New Bottle Lightweighting Technology Saves Resin and Cost
By: Matthew Naitove
Graham Packaging has developed a method of selectively reinforcing a bottle wall perpendicular to conventional parison programming.
#closeupontechnology
Connected Compounder
By: Jim Callari
Fast-growing Alterra strives for “best-in-class” manufacturing operations driven by a custom-made Industry 4.0 platform.
#industry4-0
Designing Recycled Content: How Processors Fit In
By: Heather Caliendo
Brand owners, material suppliers and processors weigt in on the challenges and opportunities of designing applications with recycled content.
Turn on the Juice: The Benefits of Mold Electrification for Molders
By: Matthew Cummings, Husky Injection Molding Systems
Electrifying the mold reduces the chances of bad parts, supports a clean molding environment and increases control of the process with real-time feedback. Here’s help to determine whether it’s right for you.
The Experts Speak: Seven Cost-Saving Purging Tips for Compounding Twins
By: Tom Hanvey, Asahi Kasei Asaclean Americas
Purging gurus from the material, machinery and compounding sides of the industry offer their insights on best practices and tips that can keep your compounding twin-screw extruder up and running.
Molder Eliminates Line Blowouts with Deflection Elbow
By: Jim Callari
Parker Chomerics eliminated chronic elbow failures since switching to Hammertek conveying elbow more than two-and-a-half years ago.
#processorsedge #technologyinaction
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Part 6
By: Michael Sepe
How the ‘Big 4’ commodity materials came to be.
#Elastomers
Consider the Cushion When Seeking Shot-to-Shot Consistency
By: Suhas Kulkarni
Creating and maintaining a consistent cushion is a key step in achieving shot-to-shot consistency. Learn what cushion is and how it affects part quality.
#bestpractices
Put Science into Glass-Fiber Compounding on Single Screws
By: Jim Frankland
There are still companies that compound glass fibers on single screws. The process is considered an “art,” but can be made more predictable with attention to screw design, speed and length, as well the choice of mixer.
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 4 of 4
By: Jim Fattori
This fourth and final installment focuses on labor, packaging, secondary operations and various assorted details.
Processors Record All-Time High Activity Levels
By: Michael Guckes
Survey data reveals quickening expansion among both captive and custom operations.
#economics
Growing Through the Pandemic
By: Tony Deligio
Westec Plastics is just one example of an injection molder that actually expanded in 2020 despite the business and logistical challenges of the pandemic.
New Technology Adoption as a Business Strategy
By: Tony Deligio
As a company, is your adoption of new technology passive and by accident or strategic and planned?
#bestpractices #industry4-0
How the Coronavirus Transformed Training
By: Don Smith, Scholle IPN
A pandemic accelerated the necessary change in how we train current and future generations of mold-manufacturing professionals.
#business
ERP Platform Keeps Molders Connected in the Pandemic
By: Tony Deligio
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software offers its users many tools and modules with manufacturing and plastics specific platforms like DELMIAworks touching everything from inventory and quality to bookkeeping and process and machine monitoring.
#technologyinaction
Profile Processor Expands Mexico Plant
Michigan-based processor adds space in Juarex, with plans to increase extrusion capacity and hire people.