HMD 480 vs 550 for Large Container Production

The HMD 480M8-SPV delivers 4,800 kN clamping force with a platen size of 1,190 x 1,140 mm and tie bar distance of 760 x 710 mm. Mold thickness capacity ranges from 330 to 750 mm, with a maximum daylight of 1,510 mm and mold opening stroke of 760 mm. The HMD 550M8-SPV steps up to 5,500 kN clamping with a larger platen at 1,310 x 1,260 mm and tie bar distance of 860 x 820 mm. Its mold thickness range extends from 350 to 800 mm with maximum daylight of 1,600 mm. For large food containers with projected areas exceeding 800 cm2 across a 6-cavity mold, the 550T provides a 15% clamping force margin that prevents flash on container rims. The 480T is sufficient for 4-cavity molds where the total projected area stays below 650 cm2. Both models feature HWAMDA's strengthened platen design with high-rigidity structure and nitride-treated toggle links for uniform pressure distribution across the mold face, critical for maintaining 0.5-0.7 mm wall uniformity on rectangular containers.

For 500 ml round containers (part weight 12-15 g, wall thickness 0.5 mm), the HMD 480M8-SPV pairs with 6-cavity molds achieving 5.5-6.5 second cycles, while the HMD 550M8-SPV runs 8-cavity molds at 5.0-6.0 seconds. For 750 ml rectangular containers (part weight 18-22 g, wall thickness 0.6 mm), the 480T handles 4-cavity molds at 6.0-7.0 second cycles, and the 550T manages 6-cavity molds at 5.5-6.5 seconds. For 1000 ml large containers (part weight 22-28 g, wall thickness 0.65 mm), the 480T runs 2-cavity molds at 6.5-8.0 seconds, while the 550T accommodates 4-cavity molds at 6.0-7.5 seconds. All molds use 2344 (H13) steel with valve gate hot runner systems from YUDO or Synventive for precise shot control. Mold weights range from 2,000 to 3,500 kg depending on cavity count, well within the platen capacity of both machines. BeCu inserts at thermally critical zones and multi-circuit cooling maintain mold temperatures at 15-25 degrees Celsius.

Running 500 ml containers in an 8-cavity mold, the HMD 550M8-SPV produces 4,800-5,760 containers per hour at 5-6 second cycles. The HMD 480M8-SPV with a 6-cavity mold delivers 3,323-3,927 containers per hour at 5.5-6.5 seconds. Over a 22-hour production day at 85% OEE, the 550T outputs 89,760-107,712 containers versus the 480T's 62,150-73,435. Annually at 330 operating days, the 550T produces 29.6-35.5 million containers compared to the 480T's 20.5-24.2 million. For 750 ml rectangular containers, the gap narrows: the 550T with 6 cavities produces approximately 3,323 containers per hour versus the 480T's 2,057 at 4 cavities. The 550T's advantage in output per hour is approximately 61% higher for 500 ml containers and 62% higher for 750 ml containers. Energy consumption per container is comparable at 0.8-1.2 kWh/kg for both models due to their shared servo-hydraulic drive architecture.

The HMD 480M8-SPV costs approximately $85,000-110,000 FOB Ningbo, while the HMD 550M8-SPV ranges from $105,000-135,000. The 550T commands a 20-25% price premium. For a 6-cavity 500 ml container mold, pricing is $18,000-28,000 from Chinese mold makers. An 8-cavity mold for the 550T costs $25,000-38,000. When comparing total line investment including mold, SWITEK robot, chiller, and auxiliaries, the 480T line totals $150,000-200,000 versus $190,000-260,000 for the 550T. The payback calculation favors the 550T when annual demand exceeds 25 million containers: its 45-60% higher output justifies the 25-30% higher investment. For operations producing 10-20 million containers annually, the 480T delivers sufficient capacity at lower capital exposure. A practical strategy for growing businesses is to start with the 480T for initial production, then add a 550T as demand scales, using both machines for different container sizes to maximize flexibility.