Weekly maintenance savings of two minutes per operator per mould are claimed by beverage packaging equipment supplier Sidel (Le Havre / France; www.sidel.com) through use of self-lubricating “Kohlox” in blow moulding machine parts. The manufacturer says the new material is a thermo composite with a low coefficient of friction that helps parts move freely without lubrication. Traditionally, regular weekly greasing is required to ensure efficient mould operation. Sidel says that by introducing two grease-free parts in moulds – wear rings for the mould bottoms and female studs – significant savings in mould maintenance can be achieved as well as a reduction in costs for consumables. The new parts were tested and validated on an industrial scale in 2009 in partnership with bottled water supplier Nestlé Waters (Issy-les-Moulineaux / France; www.nestle-waters.com).

The material, which was created through two years of research and development, also helps improve mould cleanliness by eliminating the possibility of grease splashes or deposits, which are sources of persistent dirt. It is also low density, lightening the mould base to allow blow moulder speeds of 2,000 bottles per hour per mould and reducing mechanical wear on the machine.

Régis Leclerc, technical coordinator for Nestlé Waters, said: “One of our concerns is to reduce the time spent on mould maintenance and greasing. Any solution that reduces those maintenance steps helps significantly improve machine availability. We have saved about one hour of maintenance time on a [Sidel] SBO 20 thanks to the new moulds with Kohlox parts.”