Abstract
In order to develop a lightweight plastic bottle, the application of optimal method to the plastic bottle design is investigated. The Statistical Design Support System (SDSS) which is the optimal design method combined with FE simulation is adopted. Five kinds of characteristic values are obtained by FE simulation. They are loads of vented and unvented longitudinal compression, reduction in volume or buckling pressure at reduced pressure, increase in volume at increased pressure, and squeeze load. The analysis of variances, response surface equations, and optimum dimensions for design factors are calculated by SDSS. The optimum dimensions for minimum bottle weight are found under some conditions constrained by the characteristic values and bottle size. It is shown that the application of the optimal method to the bottle design is effective for developing a lightweight bottle.
