Guides
Practical answers for PET preform mould buyers.
Written by the OSLON engineering team from the questions customers ask us most.
Valve gate or open gate: choosing a hot runner for a PET preform mould
How valve-gate and open-gate hot runners differ on a PET preform mould, and what to specify so two quotations are actually comparable.
PET preform mould steel and cooling: what sets the cycle time
What mould steel and cooling do to a PET preform cycle time, using the published 64- and 72-cavity records, and what to agree before you order.
How many cavities does your PET preform mould need?
Work out the right cavity count for a PET preform mould from your output target, cycle time, injection machine shot weight and platen size, with worked examples from 64 and 72 cavity projects.
PCO 1881 vs PCO 1810: choosing a neck finish for your preform
The differences between PCO 1881 and PCO 1810 28 mm neck finishes for PET preforms, and how 26/22, 29/25 and 30/25 compare for water and soft drinks.
Buying a PET preform mould from China for a plant in India
Step by step: how an Indian manufacturer orders a PET preform mould from China, from specification and quotation through import, delivery, installation, commissioning and after-sales.
Preform mould maker in China: how to tell a real factory from a trader
Six practical checks to confirm a Chinese PET preform mould supplier makes the mould itself: address, machining, engineers, progress photos, patents and trial.
PET preform mould acceptance checklist: what to check before shipment
A practical checklist for accepting a PET preform mould at the maker's factory: preform weight and dimensions per cavity, hot runner, cooling, documents and packing.
PET preform gate stringing and white crystallinity: causes and fixes
Why PET preforms show strings or a white cloudy area at the gate, how to tell if it is the mould, the process or the resin, and the fixes that work.