Husky’s High Performance Package is a group of refinements for the entire HyPET preform system, including mold, robot, injection unit, clamp and auxiliary equipment. Only through this coordinated effort is it possible to improve the molding cycle so significantly while still producing preforms with the same or even better quality. On average, this new technology reduces cycle times by an additional 15% compared to industry-best cycle times.

The productivity improvements offered with the new High Performance Package on the HyPET system further reduce the cost of PET packaging, making it even more competitive with glass, metal and carton alternatives. These enhancements will help enable the expansion of PET into new market segments.

The HyPET Recycled Flake (RF) system is specifically designed for manufacturing preforms with high percentages of food-grade recycled PET flake. An integrated melt filtration system minimizes black specks and other contaminants that can negatively influence bottle quality. A new extruder design enables improved processing of pellet and flake blends.

The HyPET RF option enables molders to begin using recycled PET or increase the percentage used. Preform quality is maintained or even improved, even with increased recycled PET content. The end result is a molding platform that can lower the environmental impact of PET as a packaging material without compromising part quality.

Flex Mold is a flexible, low cavitation PET preform mold that reduces both conversion costs and mold changeover time. Flex Mold is helping converters expand into new markets by allowing them to pursue smaller opportunities, such as market introductions or short run promotional bottles that were difficult to justify using conventional preform molds.

Available in 8, 16 or 24 cavities, Flex Mold is ideal for lower volume preform producers (producing between 5 to 30 million units each year) or those manufacturers who produce a range of preforms with the same neck finish.

Additional benefits of Flex Mold:

Modular Design

• Eliminates the need to cool down and reheat the hot runner during a part changeover
• Minimizes the number of components to be replaced
• Easily accommodates preform lengths between 70 mm to 90 mm
• Reduces change times by one third compared to a conventional mold

Saving Time and Money

• Adjustable stroke cams allow for only a portion of the cavity to be replaced for a conversion
• Main take-out plate remains in the machine while cooling tubes are easily removed in lightweight individual rows called “take-off bars”
• Mold water purge system is built into the machine to prevent spills as the mold is removed
• Each mold half includes only a single connection for each of the water in and out

Husky’s Preform Development Center develops preform designs that are customized for the specific needs of each customer’s unique application. Husky ensures each design is optimized for product performance, tooling flexibility, part weight and injection molding cycle times. This service is offered through dedicated centers located in Canada, Mexico, Luxembourg and China, which enables the development of new preform designs quickly and cost-effectively.

To help preform molders and bottlers improve their environmental footprint and reduce their amount of resin usage, Husky has developed the EcoBase preform design, yielding significant resin savings. This preform technology incorporates a uniquely shaped base that provides several benefits:

• Weight reduction of the overall preform by between 2 to 2.5%
• Better material distribution in the base of the bottle
• Improved bottle mechanical performance
• Easier preform base reheat during blowing phase
• Requires minimal changes to the injection molding system (new cores, core cooling tubes, gate inserts, EOAT cooling inserts)
• In most cases, no hardware changes to the blowing machine are required, making integration into existing molds easy to facilitate
• Available for a wide range of beverage applications