Technical News Bulletin
Steinhausen, July 2016
Without... ...with VertiFlow
– Additional control of vertical temperature profile
VertiFlow Assist for AIS – Existing AIS blow molds can be reused for low transition costs
machines – Increased cooling capacity
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Introduction
Additional cooling in the form of “VertiFlow Assist” is now a reality with the introduction of a new Blow mold
holder support bracket 210-2076. The new assembly will replace 210-295, and will be the default Blow mold
holder supporting mechanism for all AIS machines. The assembly is made up of support bracket 210-2077 and
mold shaft assemblies to suit the AIS standard and the AIS+65 section frame assemblies. The additional cooling
‘VertiFlow Assist’ is taken from the section frame supply via cooling wind valves to newly designed mold holder
arms; the cooling wind is then conducted to the mold via the insert assembly.
Without... ...with VertiFlow Assist !
When only using standard VertiFlow though the bottom plate mechanism at higher cavity rates, the Blow mold
cooling might reach its limit, so that mold temperatures above 500°C are achieved, usually located in the
body/shoulder area of the mold cavity, possibly limiting production speeds and affecting containers’ quality. This
can become a drawback for NNP&B containers, due to reduced cooling timing duration of the standard
VertiFlow: cooling air is available, but for a restricted time, resulting in high Blow mold temperatures, which
affects accordingly the containers’ quality (leaners).
Bucher Emhart Glass now introduces the VertiFlow Assist on AIS machines. This additional cooling supplied on
the back side of the Blow mold is to be used in conjunction with the standard VertiFlow cooling through the
Bottom plate mechanism: VertiFlow Assist is an add on to the standard VertiFlow cooling.
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Thanks to VertiFlow Assist, not only we are able to decrease significantly Blow mold temperatures (up to 80°C),
but we have the unique capability to influence and balance “vertically” the temperatures on the Blow mold cavity:
indeed, standard VertiFlow and VertiFlow Assist can be actuated independently, so that this dual cooling makes
it possible for the operator to achieve the right temperature gradient on the Blow mold cavity, to ensure the ideal
container quality at higher speeds. Usually, the cooling duration of standard VertiFlow is to be maximized, as this
cooling channel is “closer” to the mold cavity, allowing a higher heat removal from glass; the cooling duration of
the VertiFlow Assist is defined in a way to achieve the right targeted temperature range, not too hot, and not too
cold. By principle, it is possible to keep the VertiFlow Assist cooling channel ON for 360°, allowing a decrease of
the temperatures gradient [min-max] in the mold, increasing consequently mold lifetime (less stress in the mold
material).
The system components are listed below: it should be noted that new holders have been designed to ensure that
the new bracket is backwards compatible with older insert assemblies 191-9194 for TG operation and 191-9198
for DG operation, thus ensuring that existing molds can be used.
It is also possible to use the majority of existing molds with VertiFlow Assist insert assemblies, as the mold
design setups (mold diameter, “H” dimension) stay unchanged between the older insert assemblies and the
VertiFlow Assist insert assemblies.
Section Frame
Mold Holder Supporting Cooling Valve Assembly
Standard section frame 210-2076-2 210-2028-3
+ 65mm tall ware frame 210-2076-3 210-2028-4
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Accessories and variables
The accessories are defined on drawing 210-115: an extract is shown below, for both DG and TG operations,
based on the various standard mold design setup assemblies available on the AIS machine:
Parts references for AIS DG application
"H" "W" "S" Without VertiFlow
Mold diameter With VertiFlow Assist cooling
dim dim dim Assist cooling
(note2)
(note1)
Insert Insert Mtg parts
5 3/8" - 136.3 9.5 82.6 68 191-9198-16
6" - 152.2 9.5 82.6 68 191-9198-20
6" - 152.2 9.5 127 117.5 191-9198-08 210-2103-08 210-2086-01
6" - 152.2 57.2 130.2 115.6 191-9198-22 210-2103-22 210-2086-02
6" - 152.2 57.2 187.3 172.7 191-9198-09 210-2103-09 210-2086-02
6 5/8" - 168.1 9.5 82.6 68 191-9198-24
6 5/8" - 168.1 9.5 139.7 125.1 191-9198-25 210-2103-25 210-2086-01
6 5/8" - 168.1 57.2 130.2 115.6 191-9198-23 210-2103-23 210-2086-02
6 5/8" - 168.1 57.2 187.3 172.7 191-9198-26 210-2103-26 210-2086-02
- note1: insert holder kit 210-2078-03 required - note2: wear mounting plate kit 210-2080-01 required
Parts references for AIS TG application
Without VertiFlow
"H" "S" "W" With VertiFlow Assist cooling
Mold diameter Assist cooling
dim dim dim (note2)
(note1)
Insert Insert Mtg parts
41.3 115.8 127 191-9194-1 210-2099-1 210-2086-3
15.9 69.7 89 191-9194-2 --- ---
5" - 127
15.9 80 89 --- 210-2099-2 210-2086-4
15.9 115.8 136 191-9194-3 210-2099-3 210-2086-5
- note1: insert holder kit 210-2078-04 required - note2: wear mounting plate kit 210-2080-01 required
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Mold Design considerations and principles: AIS TG
The VertiFlow Assist system is designed to introduce cooling air to the mold with minimal changes.
Standard molds can be used without modification, and some of the benefits are achieved, as the air can only
escape in the natural gap between mold and insert. The introduction of fins permits a greater air flow volume and
increases the surface area exposed to cooling, resulting in a higher mold cooling efficiency.
TG 4 ¼” AIS - Mold Holder Inserts
Mold ‘H’ ‘S’ ‘W’ ‘A’ ‘W1’
Part Number
Diameter DIM DIM DIM DIM DIM
210-2099-01 5” 127 41.3 115.8 117 30 42
210-2099-02 5” 127 15.9 80 89 30 25
210-2099-03 5” 127 15.9 115.8 136 30 35
The total cooling air escape area on the fins needs to be carefully controlled and should not exceed 300mm 2: the
angular positioning needs to be maintained as shown on the sketch below.
Remark: 210-2099-02 => this insert assembly requires bottom mold lug as shown below.
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Mold Design considerations and principles: AIS DG
DG 6 ¼” AIS - Mold Holder Inserts
‘A’ ‘W1’
Part Number Mold Diameter ‘H’ DIM ‘S’ DIM ‘W’ DIM Alpha1 º Alpha2 º
DIM DIM
210-2103-08 6” 152.2 9.5 117.5 127 28 140
210-2103-22 6” 152.2 57.2 115.6 130.2 28 140
210-2103-09 6” 152.2 57.2 172.7 187.3 55 140
48 20
210-2103-25 6 5/8” 168.1 9.5 125.1 139.7 28 110
210-2103-23 6 5/8” 168.1 57.2 115.6 130.2 28 110
210-2103-23 6 5/8” 168.1 57.2 172.7 187.3 55 110
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AIS TG: Test case analysis: Theory versus Practice:
To validate the VertiFlow Assist cooling, FEM mold cooling simulations as well as trials under real conditions
have been performed in various glass plants. In the example below, the container is a 650ml Beer bottle, 320g,
produced in NNP&B on an AIS TG machine.
The thermal models below are all set to the same scale, and show the expected theoretical temperatures for:
- Cast iron Blow mold with standard Vertiflow.
- Bronze Blow mold with standard VertiFlow.
- Cast iron Blow mold combined with both standard VertiFlow and VertiFlow Assist.
The tests were set up with series of molds equipped with thermocouples to record temperatures at the heel
panel and shoulder on all cavities (inner, middle, outer). Various design strategies for introducing the additional
VertiFlow assist cooling air to the molds were employed, all giving positive results during the field tests. Simple
fins on the outside of the molds were chosen as the best interface design between mold and VertiFlow Assist
insert: not only the cooling fins provided the best cooling efficiency, but finned molds have the advantage that
they can be employed on other machines that are not equipped with the VertiFlow Assist system.
Cast Iron Mold – Standard
Cast Iron Mold – Bronze Mold – Standard
Vertiflow, coupled with 360°
Standard Vertiflow Only Vertiflow Only
Vertiflow Assist Cooling
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Another example:
AIS DG - B&B container: FEM mold cooling simulations without and with VertiFlow Assist
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Availability / Application
New supplied AIS machines
The newly introduced Blow mold supporting mechanism 210-2076 is the new standard on the AIS machine, and
therefore, all AIS machines supplied from January 2016 can be upgraded to use the VertiFlow Assist cooling
system. To that purpose, only the cooling valves as well as the VertiFlow Assist insert assemblies have to be
specified.
Conversion of existing machines
The Blow mold supporting bracket 210-2076 can be fitted to all existing AIS machines without modification.
However, depending on the manufacturing year and specification of the existing AIS machine, upgrading to
VertiFlow Assist requires piping work inside the section, to install the required mold side cooling valves (re-
routing of some oil and air piping in the section frame).
Bucher Emhart Glass recommends such an upgrade to be part of a planned shutdown. Contact Bucher Emhart
Glass for details.
Remark:
The conversion of an existing AIS machine is supposing that the machine is already “prepared for” being
upgraded to VertiFlow Assist, which means that the required air piping for the mold side VertiFlow Assist cooling
valves is already connected to the 26 lines valve block.
In case an existing machine does not have this necessary air piping, then the conversion is a challenge, and
needs to be carefully investigated and planned.
Features / Benefits
Features Benefits
Increased cooling capacity Potential for speed increase / a MUST for NNP&B process
Additional control of vertical temperature profile Improved Quality of containers
Reduced thermal cycling of mold Potential increase in mold lifetime
Existing AIS Blow molds can be reused Low transition costs – Full mold interchangeability
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