January 2006 Issue
January 2006
Features
Featured articles from the latest issue of Plastics Technology
Polyurethanes: Fine-Tuning 'Green' Foams
With the switch to ‘cleaner’ blowing agents nearly complete, the priority now is tweaking foam formulations for optimal performance and cost.
Read MoreNanoscale Additive Blends Both Compatibilize and Toughen
A new family of acrylic block copolymers is said to be easily mixed into nanoscale dispersions with various thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers—and to be miscible with those matrix polymers.
Read MoreTrend Spotting
The most widely reported trend in the plastics industry in 2005 was undoubtedly the rapid rise in the price of resins during the second half of the year.
Read MoreNew Year’s Resolutions
Each year I make promises to myself that I probably won’t keep: Get more exercise, clean up my office and the spare room at home, make a few repairs around the house.
Read MoreEasy Cures for Common Complaints About Hot-Oil Units
Molders of high-temperature materials frequently ask these six questions about hot-oil temperature-control units (TCUs):Is smoke dangerous?Why is the pump discharge pressure bouncing all over?Why has the oil degraded and is it damaging the pump seals?Why can’t I get the mold hot enough without running the temperature above the flashpoint?Does it mean I’m running the oil too hot if I am getting carbon on the Y-strainer?If the oil has turned color, should it be replaced?There are straightforward answers and solutions to all of the above.
Read MoreHigh-Precision Thermoforming: It's Putting the Pressure in Injection Molding
A look at the production of a high-tech medical device shows why pressure forming has injection molders looking over their shoulders. Complex shapes, undercuts, snap-fits, precise styling lines—all of these are within the capabilities of today’s industrial thermoformers.
Read MoreFour Ways to Fight Sky-High Resin Prices
There are lots of ways to economize on resin costs, but here are four that you may have overlooked: negotiating smarter resin contracts, buying “futures,” using recycled resins, and more efficient purging aids. The main idea is to give yourself more choices, no matter what direction resin prices go.
Read MoreSPE Blow Molding Conference Shows Ways to Boost Productivity
A rotary wheel machine that sets a new standard for high-volume blow molding of motor-oil bottles was one of the major announcements at the recent SPE Blow Molding Conference in Toledo.
Read MoreFamily-Run Molder and Mold Maker Prospers for More Than 50 Years
How does a small, family-owned custom molder remain competitive for 53 years without multiple plants, offshore clients, a specialized market niche, or unique leading-edge technology?
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