On the floor, the SBO 6 Series 1 keeps the line honest—until the heating tunnel starts drifting. Preform temperatures go uneven, and suddenly you’re chasing off-spec bottles, scrap, and a machine that feels like it’s fighting you. The fastest, safest way back to stable output is a heater bulb that matches Sidel’s spec. Not a “good enough” substitute. The real one. What matters, technically We build the Sidel SBO 6 Series 1 heater bulb as a direct-fit OEM spare: short-wave infrared halogen, sealed in a quartz tube chosen for quick response and steady output. It runs at the machine’s rated voltage, with the right wattage density and the standard R7s connector interface, so it drops straight into the socket—no rewiring, no re-mapping. Filament geometry and reflector alignment are set for the SBO heating tunnel, so the thermal profile across the preforms stays repeatable, shift after shift. Why this matters in stretch blow molding Repeatable heating is what keeps the process window open and the rejects down. This bulb brings you back to the original heating curve, so warm-up to running temperature happens faster, preform body temperature is more uniform, and color or wall-thickness changes don’t throw the line into a spin. The payoff shows up as more consistent bottle weight, better top-load performance, and fewer jams from preforms that are underheated or overheated. It also helps with energy use—stable output means less temptation to over-drive the heater just to compensate for drift. A few practical notes Installation on the SBO 6 Series 1 is straightforward, but treat the heater as a wear part. Check locking tolerance, inspect the reflector and socket for oxidation, and verify voltage stability at the terminal. Handle the quartz tube with a clean glove—skin oils create hot spots and shorten life. Schedule replacement around your PM window to avoid unplanned downtime, and keep a spare on the shelf so the line doesn’t sit and wait.