British BMT revolutionizes PET bottle design with advanced simulation technology to accelerate development, improve accuracy, reduce prototyping costs, and enhance sustainability outcomes significantly advancing
PET bottle simulation technology
Accurately Simulating Before Blowing: BMT’s Digital Leap in Bottle Design
Blow Moulding Technologies (BMT), a Northern Ireland-based spin-off from Queen’s University Belfast, has developed an advanced simulation method that can accurately predict wall thickness in PET and rPET bottles during the blow moulding process. By combining process simulation with detailed material characterization, the company is helping manufacturers shorten development cycles and reduce reliance on physical prototypes.
The approach enables virtual testing of bottle performance under real-world conditions. According to BMT product manager David McKelvey, the system supports precise vertical load and burst pressure assessments, allowing designers to optimise bottles for both strength and lightweighting while cutting down on time-consuming physical trials. PET bottle simulation technology
A key element of the method is its focus on material behaviour. Through techniques such as biaxial tensile testing, BMT captures how resin responds when heated, stretched in multiple directions, and formed into shape. These tests reveal deformation patterns, stretch ratios, stiffness changes, and how processing affects final mechanical properties—data that feeds directly into the simulation models.
Unlike traditional approaches that assume uniform wall thickness or constant material properties, BMT’s model tracks how material distributes and stretches throughout the blow moulding process. This produces a far more realistic prediction of final bottle thickness and stiffness profiles. PET bottle simulation technology
In validation studies, BMT reports that its simulations matched physical test results within about 1%, while conventional constant-property models deviated significantly, overestimating performance by 13% and in some cases up to 63%. The improved accuracy allows engineers to detect design issues earlier, evaluate the impact of changes more reliably, and make better-informed decisions before investing in tooling and mould production. PET bottle simulation technology
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