How to make a plastic bottle or container
Plastic bottles, containers and hollow vessels are produced by blow molding. The starting point is the blow mold, which defines the shape, capacity and details of the container. Fundimoldes designs and builds that mold.
Quote a blow moldBlow molding in three steps.
In extrusion blow molding, the machine forms a tube of hot plastic, the parison, that drops between the two open mold halves.
The mold closes, pinches the tube and air is blown in: the plastic expands until it copies the inside of the mold.
The cooled mold sets the container, opens and the part comes out ready for trimming.
If your container is a PET bottle like those used for beverages, the usual process starts from an injected preform that is stretched and blown; check your case with engineering to define the route.
What to decide before building.
The shape and capacity of the container, the neck or thread for the closure, the material, the pinch-off line, venting so air can escape, cooling and compatibility with the blow molding machine. The guide blow molds: pinch-off, venting and cooling covers it in detail.
What if the vessel is very large?
Blow molding is the usual process for small and medium containers in volume. For tanks and large hollow vessels, rotational molding is usually considered.
What information to prepare.
A sample of the container, its drawing or 3D model (if not available, photos with dimensions), the capacity, material, neck or thread type, expected quantity and the blow molding machine data: platens, opening stroke and number of cavities. Technical details are on the blow and extrusion blow molds page.
Common questions.
Does Fundimoldes make the bottles?+
Fundimoldes designs and builds the blow mold. The containers are produced with that mold on a blow molding machine, usually at the customer’s plant or their molder’s.
Can you copy an existing container?+
Yes. From a physical sample, the geometry can be digitized with 3D scanning and rebuilt to design the mold. The customer must be authorized to reproduce protected designs.
How is the neck thread defined?+
It is defined from the cap or closure system the container will use, so both fit correctly.
Tell us which container you want to make
Send a sample, photos or the 3D model, the capacity and the expected quantity. An engineer replies within 24 business hours.
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