Published
Thin Recess Injection Molding
The next time you bring that delicious fried chicken home in a pail, take a closer look at the packaging. Developed for brand owner Kentucky Fried Chicken, the 64 oz. carry-out pail uses proprietary thin-wall innovation technology from injection moldmaker StackTeck called "thin recess injection molding” (TRIM).
#leadership
Editorial Director,
MoldMaking Technology
The TRIM pail for KFC is injection mold manufacturer StackTeck Systems' first commercial application of its proprietary (patent pending) technology. The TRIM pail was molded by SriThai Superware of Bangkok, Thailand for KFC and uses in-mold labeling for high quality decoration. StackTeck was challenged by SriThai to reduce the weight of a 64-ounce round pail used for popcorn at movie theaters, which was already at the limit of conventional thin-wall packaging.
According to Jordan Robertson, StackTeck’s GM of Business Development and Marketing, conventional lightweight parts with L/T ratio up to 300, (flow length/thickness) can be made thinner with additional light-weighting of over 40 percent by weight. He goes on to say that by pushing the TRIM part design to the limit, covering approximately 90 percent of the part with ultra-thin panels, a weight savings of approximately 40 percent was achieved. Most of the surface of this part has a wall thickness that corresponds to an L/T ratio of 550.
This pail has a wall thickness that is about half that formerly considered possible with conventional thin-wall molding technology yet is also strong. The full wrap label provides container coverage and stiffness.
The project won StackTeck the Gold Award for ‘Best Thin Wall Package’ at the recent In-Mold Decorating Association’s Parts Competition.
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