Forming mold for reduction of parting lines

A method for electromagnetic forming of formed containers, the method comprising the acts of:

• receiving a pre-form article from an upstream process in a forming mold;
• disposing the pre-form article about an electromagnetic coil, the electromagnetic coil being disposed within the forming mold, the electromagnetic coil being configured to impart an electromagnetic force on the pre-form article when supplied with electrical energy;
• coupling the forming mold about the pre-form article, the forming mold including an annular ring, a bottom mold section, and a plurality of circumferential segments, each of the plurality of circumferential segments being positioned adjacent to and between the annular ring and the bottom mold section, the plurality of circumferential segments bridging the annular ring and the bottom mold section, the annular ring and the plurality of circumferential segments forming a sidewall of the forming mold, each of the plurality of circumferential segments including an inner surface, the plurality of inner surfaces defining a desired shape of the formed containers, the bottom mold section being removable from the plurality of circumferential segments such that the bottom mold section is configured to hold and move the pre-form article about the electromagnetic coil and into and out of the forming mold, the annular ring being configured to surround, hold, seal, and shape a top section of the pre-form article and to form a seal with each of the circumferential segments;
• supplying, after the coupling of the forming mold about the pre-form article, a first electrical energy to the electromagnetic coil to produce an electromagnetic force, the electromagnetic force configured to urge the pre-form article into contact with the inner surfaces of the forming mold, thereby producing one of the formed containers;
• and
• forming a formed container having a top area, the top area having surfaces free of parting lines, the top area being configured to be flanged.

A system for forming a plurality of formed containers from a plurality of pre-form articles using electromagnetic energy, the system comprising:

• a plurality of forming modules, the plurality of forming modules being movably mounted relative to an infeed starwheel, the infeed starwheel configured to supply preform articles to the plurality of forming modules, each of the plurality of forming modules including a forming mold disposed about an electromagnetic coil, the forming mold having an annular ring, a bottom mold section, and a plurality of circumferential segments, each of the plurality of circumferential segments being positioned adjacent to and between the annular ring and the bottom mold section, the plurality of circumferential segments bridging the annular ring and the bottom mold section, the annular ring and the plurality of circumferential segments forming a sidewall of the forming mold, each of the plurality of circumferential segments including an inner surface, the plurality of inner surfaces defining a desired shape of the formed containers, the bottom mold section being removable from the plurality of circumferential segments such that the bottom mold section is configured to hold and move the pre-form articles about the electromagnetic coil and into and out of the forming mold, the annular ring being configured to surround, hold, seal, and shape a top section of the pre-form articles and to form a seal with each of the circumferential segments so as to reduce or eliminate parting lines on the surface of the formed containers, the electromagnetic coil being configured to impart an electromagnetic force on the pre-form articles when supplied with electrical energy, the electromagnetic force being configured to urge the pre-form articles into contact with the inner surfaces of the forming mold to produce the formed containers;
• a charging circuit being configured to supply the electrical energy to the plurality of forming modules;
• a discharge-control mechanism operatively coupled to the plurality of forming modules and the charging circuit, the discharge-control mechanism being configured to selectively actuate discharge of the electrical energy from the charging circuit to a predetermined forming module.