Auxiliary equipment takes in a broad range of functions, from materials preparation to post-mold finishing.

From polymer characterization to on-line bottle or preform inspection, coordinate measuring, and color sensing, new testing and measuring instruments at the NPE show in Chicago were easier to use and more compact, yet often packed higher performance than earlier versions—and sometimes with a more attractive price tag.

A new on-line spectrophotometer is said to provide highly accurate colormetric measurements in demanding factory environments for less than $20,000, about one-fifth the price of competitive systems.

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.

Throughput capacities are going up for compounding equipment of all types.

There’s never been a better time to outfit your lab or QC inspectors with testing and measuring instruments.

Two new color services for small to medium-sized firms that lack in-house color-matching and formulating expertise were announced at K 2004.

There was no shortage of new developments in product inspection devices and instruments for testing color and appearance as well as mechanical, rheological, thermal, and weathering properties.