Moulds: Wikiera Uchman

Maintaining the glass supply chain Maintaining the glass supply chain

Marcin Wikiera* explains the importance of having a reliable supply chain for glass plants, for both the mould and machine parts.

Pic 1. NNP&B neck rings – bronze�

The family-owned business Wikiera Uchman was founded in 1970 to support glass plants in the production and repair of machine parts, as well as the manufacture of mould components.

Good quality mould components and well-maintained forming machine accessories are mandatory to ensure stable productions of high-quality containers: not only it is a prerequisite for high production efficiencies, but it is also the base for setting-up best practice standards in a glass plant, and consequently reduce costly downtimes on the forming machines.

In today’s difficult economic environment, where energy prices are exploding, these production downtimes must be kept to a minimum to save production costs.

For suppliers of parts, promised delivery times are becoming even more crucial to satisfy glass plants, and for Wikiera Uchman, this is no exception: offering glass container manufacturers a wide range of products at the best and promised delivery times is our mission.

Mould components

Being in direct contact with glass during the forming process, special attention must be given to the quality and to the state of the mould equipment on the forming machine. This is obvious: how can you produce high-quality containers with bad quality moulds?

Thanks to our long experience in this industry and to the trustful relationship we have with our customers, we at Wikiera Uchman are aware of that important aspect.

For that reason, we use the highest quality materials for each glass production application: various cast irons, steels and bronze as base material, depending on the type of container to be produced, always in accordance with our customer demands.

Neck rings (Pic 1), plungers (Pic 2), cooling tubes (for all forming processes: B&B, P&B and NNP&B) at the blank side, as well as bottom plates, blow heads and take-out graphite tongs at the blow side are our specialties.

With the use of the latest 3D design technology and with our latest computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing machines, we supply our customers with best quality mould variables, and always keep to our promised delivery times.

Forming machines parts

Having good machine technology is not the only a requirement for high production efficiencies. Glass plants need to make sure that these machines are well maintained, which means being equipped with accessories and variables in best conditions.

It makes no sense to produce containers with high-quality mould equipment on old, unmaintained machine accessories and parts. Ultimately, old and/or poorquality accessories on the machine will ‘destroy’ the mould equipment, in particular the mould’s edges, leading in visible seams on the final produced container.

Wikiera Uchman is specialised with the repair of machine parts thanks to a very long relationship with one of the major worldwide glass producers located near our facilities in Poland.

For the last few years, our latest CNC technology allows us to manufacture brand new machine accessories, in particular components that ‘suffer’ the most on the forming machines: mould holder plates and mould holder inserts (Pic 3).

With a special treatment on the hanging mould contact surfaces, our plates and inserts are proven to last longer. In addition, we are producing connecting links and pins, and lately some specific mould cooling plenum chambers (Pic 4).

Ongoing challenges

The pandemic was challenging for the whole glass industry. Glass manufacturers were under pressure to preserve a minimum number of personnel to operate the machines. The supply chain was also strained since all companies suffered the same issues with personnel and transport delivery.

Thanks to strict hygiene measures, at Wikiera Uchman we can proudly say that we were able to keep our activities at the top level, and none of our customers reported any delays. We were even able to gain some new customers thanks to our reliable delivery times.

Since February this year, the war in Ukraine is bringing new challenges for the container glass industry. Since our company is located close to the Ukrainian border, a few months ago Wikiera Uchman supported the flow of refugees, by bringing food and goods at the border. Many of our employees also hosted refugees in their homes.

Today, the whole world is affected by this event, especially Europe. Energy prices (gas, electricity) are exploding. Consequently, the container glass industry is under pressure again, as production costs are rising.

For Wikiera Uchman, there is no exception, and therefore, we implemented certain energy-saving measures to reduce the impact of the energy price increase.

The objective for us is to ensure the best competitive prices for mould and machine parts, always at shortest delivery times. �

Pic 2

*Co-owner, Wikiera Uchman, Kosina, Poland https://wikiera.pl/en/

Pic 3

Pic 2. WMP&B and NNP&B plungers. Pic 3. TG mould holder inserts. Pic 4. DG mould holder inserts and cooling plenum chambers.

Pic 4