Rigid and Specialty Containers

Bhupendra Singh
Bloom Packaging Pvt. Ltd.
 Topics for Discussion

• Rigid Containers
• Innovations in Rigid Containers
• Specialty Packaging
Some Examples
Materials Used in Rigid Packaging

• Polypropylene
• Polyethylene
– HDPE
– LDPE
– LLDPE
– EVA
• Polystyrene
– GPPS
– HIPS
– ABS
– SAN
• PVC
• PET
• PC
Materials Used
 Processes

R ig id P la s tic P a c k a g in g
In je c t io n M o u ld in g B lo w M o u ld in g T h e r m o f o r m in g
e g . c o n t a in e r s , p a ils , c lo s u r e s e g . b o t t le s , ja r s e g . c u p s , g la s s e s , t u b s , p o t io n p a c k s
Extrusion Blow Molding

Extrusion Pinch Off Blowing Cooling

Pinch Off
Injection Blow Molding
 Blow Molds

✪ Material of Construction :
– Mild Steel
– Aluminum
– Beryllium Copper
✪ Essential requirements on the mould :
– Adequate cooling, preferably along the contours of the cavity
– Cooling of thicker areas of the article like neck, top and bottom
pinch-offs.
– Surface Mating.
– Proper alignment of the two halves
– Sandblast finish for moulds of 5 litres and above of 40 / 50 mesh
grit.
Modifications In Die Design
 Testing of Rigid Packages

• Testing can be divided in to two parts :

• Quality Control : Testing of incoming

raw materials

• Quality Assurance : Testing of finished products

• Plastics testing can be divided into testing of plastic raw

materials ( generally granules ) & testing of finished products
after moulding.
 Processes
✪ High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP) are the

most widely used resin for blow moulding applications.

✪ Types of Blow Moulding :

– Extrusion blow moulding - Continuous type and Intermittent type

– Injection blow moulding

– Extrusion stretch blow moulding

– Injection stretch blow moulding

Processing Temperatures
 Additives for Rigid Containers
• What are Additives?
• Why are they used?
• Where are they used?
• What are their functions?

• Plastics are being used in every possible application.

• Thermoplastic materials are processed in the molten state at high

temperatures and under high shear. During their service life they have to
survive severe exposure to conditions such as heat, light humidity,
without changes in appearance or premature mechanical failure in some
cases for several decades.

• WITHOUT SUITABLE ADDITIVES NONE OF THESE

DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE POSSIBLE

• ADDITIVES ARE THE MIRACLE WORKERS OF PLASTICS

 Types of Additives

2. Antioxidants 11. Antimicrobial

3. UV Stabilizers 12. Lubricants
4. PVC Stabilizers (Internal and External)
5. Plasticizers 13. Fillers and Reinforcements
6. Flame Retardants 14. Coupling agents
7. SIip and Antiblock Agents 15. Antifogging additives
8. Antistatic Agents 16. Acid Scavengers
9. Nucleating Agents 17. Polymer Processing aids
10. Clarifying agents 18. Colourants
11. Chemical Foaming Agents 19. Flourescent Whitening agents
 Selection Criteria for Additives

1. Property desired by the customer.

2. Duration of Property desired.
3. Polymer to be added to.
4. Compatibility to the polymer.
5. Temperature of processing and mode of processing.
6. Mode of addition.
7. Reaction with other additives in the system.
8. Shelf life of the additive.
9. Regulations and norms to be followed.
10. Testing details.
11. End use of the product.
 Masterbatches
• What are they?
- Highly concentrated colour or additive carriers which have to
be let down at a low percentage to improve the properties of
the moulding / extrudate.
• Types of masterbatches
- Colour masterbatches and additive masterbatches
 Colour Masterbatches
• Highly loaded with inorganic and
organic pigments

• 2 types of colour masterbatches

4. Universal masterbatches. (Usually
LLDPE based in India)
5. Resin Specific masterbatches. (eg.
PET based for PET, PC for PC etc.,)

Shades are checked visually in

a light booth and digitally
using a colour
spectrophotometer
 Decoration
• UV Printing
– High Outputs – 80 UPM – 3
colours
• Labeling
– High Speed accurate labeling
lines working at 120 upm
• Hot foil Stamping
 Design & Development

• 2D Software – AUTOCAD
• 3D Software –

- Pro Engineering

- Uni Graphics
• Imaging - 3D Studio
 The IBC concept
Extremely light and space saving container
system.
Specially made for multi trip capabilities.
Large packaging unit size, reduces number of
units to be handled. Lower cost of filling, storage, handling
and transportation.
 Innovations in Design

• Easy to carry & Innovative Closure device

 Innovations in Design

• Innovative Closure with

Moisture absorber
 Innovations in Design

• Innovative Vented
Induction Sealing Wads

Normal Wad Vented Wad

 Innovations in Barrier Packaging

Barrier Solutions
• Fluorination
• Co-extrusion
• Sulphonation
Direct Fluorination
• The fluorination process is based on the
formation of a fluorocarbon barrier layer H
on the polymer surface.
H C H
• The basic reaction which occurs with
F
HDPE is a substitution of fluorine in
H
place of hydrogen atoms on the polymer
backbone as shown in figure. F2
F
• The bulk properties of fluorine treated C
plastic container remains unchanged. F F
F
 Fluorination Techniques

•Offline Direct Fluorination •Inline/ Online Fluorination

1
F-C-H
F-C-H
2 3 4 5
H-C-F
H-C-F F 1
F-C-H
F-C-H
2 3

F-C-H H-C-F F-C-H

F-C-H H-C-F

F C F

F C F

F C F
Testing of Fluorination
• Fluorination treatment is
quantified using Fourier
Transformation Infra
Before Fluorination
Red Spectroscopy
(FTIR). C-H bond
shows peak absorption
at 1440 – 1480 cm-1,
while C-F bond gives
peak absorbance at 930
– 1320 cm-1.

C-H Peak

After Fluorination

C-F Peak
Applications for Fluorination Technology
Chemical, solvents,
petrochemical, inks,
automotive, hardener etc

Direct Printing
Applications
Pesticide
Packaging

Plugs for Solvent containers

Flavor Packaging

HDPE automotive fuel tanks

Oil Packaging
Applications for Fluorination Technology

Surface Treatment for

Chemical Resistance
 Co-extrusion Technology
• Comprises of either
three, four or six layers,
• including HDPE and an
inner EVOH or Nylon
layer
 Co-extrusion Technology
Below is a typical cross section of a 6 layer
co-ex container:
1. PP / HDPE
2. Adhesive
3. EVOH / Nylon
4. Adhesive
5. Regrind / PCR
6. PP / HDPE
These process steps are the same as for
Extrusion Blow Moulding.
 Sulphonation Technology

• The containers are treated with SO3 gas on

the Plastic Surface.
• Sulphonation of Plastic results in improved
barrier Properties.
 New Resins in Market

• N-MXD6 made from

Meta xylene Diamide
• Due to its unique
chemical composition
and crystalline
structure, N-MXD6
has excellent gas
barrier properties,
especially in high
humidity conditions
as compared to N-6.
 Nanocomposites

• Nano-composites
are of Recent
origin but they
promise to rule the
future of the Rigid
containers.
 What’s - Nanocomposites

• Nanocomposites – particle size smaller than 1 X 10-9m

• Platy / layered structures that need to be separated by
high shear to attain the advantage of the nanoclay.
• Very good overall physical properties at low addition
levels (3-4 %)
• Can behave as non halogenated flame retardants
• Low part weight
• Better Barrier properties
• Disadvantage:
– Expensive filler at present
– Application – at the moment only automotive
– Technology is in Nascent Stage
 Biodegradable Packaging
• PLA (Polylactic Acid)
• PHAs , {PHBV
(Polyhydroxy Butyrate Velarate)}
• Starch Blends
 Active Packaging
• Antimicrobial Packaging
• Scavenger Packaging
• Intelligent Packaging etc.
Innovations in Supply Chain
Bar Code and RFID Systems
 Bar codes on Retail items – EAN or UPC

890 1 0 0 0 0 1001 0
EAN prefix Prod no. CD
• EAN Prefix indicates
- the country of EAN membership
- EAN member’s identity
• Prod. No. : Item identity allocated by manufacturer/importer
• Check digit: Calculated from all preceding digits
 Real time locating system for Rigid Containers

Tagged
Asset
Tagged
Tagged
Asset To System
Asset Reader

Tagged
Asset Reader

Tagged Tagged
Tagged Asset Asset
Reader
Asset
Tagged Tagged
Asset Asset

500 - 1000 m
 Retail supply chain

Data Recorded on the System

Serial number
Production date
Filling dates and sites
Tare weight etc.

Supplier Retailer Consumer

RFID
 Questions ??

Bhupendra Singh
Bloom Packaging Pvt. Ltd.
167- Ready Money Terrace, Dr. A.B. Road, Worli Naka, Worli, Mumbai – 400 018
Tel No. : 022-24970561, 32501137, 32501128
Email: bloompak@rediffmail.com , bloompack@rediffmail.com
www.bloompackaging.com,

Thank You