Abstract: A method for shaping a preform made from thermoplastic material, and a facility for implementing the method, comprising the following steps: a) providing a preform made from thermoplastic material having a surface; b) supplying thermal energy to the preform by radiation in such a way as to make it ductile; and c) shaping the ductile preform inside a forming mould. Step b) further involves simultaneously spraying a gaseous fluid onto the surface of the preform in order to preserve the surface.

Abstract: A method for shaping a preform made from thermoplastic material, and a facility for implementing the method, comprising the following steps: a) providing a preform made from thermoplastic material having a surface; b) supplying thermal energy to the preform by radiation in such a way as to make it ductile; and c) shaping the ductile preform inside a forming mould. Step b) further involves simultaneously spraying a gaseous fluid onto the surface of the preform in order to preserve the surface.

Abstract: The actuating device comprises an actuator arm (11) pivoting about a rotating axle (12) and driving two devices (15, 16) for displacing pallets. These devices also pivot and are laterally displaced along the axles (24, 25) integral with the arm (11) and are located at different distances from the rotating axle (12). The first displacement device (15) consists of a comb (26) with regularly spaced lateral notches. The second displacement device (16) consists of a comb (30) with one lateral notch at each extremity. When the actuator arm is retracted, the notches in the combs (26, 30) grasp a pallet. When the arm advances, the distances by which the pallets maintained in each of the displacement devices (15) are displaced are different. The pallets are separated from one another when a pallet maintained by the first device (15) is downstream from a pallet maintained by the second device (16), and they are moved together when this position is reversed.