April 2020 ISSUE

Award-Winning Package Boosts Lindar's Thermoforming Credentials
Custom thermoformer Lindar has experienced years of steady growth, with numerous technical advances to its credit, as it continues to expand its capabilities in packaging and industrial markets.
#bestpractices
FEATURES
Purging CompoundsBe Proactive in Your Purging Program
True, it can be tough to take a machine out of production, but a purging maintenance program should be thought of as a direct line to cost savings.
Injection Molding
Time for Another Look at Fiber-Direct Compounding for Molding
Despite its benefits in cost, performance and lightweighting, fiber-direct compounding (FDC) has seen relatively limited adoption—is that changing?Blow Molding
What ‘Cobots’ Can Do for Blow Molders
Low-cost and easy-to-program collaborative robots are a new solution to bottle handling, trimming and packing automation.
Jim Callari: Time to Learn More About the Real World of Recycling
New Method Boosts Medical-Tubing Efficiency
3D Printing Helps Close the Loop for Armor’s Circular Economy
Suhas Kulkarni: The Cosmetic Process Window: Key to a No-Tweak, Robust Process
Jim Frankland: Extrusion: Important Polymer Melting Equations for Extrusion Processors
Jim Fattori: Tooling: How to Properly Size, Gates, Runners and Sprues, Part 2
Rob Jerman: Compounding: Part 2 of 2 Demystifying Devolatilization
Michael Sepe: Materials Part 1: What Annealing Can Do for Your Process
Plastics Processing Index: Waste Solutions Provider Brightmark Announces New Growth Plan
Plastics Processing Index: Expanding Production Bumps Index Above 50
Processors Edge: Small, Family-Run Vermont Molder Pioneers in ‘Lights-Out’ & Industry 4.0
Plastics Processing Index: 3D Printing Helps Close the Loop for Armor’s Circular Economy
Resin Prices: Prices of Volume Resins Flat to Down