How Are Water Bottles Manufactured?

Water, as a product, comes in many different containers. One of the most common is a plastic bottle. Whether created from original plastics or recycled from former bottles and materials, plastic water bottles are cheap and efficient.

Materials

The plastic used to create water bottles is commonly made from petroleum. The petroleum is refined into usable plastic in the form of pellets. Bioplastics, made from plant life, provide a more eco-friendly solution to petroleum-based plastics, but at the cost of shelf life. Many bioplastics degrade much more quickly.

Creation

Technicians melt the plastic pellets to form test tube-like objects called preforms. Each preform is placed within a mold and a tube inserted into the opening. Using a mixture of infrared and thermal heat, the preforms are heated to the melting point. Once hot enough, air is pumped through the tube, expanding the preform to fit the plastic bottle mold. Once it is cooled, the finished bottle is released from the mold.

Recycling

Green options for plastic water bottles include reusing and recycling. Sterilized bottles can be refilled and resold without the cost of manufacturing. Recycling plastic water bottles involves shredding old plastic bottles and the sterilizing the shredded chips.

References

• WiseGeek: What Is The Life Cycle of a Plastic Water Bottle?
• FreePatentsOnline: Apparatus for manufacturing hollow plastic bottles from preforms, with means for swinging the preforms