability of a mechanical cam actuated system.
Considerable flexibility is designed into the MINI Wheel. For instance, mold weight is only 9-10 kg (20-25 lbs), so molds can be handled without a lifting hoist and changeovers can be accomplished in times competitive with shuttle machinery. The clamp units are balanced in design and the spool and frame of the machine do not bear clamp loads.
Graham can supply the MINI Wheel with co-extrusion configurations up to six layers. The metric sized 28:1 L/D extruders and flowheads can be customized to accommodate unique layer structures, including separate materials for the inner and outer layers. The MINI Wheel extruders, like those across the complete Graham product range, feature CMG motor gears from Knödler, with four AC three-phase motors configured around one larger gear; a thrust bearing; a simple water hose connection for cooling; a cooling plate to cool the motor and gear; and a standard three-phase controller and encoder with over 2,000 points for position and movement control.
Graham Engineering offers a complete line of monolayer and multilayer extrusion blow molding equipment: shuttle machines up to 10 L capacity; reciprocating screw and shot pot machinery for lightweight HDPE containers; multi-cavity, single and dual parison, rotary wheel blow molders for up to 30 L packaging applications; single and dual head accumulator machinery from 5 to 50 lbs (3 to 30 liters) capacity, and multi-parison shot pot technology for smaller industrial applications.
