November 2003 Automatic Jugs Forming Machine AMIG have just implemented their PAS8 Press-&-Blow machine to better answer the needs of the glass jugs producers all over the world. PAS8 is a fully automatic machine thought out especially for the production of quality jugs, even though production of shaped tumblers and jars is also possible. It consists of a single turntable moved by an 8-station oil bath indexing mechanism operated by electric servomotor. Such a turntable olds the components needed to perform the forming process: • Eight vertically moving block blank moulds. • Eight two part neckrings with relevant opening/closing mechanisms. • Eight two part blow moulds with relevant opening/closing mechanisms. • Eight movable bottom plates. Further mechanisms are held on the machine structure: • Mechanism for the vertical movement of the blank mould. • Pneumatic pressing mechanism complete with spring type mechanical ring holding cage and water-cooled plunger holder as well as wedge type anvil at the pressing station. • Two blow heads. • Automatic unloading take-out mechanism. • Air cooling system with twin manifold for independent cooling of glass and moulds. The forming process of PAS8 machine consists of the following phases: • Loading of the gob, coming from a feeder mechanism. • Pressing, that forms the parison in the blank mould and the handle in the neckring, while combination of neckring, plunger and ring forms the spout. • Blowing of the finished article in the blow mould. • Automatic unloading. PAS8 machine is also equipped with an exclusive device for the hot forming of the spout at the station after pressing; such a device allows to obtain spout with different designs, such as the ice-stopping one. The machine is controlled by an electronic unit of the latest generation that includes also supervision system by industrial PC and modem unit for remote access allowing troubleshooting, software implementation, etc. AMIG, in cooperation with their partner company M*T Forni Industriali are in the position to supply complete jugs forming lines including forehearth, especially equipped conveyors, stacker and annealing lehr. A significant advantage of such lines is that they can be easily installed in an existing pressed glass production plant, since their lay-out is quite similar to the one of a traditional automatic pressing line, thus allowing a diversification of production without any important modification of the production facilities.