ST Blow Moulding's new milestone

The participation of ST (Soffiagio Tecnica) Blow Moulding at the CHINAPLAS is now a consolidated tradition. The 32nd edition of the most important Asian event in the plastics industry will be held from April 24th to 27th  2018 for the first time at the new National Exhibition & Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai-Hongqiao. 

 

This year the presence of ST Blow Moulding at this major exhibibition in China has a special meaning for the whole team. The machine that will be exhibited represents an important milestone in ST Blow Moulding’s history, not only because it is the 20th machine sold in China (in 2017 alone 5 machines were delivered), but it is also the 125th machine with parison suction technology, produced by ST. 

 

It was 2003 when, for the first time, the ST team decided to confront a project requiring a different technology from its traditional field of expertise. In 2004 ST delivered the first machine with parison suction technology, the ASPI 180. In the subsequent years, new technological challenges followed and the first sequential coextrusion machine was developed. Later, in 2010, the ASPI Dual was born, characterised by the presence of two extruders and two heads. Designed for mass production, but also retaining versatility in its operation: enabling simultaneous production of different items in two cavities, even with different processes (conventional 2D in one cavity and 3D parison suction in the other). In 2011 the first ASPI series electric machine was created, called E-Move: it is the "little one" of this series. 

 

In 2014, the range was enhanced with the ASPI 400, a model for the production of 3D mouldings with parison suction for machines versatility in the production of 2D articles: featuring increased mould platen dimensions and double the clamping force.  The "ASPI" series has always presented technical characteristics, a result of the developments and innovations introduced over the years. An example of the innovations is the 4WDS radial thickness control system, which has four actuators to provide a more precise and reactive control than the systems used by all the other manufacturers which have just two actuators. 

 

2009 was the year when ST Blow Moulding’s leadership in the parison suction technology commenced: the first ASPI 150 was launched, the origin of a new series that, with subsequent updates - the ASPI 150.2 and today's ASPI 150.3 - has become the best-selling model in ST's history. Chinaplas visitors will be able to see the ASPI 150.3 at hall 2 stand D67 , which is sold to a prestigious Chinese group, in production and equipped with all the latest innovations introduced by ST Blow Moulding. In particular, the "W-Print" system, which allows data or text to be printed directly on the parison. In the configuration which will be exhibited at the fair, the “W-Print” works with ghost ink (visible only under a UVA lamp), for non-invasive marking of the blown item.