Around the Web

Black Clawson Converting Machinery has a page on its website devoted to solving a wide range of common problems in extrusion processing and converting. Visitors can click to more than 20 different articles that offer technical tips on such subjects as winding/unwinding, pelletizing, coating and slitting. It might be worth a visit.

Plenty To See At Next Month's K...

If you want to know what’s the next big thing in injection molding—and who doesn’t?—I can think of two places to look: Dusseldorf and Cleveland. Dusseldorf, Germany, is the home of the biggest plastics show on the planet, K 2007, Oct. 24-31. As you will find throughout this issue, it will be a stupendous display of innovation featuring more than 3000 exhibitors from 50 countries.

In Cleveland, Plastics Technology will present the Leading-Edge Molding Conference, where 20 speakers will discuss technical trends you can’t afford to overlook, such as in-mold assembly, long-fiber compounding and molding, biopolymers and wood-plastic compounds, auto glazing, and micro-molding. They will cover some of the same technologies that will draw crowds at the K Show—like in-mold coating, LSR molding advances, and brand-new technology for insert molding RFID chips into plastic parts.

There will be plenty to see at K in other processes as well. Just follow the links for the latest technology developments in extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming, RIM/PUR, compounding, and materials.

Injection Business Climbs 5%...

Plastics Technology’s exclusive Injection Molding Business Index expanded 5% in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This followed an 8% decline during the previous month. The index, prepared by plastics economist and forecaster Bill Wood of Mountaintop Economics, is expected to expand the rest of the year and finish 2% above 2006. While the packaging market tumbled last month, Wood projects molders in that business to realize a 4% rise in business by year end. Molded parts for computers are growing at a very healthy rate. Growth in the medical molding business has been consistent, while molders making parts for the appliance and automotive businesses are struggling a bit.

While Extrusion Dips a Bit

The Extrusion Business Index, meantime, took a 2% dip in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This followed a 6% decrease for the previous month. But Wood is projecting the extrusion business overall to increase 2% by the end of the year. Film extruders saw their business increase by 2% last month; this business segment, the largest single component of the overall index, is projected by Wood to increase by 3% over 2006. Sheet processors experienced a 3% bump last month, and are projected to experience a healthy 7% gain by year end over ’06. Extrusion processors tied to the construction market have been hit hard by a slowdown in housing starts.

Hanser Gardner Rolls Out New Plastics Titles

Plastics Technology sister company Hanser-Gardner has introduced some new titles that processors might find interesting. Injection Mold Design Engineering provides a vision and structure to finally synergize all the engineering disciplines that converge in the mold design process. The topics are presented in a top-down manner, beginning with introductory definitions and the “big picture” before proceeding to layout and detailed design of molds.  Polymer Blends offers a comprehensive overview of this important field, in particular a unique and extensive literature research on all aspects of this technology.  And the focus of Understanding Blow Molding is on hands-on practical applications, which will benefit those new to the plastic blow molding industry, as well as those who are experienced but may not have been exposed to all facets of a blow molding plant.

Learn How Mack Molding Benefits From "Safety First" Approach

Worker safety and health are every molder’s responsibility, but the proactive approach taken by Mack Molding Co., Arlington, Vt., helped it win a Vermont state award and dramatically lowered its worker compensation costs.

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