The KHS Group, a manufacturer of filling and packaging systems, has teamed up with Husky Technologies to launch a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle that is said to be 30% lighter than traditional versions.
This innovation was initially showcased as a feasibility study at drinktec 2017, featuring a bottle that weighs around 5g with a 500ml capacity.
To improve stability, the design of the bottle’s shoulder has been altered, and the body has been reinforced with functional webbing.
KHS pointed out that the base of the bottle is engineered to inwardly flex under top load, which enhances internal pressure and overall stability.
The Factor 101 bottle is capable of withstanding a top load of 220 newtons (N), exceeding the industry benchmark of 200N.
Achieving this level of strength required more than just altering the shape of the container; it necessitated careful attention to the stretching factors from blank to bottle and the dimensions of the preform, the company said in a press release.
KHS concentrated on the specifications of the stretch blow moulder and the bottle design, while Husky made essential adjustments to the preform.
Furthermore, KHS indicated that the new PET bottle can be entirely manufactured from recycled PET (rPET).
KHS packaging designer Fabian Osterhold said: “With such extreme lightweighting, what’s known as the top load is especially important. This value tells us how sturdy the bottle is from a vertical perspective. It determines whether the container can be stacked or not and survive transportation undamaged.
“The focus here was on the exact profiling of the preform made possible by KHS technology. Focus lamps in the heater on our InnoPET Blomax Series V, for example, make for extremely precise temperature profiling directly under the bottle neck ring.
“This ensures that no material stays unstretched. In turn, this considerably reduces the amount of plastic used.”
