Ping !!! Blowmoulding Explanation

Just in case anyone should ask you...

Pam the goose...

Hey, now *that's* better, I can really picture that and can understand why
you've enjoyed the subject :-)

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°7 +...

The glass bulbs for electric lamps are made in a similar way - but very much
more quickly:

The Westlake machines produces them at around 7500 units per day. But the
ribbon machine, when introduced would produce at a rate exceeding 100 per
minute. I saw them w*rking in the late 1970s at the then Glass Bulb
factory at Harworth. Heaven only knows what today's production rate must
be.

Most hollow consumer items such as plastic milk bottles - detergent bottles,
shampoo, etc, etc,, are made by the blow moulding process. Basically the
plastic gets melted in an extruder, then it gets turned into a tube called a

Jackie...

I can understand that now John and I find it interesting.

Pam the goose...

LOL
I felt the same, Jackie :-)
It's so different in real English when you can understand it, isn't it?

parison. Then it goes into a mould where it is blown outwards to the shape
of the mould and rapidly cooled at the same time - because the air blowing
it, also blows it against the walls of the mould which are chilled.
Plastic fuel tanks are made by exactly the same method but must now
conform to certain standards relating to permeability and strength. Car
manufacturers such as Fiat - Volvo and Peugeot have been using this type of
tank for ages. Being lighter than steel and rustproof as well - has made
this a common method of production.
These tanks do however have to meet stringent guidelines in terms of impact
resistance and permeation of fuel vapours.
I found that Blowmoulding research to be an absolutely absorbing career -
never boring and always a challenge
So there you have it !!!

John in Cornwall