Plastics Technology’s Most Popular Know How Columns in 2017
What Know How columns did our site visitors hope to know better in 2017?
In the same way a dog-eared magazine might make its way through an entire department, passed along as a valuable resource that’s read many times over, Plastics Technology can see which articles on its web site are shared the most and revisited again and again, even years after their initial publication. Here were 2017’s most-viewed “Know How” columns from our expert contributors.
No. 1
The Importance of Melt & Mold Temperature
Molders should realize how significantly process conditions can influence the final properties of the part.
No. 2
The polymers we work with follow the same principles as the body: the hotter the environment becomes, the less performance we can expect.
No. 3
Calculate Shot Size Vs. Barrel Capacity
It may seem like a dull topic, but it will overcome the emotional experience that follows when you put a new mold into a machine and you find out there is not enough barrel capacity to make a full shot.
No. 4
Start by picking a target melt temperature, and double-check data sheets for the resin supplier’s recommendations. Now for the rest...
No. 5
The rate of loading for a plastic material is a key component of how we perceive its performance.
No. 6
Injection Molding: How to Get Rid of Bubbles
First find out if they are the result of trapped gas or a vacuum void. Then follow these steps to get rid of them.
No. 7
Injection Molding: How to Set Second-Stage (Pack & Hold) Pressure
Most molders work with two parameters for establishing second-stage pressure. But within Scientific Molding there are actually four.
No. 8
PBT and PET Polyester: The Difference Crystallinity Makes
To properly understand the differences in performance between PET and PBT we need to compare apples to apples—the semi-crystalline forms of each polymer.
No. 9
Density & Molecular Weight in Polyethylene
This so-called 'commodity' material is actually quite complex, making selecting of the right type a challenge.
No. 10
How Much L/D Do You Really Need?
Just like selecting the extruder size and drive combination, the L/D should be carefully evaluated.
