Apparatus and method for moulding an opening device on a packaging sheet

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for direct injection moulding of a plastics material opening device to a hole provided on a sheet of packaging material. The term "opening device" as used herein, refers mainly to opening devices used for pouring liquid contents from a container, but also includes opening devices which may be used for filling a container. An apparatus and method for moulding opening devices onto a packaging material sheet at respective holes provided in the sheet includes first and second mould tools arrangeable in a closed position so as to be in contact with opposite sides of the sheet and in an open position so as to be positioned distally from the sheet. In the closed positions a mould cavity is formed between the first and second mould tools for accommodating a hole edge in the sheet. One of the mould tools includes a pair of half mould tools which are simultaneously moved from the open position to the closed position and vice versa such that the direction of movement of each of said half mould tools between the open and closed positions have a directional component extending substantially parallel to the extension plane and a directional component extending substantially perpendicularly to the extension plane, for reducing wear of the mould tools.