One Last Look at 2020
By: Tony Deligio
Before you turn over a new leaf to 2021, take a full accounting of 2020 with Plastics Technology’s Top Shops survey.
#topshops
New Central Blending System Offers Greater Accuracy, Flexibility
By: Jim Callari
Developed by Israel’s LIAD and available from Ampacet, system features dedicated ingredient weighing hoppers conveyed to specific machines to eliminate the risk of batch contamination.
#closeupontechnology
Plastiblow Re-Enters U.S. Market With Advanced All-Electric Machines
By: Matthew Naitove
A major Italian machinery brand, already well established in Latin America, is back in North America with service and spare parts support and a number of distinctive features on its all-electric blow molders.
#closeupontechnology
How COVID-19 Did (and Didn’t) Change Automation in Plastics
By: Tony Deligio
The global pandemic invigorated longstanding trends and new market forces to push broad-based adoption of automation and robotics from the incremental to the inexorable.
#business
Injection Molders: Benchmark Yourselves Against Your Peers
By: Jim Callari
How do you measure up against the elite in injection molding? Find out by taking part in our annual Top Shops survey.
#editorial #topshops
Quantifying the Appearance of Plastics
Gloss, reflection haze, and transmission haze are three of the most prevalent effects on the appearance of plastics. With the help of multifunctional tools like gloss meters and spectrophotometers manufacturers can measure these visual affects to ensure the integrity of a products appearance from start to end.
#color
![Free Survey: *[No] Restrictions May [Ever] Apply](https://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/cms/brand/pt/2021-pt/92734728tickets.jpg;maxWidth=300;quality=70)
Free Survey: *[No] Restrictions May [Ever] Apply
By: Tony Deligio
Apart from costing you some time, Plastics Technology’s Top Shops Benchmarking Survey is 100% free to participants, no asterisks or restrictions may apply.
#topshops
Precisely Managed Melt Delivery Moved into the Hot Runner
By: Tony Deligio
Husky says its new UltraShot injection system miniaturizes the shooting-pot concept of a traditional two-stage injection system—putting it within the mold—to create proximity to the gate that all but eliminates pressure drop.
#closeupontechnology
Additive Manufacturing: Through the Molders’ Lens
By: Heather Caliendo
Many in the manufacturing world experienced first-hand how agile and efficient 3D printing is when companies began to print products to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Custom molder EVCO expanded its 3D printing capabilities during this time to help produce parts quickly.
Follow These Tips to Give Your Granulator Blades the Edge
By: Steve Mussman, Wittmann Battenfeld
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions—and troubleshooting advice—to help you maintain your granulator blades.
#bestpractices
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 4
By: Mike Sepe
In this installment we discuss the discovery of Bakelite, the first truly synthetic polymer, known today as phenolic.
#Elastomers
Process Monitoring or Production Monitoring—Why Not Both?
By: Robert Gattshall
Molders looking to both monitor an injection molding process effectively and manage production can definitely do both with tools available today, but the question is how best to tackle these twin challenges.
#monitoring
Profile Processor Combines People & Technology to Fuel Growth
By: Jim Callari
Custom Profile started almost 30 years ago with one employee and one extruder, and has evolved into an international processing business with three plants serving a variety of markets. And plans are in the works to expand further.
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 3
By: Jim Fattori
Follow these detailed tips to get the jobs you want. This installment focuses on the mold and the molding machine.
#bestpractices
Blow Molder Bets on New Options in Large PET & HDPE Containers
By: Matthew Naitove
Priority Plastics is thinking big—large, wide-mouth containers and drums, that is—to offer new concepts to the U.S. market. The company is launching lines of industrial and consumer packaging made on machinery said to offer capabilities not seen before in the U.S.
#polyolefins
Running Cold to Hot: Tipping Point to Convert to a Hot Runner System
By: Derrick Hennebicque, Husky Injection Molding Systems
As the original melt-delivery system, cold runners still have their place in injection molding, but when demand for a plastic part—and required production—rise, the move to a hot runner can unlock myriad benefits.