Precise and advanced moisture control plays a vital role in significantly boosting the productivity of injection molding processes, especially while working with PET. By optimizing both the speed and efficiency of production, it ensures that PET bottles, commonly used for beverage packaging, meet the required quality standards. These bottles must maintain a residual moisture content below 20 ppm (parts per million) to prevent issues.
The Consequences of Inadequate Moisture Control
Even small deviations in moisture above the critical threshold can lead to serious consequences that affect both the mechanical integrity and the consumer experience. These defects include weakened mechanical properties, resulting in brittle preforms, increased stress on the material, and a higher potential for breakage during subsequent blowing processes. Furthermore, excess moisture often leads to visible defects, such as splay marks, surface streaks, and haze on the finished product, causing significant material waste and necessitating the reprocessing of non-conforming batches. Critically, high moisture levels significantly increase the risk of acetaldehyde formation. If acetaldehyde migrates into the bottled water, it can negatively impact its taste and odor, irrevocably compromising the product’s quality and brand reputation. Controlling this is paramount, as the migration limit for acetaldehyde (AA) is extremely low.
Introducing the Moisture Minder™: A Collaborative, Cutting-Edge Solution
To effectively address these industry challenges, Bry-Air Prokon collaborated with leading global OEMs in PET drying technology to develop an advanced moisture control and monitoring system: the Moisture Minder™. This cutting-edge system actively manages and verifies moisture levels throughout the entire injection molding process, ensuring they remain strictly within the optimal range. The core innovation lies in its ability to provide real-time, in-line measurement, eliminating the delays and inaccuracies associated with traditional lab-based sampling methods.
Enhanced Productivity and Material Savings
By providing continuous feedback, the Moisture Minder Measurement Technology allows the drying equipment to operate with maximum efficiency, preventing both under-drying (which causes defects) and over-drying (which wastes energy). By maintaining precise control, the system not only enhances productivity by reducing cycle times and eliminating costly downtime but also significantly reduces material waste by minimizing the scrap rate caused by moisture-related flaws. It stands as a critical component in achieving superior PET preform production, ensuring that each bottle meets the highest standards of quality while maintaining cost-effective and highly efficient operations, delivering a rapid return on investment (ROI) for manufacturers worldwide.
