Sequential valve gating either eliminates or greatly reduces the flow-front collisions, and resulting knit lines, between a set of nozzles. However, there are still applications using sequential molding where a “ghost mark” or marks occurs on the part between a set or pair of nozzles and/or near the gate itself.

Tooling innovations at NPE focused primarily on multi-cavity closure and medical applications, though there was also a substantial emphasis on large automotive and appliance parts.

At the world’s largest plastics show in Dusseldorf last fall, hot-runner and controller manufacturers introduced a flood of new developments in speed, size, accuracy, and reliability.

The world’s largest plastics show, coming up next month in Dusseldorf, Germany, provides ample evidence of the growing sway of electric drive technology in injection molding.

Although we previewed a number of new developments in hot-runners at NPE 2009 in our May and June issues, the big show in Chicago served up still more new offerings for PET preforms, medical parts, caps and closures, and more.

Incoe Corp., Troy, Mich., and Beaumont Technologies, Inc. (BTI), Erie, Pa., have agreed to allow each to sell the other’s products.

If a better machine can help your company beat challenging economic conditions, you’ll probably find it at NPE. And finding it will be easier, thanks to our editors’ efforts to sift out of some 2000 exhibits the most significant news in injection and blow molding, extrusion, compounding, and thermoforming.

The accepted ground rule for balancing melt flow in multi-cavity injection molds is to achieve equal flow distance from the injection point to each cavity.

A new hot-runner temperature controller that regulates voltage to reduce or eliminate premature burn-out is new from Incoe Corp., Troy, Mich.

Electrically driven valve pins, a low-cost alternative to valve-gating, mold-mounted temperature controllers, and new components for fast color changes are some of a host of new components and systems unveiled at the giant NPE 2006 show in Chicago this past June. (Some brand-new introductions since the show are also included in this report.) The news includes runnerless products aimed at everything from micromolding to shot weights up to 17.4 lb.

Thermal and mechanical testers, color and appearance sensors, vision inspection devices and CMMs—the NPE had them all in more compact, economical, and easy-to-use models.

Energy-saving all-electric machines will continue to be a big draw at NPE, where new designs or upgraded models will be found in virtually every press maker’s booth.

Injection MoldingSimplified Hot Runners Save Time & CostA new lower-cost hot-runner alternative to valve gating is suited to less critical cosmetic applications where users need predictable and reliable gate opening but not sequential gate operation.

A water-cooled bushing for hot-runner nozzles and a mechanical valve-gate control system for multi-cavity molds are new from Incoe Corp., Troy, Mich.

The diversity of electric machines will be on display at this year’s show, with several new all-electric versions in direct-drive and belt-driven versions.

The internet is redefining the tool-design process. Some mold designers are finding that using the Web to manage a tool project can shorten lead times, cut costs, and make sure vital data get to all participants in a project.

Closer cavity spacing, in-press serviceability, improved valve gates, smarter controls, quick-ship standard manifolds, and Internet e-commerce were leading themes in hot runners at the big show in Chicago.Hot-runner components were one of the largest categories of injection molding products exhibited at the triennial NPE show in June.

Ultimate Control for the Toughest Molding Jobs

Sophisticated hot-runner temperature controls introduced at the NPE show in Chicago store set-up data right on the mold, detect (and even fix) thermocouple wiring mistakes, and employ easier-to-use icon-based displays.

From complete hot halves to individual nozzles, a host of new products promise smaller gate vestiges, less maintenance, better temperature control, and lower cost.

External gas injection is finally getting molders’ attention as a means to improve part surface quality. Two different approaches are available for licensing. Here’s a look at the processes, the potential benefits, and the commercial players.

Interplas 99 in Birmingham held news in injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, RIM, and recycling.