Tis latest addition to starlite™ range of bottle bases ensures better performance of pet bottles for carbonated soft drinks (csd) produced and distributed in extreme environmental conditions.
24 January 2017
24/01/2017
The new Sidel StarLite Tropical base is enlarging thefamily of StarLite bottle[1] solutions originally developed by Sidelpackaging experts. This latest addition to the range is designed tooffer a flexible solution for CSD, in all packaging sizes from 0.25to 3 litres.
Additionally, it is applicable to the different standard levelsof carbonation. It is specifically designed for CSD bottlesundergoing harsh conditions - for instance when produced anddistributed in the supply chain at very high temperatures or inenvironments which are particularly humid. The end result is a PETbottle that offers improved resistance in terms of stress crackingand creeping, as well as better stability throughout the supplychain. It also avoids material waste during production and storagewhile offering a great consumer experience and - importantly - notcompromising on the safety standards of the beverage inside.
Improved bottle resistance and stability, tested byin-house experts
The StarLite Tropical base hasbeen designed to improve performance in terms of resistance. Itsoptimised geometry reinforces all the zones which are moresusceptible to stress cracking due to mechanical constraints. Thisavoids potential breaking of the PET bottle walls and base whichcan be caused by interactions with fluids or chemicals during theconveying stage.
The base has been evaluated and qualified underrigorous test protocols which are internationally recognised. Itsuccessfully completed a very demanding creeping test conductedover 72 hours under 38°C and 50% moisture conditions. This proved agood base roll-out resistance when the bottle is under pressure athigh temperature and demonstrated that it is less likely to burstduring production or to deform during transportation. Also, Sidelpackaging experts conducted various trials through computersimulations, followed by real-world physical tests, to achieveoptimum bottle strength. In those tests the StarLite Tropicaldesign resulted in improved bottle stability and - again - moreresistance to extreme temperatures (hot and cold). Vincent Le Guen,Vice President, Packaging at Sidel says, "The Sidel StarLiteTropical base is already in production in far-eastern countries bySidel customers who have trialled the base and achieved greatperformance results, including significant improvements inresistance to stress cracking."
The improved bottle stability is achieved through the enhancedbase standing surface. High surface contact of the base's feetensures easy bottle transportation and smooth conveying, anefficient solution for even high-output lines. This preventsbottles falling when passing through machine interfaces within thePET bottling line and results in a higher production uptime. As LeGuen adds, "The new StarLite Tropical base takes all the benefitsof the original StarLite base, enlarging them to all producers ofcarbonated soft drinks. Now, they can incorporate the large andstable base to their containers' designs, to greatly improve bottleperformance throughout the supply chain."
Base moulds for all productionconfigurations
Having an enhanced venting design, the new Sidel StarLiteTropical base moulds are offering an optimised cooling capacity tofurther improve bottle base performances. Available for all Sidelmoulds, they are easy to implement in PET production lines and caneven be retrofitted to existing Sidel CSD moulds to adapt bottledesigns. The new base can be applied to all lines equipped with anygeneration of Sidel blowers, in standalone - with an additionalpost-mould cooling base device - or Combi configurations. Lineconversion is quick and, in some cases, only needing a simpleadjustment to filling-levels.
[1] In 2013, the original StarLite base received theaward for 'Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative' at theGlobal Bottled Water Awards.
