Patent Report: Sacmi details compression molding system

Compression molding. A compression molding system for capsules, caps and parisons that features multiple sensors to detect wear, equipment malfunctions and bad parts is the subject of a patent application from Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa Cooperativa, Imola, Italy.

Drawbacks of existing technologies include wear to mechanical components — particularly pneumatically driven components — errors in positioning doses of the plastic melt into the molds and cooling system issues, all of which can lead to defective products and machine breakdowns.   

The invention includes an extruder that delivers a flow of plastic melt, a compression molding machine with a rotating carousel with multiple molds, a transfer apparatus configured to feed doses of melt into the compression molding machine, a conveyor and a control unit.

The application describes a variety of sensors that can be incorporated into the invention to monitor both the equipment and parts, such as temperature, pressure and flow sensors; inspection cameras; and a flow pressure meter for monitoring compressed air for pneumatic components.

According to the application, the control unit “is able to identify defects in the objects made and/or trace the causes of defects and/or critical situations in the line. That way, it is possible to apply corrective feedback on the individual object or the components of the line. For example, it is possible to detect a defect that would otherwise be difficult to detect on the finished object … so as to be able to reject that object before it is delivered to a customer.”

Additionally, the sensors make it possible “to detect critical situations on the line in order to correct them before they give rise to defects in the products or line component failures,” the application states.

Patent application 20210237320; published Aug. 5