(Nomination for 2012 AUREA Award): Carbo Concept - PET blow molding machine

Pancevo-based Carbo Concept constructed a new blow molding machine for PET packaging for the world’s only mobile water bottling plant. This mobile water bottling plant, constructed at the request of the United Nations by Carbo Concept in association with German companies Plast Engineering Knauff and Karcher, is placed in a moving container and is ready to filter and bottle water as soon as it is positioned next to any source of water (river, lake). In that way, it solves a serious problem of the shortage of drinking water in the situations when the supply of water is difficult or completely impossible. However, the mobile water bottling plant project is feasible exclusively thanks to aforementioned PET blow molding machine.

Based on already existing patented and unique machines designed by Carbo Concept, 11 such mobile water bottling plants have been produced and marketed so far, but the company developed a new PET blow molding machine last year, utilizing completely different technical solutions that contributed to a greater cost-effectiveness and simplicity of the project.

The new PET blow molding machine has kept the innovative and unique concept of blow molding at the pressure of 15 bar and oil- and lubricant-free functioning, but technical solutions are different and innovative when compared to those applied to other models of Carbo Concept’s machines and all other machines in the market.

The difference lies in the blowing pressure and the heat chamber, which consumes 50 percent less electric energy, thus doubling energy savings.

The latest machine will be installed in containers that Carbo Concept plans for the first time to produce by itself and, thus, eliminate all flaws of the existing containers. So far, containers have been produced in association with German companies Plast Engineering Knauff and Karcher. Last year, without the help of Karcher, Plast Engineering Knauff and Carbo Concept produced two 40 feet containers and equipped them with automatic PET blow molding machines, but Carbo Concept also launched the production of its own containers in 2011.

The price of the new PET blow molding machine is about EUR 30,000.

Carbo Concept employs about 20 people. So far, over 100 PET blow molding machines made by this company have been shipped to 35 countries worldwide, in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America. The entire last year’s production was intended for export. Thanks to the increased production capacity and higher demand, the company plans to hire new workers. At this moment, they are working on a machine that will be saving 100 kilowatts of electricity per hour.

INNOVATION

The mobile water bottling plant project is feasible exclusively thanks to the PET blow molding machine. Apart from this machine, water filtering and bottling machines are also installed in the container, as well as a power generator, which makes the bottling plant fully autonomous. The container is carried by a helicopter to a place where water is needed, and it takes the plant two hours to become fully operational and start bottling water. This machinery is powered by electricity, which is produced by the power generator, while the water filter is disposable.

The new PET blow molding machine has kept the innovative and unique concept of blow molding at the pressure of 15 bar and oil- and lubricant-free functioning, but technical solutions are different and innovative when compared to those applied to other models of Carbo Concept’s machines and all other machines in the market.

Innovation is reflected in substantial construction and technical improvements of essential elements: completely different pneumatic components, bottle conveyor system, insulated heat chamber. This machine can also work without a tank. Thanks to this change in the structure, the machine meets all conditions to win the CE mark.

The machine is semiautomatic, and the most obvious difference between it and all other similar machines lies in the blowing pressure and the heat chamber. Bottles are formed using the blowing pressure of 15 bar, which enables the use of a low-pressure compressor that is twice as cheap as compressors that are normally used and consumes 50% less energy. Other machines in the market use the blowing pressure of 30 or even 40 bar to form bottles. Another novelty is a fully closed system of heating, which makes it possible to utilize excess heat to preheat preform, thus saving a significant amount of energy. Competitive machines have no solution to the problem of disposal of excess heat, which is why they blow it out to the surrounding area, thus wasting a great amount of energy.

The machine requires no oil or lubricants, it does not release oil vapors into the surrounding area and has no negative influence on the environment.

Its mechanical structure is simplified, so that the machine seems reliable and inspires confidence of technicians operating it because every part of the machine can be touched by hand. There is no need to disassemble any part of the system to make an intervention on another.

The capacity of the new machine is 600 bottles per hour.

All machines designed by Carbo Concept are copyright protected by the Patent Office.

SOCIAL UTILITY

As the number of people on the planet is growing, the needs for water are becoming bigger, and the world starts facing a problem of the shortage of drinking water. The PET blow molding machine represents a crucial element of the mobile water bottling plant, since that project would not be feasible without it. So far, 11 such water bottling plants have been marketed. Thanks to innovative solutions, the new machine by Carbo Concept will contribute to a greater cost-effectiveness and usefulness of this humanitarian project.

The new machine’s characteristics and innovative solutions cut air consumption and allow for its easier manipulation, which is particularly important given that the mobile water bottling plant is expected to operate in extremely difficult conditions.

The machine requires no oil or lubricants, so that it does not release oil vapors into the surrounding area and has no negative influence on the environment. Increasingly present PET material, which is used to form bottles, is either recycled for further use or combusted as a valuable fuel that releases only water and carbon dioxide.

Changes may soon be made to the composition of raw materials. Oil as a basis for the production of polyethylene terephthalate may be replaced with an environment-friendly and biodegradable material – corn. In cooperation with its strategic partner Plast Engineering Knauff, Carbo Concept tested such and similar materials on its machines. Thanks to their characteristics and gentle heating, these machines ran normally and formed the materials easily.

For its blow molding machines, Carbo Concept won a gold medal for the best technical and technological innovation at Drinktec technology fair in Munich in 2002 and the Best Design award in 2003, while the Serbian Chamber of Commerce presented the company owner with a plaquette for business achievements and results achieved in the development and improvement of economy in 2004.

Carbo Concept currently employs about 20 people. Thanks to higher production capacity and demand, the company now plans to hire new workers.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

The German company Karcher GmbH, with which Carbo Concept works on the mobile water bottling plant project, is interested in buying a license for the new PET blow molding machine.

The price of the new PET blow molding machine is estimated at EUR 30,000.

So far, over 100 PET blow molding machines made by this company have been sold to clients in 35 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, either directly or via representatives based in Germany (Plast Engineering Knauff), Russia (Ruska Trapeza), France (Plastic services) and Italy (MPA).

The last year’s production and sales (100% of machines exported) exceeded those in 2010, increasing the company’s total revenue to about EUR 800,000. Thanks to higher production capacity and demand, the company also plans to hire new workers.

Carbo Concept already exported two machines in 2012, to Kosovo and Estonia, while another four machines are about to be shipped to Russia, Germany and Great Britain.

If Carbo Concept's PET blow molding machine is your favorite for the innovative investment of the year, you can cast your vote on the official website of the 2012 Aurea Award.