Best Practices For Plastic Processors

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Knowledge Centers

Resin Drying
Everything you need to know about the importance of proper drying in your production process.

Training
Combat the skilled labor shortage using this comprehensive resource to train your own plastics processing experts.

Blending & Feeding
Deep dive into the basics of resin blending and feeding, controls, maintenance, process integration and more.

Process Cooling
This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Size Reduction
Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.
Resin Pricing See All

15 Dec 2025
January 2026: Prices of Volume Resins Mostly Down Entering 2026
Supply/demand imbalances, lower feedstock costs, and plant maintenance in Q1 are expected to keep most resin prices flat to down; however, upticks are likely in certain instances.

17 Nov 2025
December 2025: Lower Prices for PE, PP, PS and PVC; PET Higher
Downward trajectory continues for four of the five commodity resins amid supply/demand imbalances.

21 Oct 2025
November 2025: Prices for PE, PP, PS and PVC Flat to Down; PET an Outlier
Supply/demand imbalance leads to weak Q4 pricing, except in tariff-impacted PET.

19 Sep 2025
October 2025: Prices for Volume Resins Mostly Flat Entering Fourth Quarter
A largely flat-to-down pricing scenario seems most likely to prevail, with unknown potential weather and tariff impacts looming.

20 Aug 2025
September 2025: Prices for the 5 Commodity Resins Relatively Stable
Despite some price increase initiatives for PE, PP and PS, flat pricing dominant.

23 Jul 2025
August 2025: Prices for the 5 Commodity Resins Flat to Slightly Up
Barring weather and/or geopolitical production and supply disruptions, prices are generally steady.
Collections See All

Resin Drying Done Right
Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

Get Better at Quoting Molded Parts
Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

Screw Design Tips to Boost Productivity
In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

Injection Molding Know How: Best of Bozzelli
In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

Tooling Know How: Best of Fattori
Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

Tooling Know How: Mold Venting
In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

Materials Know How: Best of Sepe
Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

Ultrasonic Welding
In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

Mold Maintenance
Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.
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PTXPO See All

17 Dec 2025
Free Educational Opportunities at PTXPO 2026
In addition to equipment displays and demos from the industry’s leading suppliers to meet your production needs, this March PTXPO will offer free educational resources to pad your plastics IQ.

1 Oct 2025
PTXPO 2026 Opens Registration
Gain a competitive edge at this premier industry event featuring technical education, networking and exhibits to spur innovation and advancement in plastic mold manufacturing.

5 Sep 2025
Inside the Pellet
The Materials Symposium at PTXPO 2026 will help molders better understand the materials they process day in and day out on a more fundamental level.

6 May 2025
ICYMI: April Roundup
Catch up on the most-read articles that captivated our readers in April.

9 Apr 2025
Moldmakers Honored at PTXPO 2025
Several awards were presented for individual expertise as well as individual contributions to the industry and community.

8 Apr 2025
ICYMI: March Roundup
Still catching up post-PTXPO? Whether you attended the show or not, there were bound to be some must-read articles that may have slipped past you. Catch up on what you missed.
PT Tech Days

PT Tech Days 2025
Plastics processors need solutions. Faced with new challenges, as well as longstanding difficulties, they are on the lookout for new technologies and services that will help them with their day-to-day operations.

PT Tech Days 2024
PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.
Molding See All

20 Aug 2023
What Is the Molders’ and Moldmakers’ View?
Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

15 Aug 2023
Leading Molding, Moldmaking Conferences Combine
After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

13 Jul 2023
Getting the Most Out of Injection Molding Simulation
Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

27 Jun 2023
Injection Molding and Moldmaking Automation in Focus
When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

16 Jun 2023
Pathways to More Sustainable Injection Molding
As self-imposed and government-issued sustainability mandates approach, injection molders reimagine their operations.

29 May 2023
Molding and Moldmaking Conference Agendas Finalized
August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.
Extrusion See All

2 Apr 2025
Extrusion: Live and In Person
Log out from your computer and make plans to join us in Boston this May for Extrusion 2025.

29 Mar 2023
Your Tour Guide to Plastics Technology’s 2023 Events
Get your clicking finger in shape and sign up for all that we have in store for you in 2023.

2 Mar 2023
Robust Molding, Extrusion Conference Programming in the Works
Molding 2023 to take place Aug. 29-30 in Minnesota; Extrusion 2023 slated for Oct. 10-12 in Indiana.
Webinars See All

On Demand
Choosing the Right Plastic Welding Technologies for Automotive and Beyond
Selecting the right plastic welding technology is essential for achieving high performance, durability and consistent quality for your automotive parts. Learn how various processes, such as ultrasonic, vibration, infrared, hot gas and laser welding, align with different materials, joint designs and production goals in automotive and other demanding industries to ensure strong, precise and repeatable welds that meet today’s manufacturing standards. Agenda: Plastic welding fundamentals: explore how amplitude, pressure and material properties interact to achieve optimal welds in automotive applications Design for success: learn to integrate energy directors, shear joints and spot welds that enhance strength, sealing and consistency Design for success: learn to integrate energy directors, shear joints and spot welds that enhance strength, sealing and consistency Avoiding costly pitfalls: identify common part design and molding errors that compromise joint integrity and performance Advanced techniques and troubleshooting: discover when to apply staking, swaging and spot welding, plus expert tips for fine-tuning parameters and resolving real-world challenges

On Demand
How to Replace Multi-Component Metal Parts With One-Step Composite Solution
Combining KraussMaffei's FiberForm and ColorForm technologies, you can take complex metal parts requiring multi-step, labor-intensive processing and convert them into a single-cell composite solution, including a finish coating solution. This is all achieved in under 120 seconds. Agenda: Introduction to KraussMaffei Review of FiberForm Technology, equipment required and process steps Review of ColorFrom Technology, equipment required and process steps Real world examples in automotive and aerospace Case study featuring aerospace parts

On Demand
rPET Mechanical Recycling to Slash Emissions and Boost Circularity
The push for circularity is reshaping industries through stringent regulations in packaging, automotive or single-use plastic applications. Meras(R) rPET by Sipchem InnoVent transforms 100% post-consumer PET into high-performance, circular, low CO2 footprint materials for automotive, industrial and consumer use. A range of ready-to-use mechanical recycled PET compounds, Meras rPet is designed for a big leap toward carbon reduction and circularity. Redefine plastic responsibly. Agenda: SipChem and SipChem InnoVent Plastic waste, regulations and circularity Meras rPET: SipChem’s contribution to recycled plastic

On Demand
Flexible Automation Systems: Engineered for Quick Change and Future Expansion
In today’s fast-evolving industrial landscape, adaptability is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Flexible automation systems are redefining the way manufacturers respond to market volatility, shifting demands and rapid product evolution. Arburg automation and turnkey systems combine modular design, intelligent control and scalable architecture to deliver unmatched versatility without compromising throughput or precision. This presentation explores the core principles behind flexible automation, including system reconfigurability, rapid changeover and future expansion. Arburg will highlight how flexible systems reduce downtime, shorten product life cycles and future-proof capital investments. Whether scaling up production, integrating new product variants or navigating labor shortages, flexible automation empowers manufacturers to respond with speed, efficiency and confidence. Agenda: Arburg and history in turnkey Types of automation Why flexible automation Flexible vs dedicated automation Summary

On Demand
How Elite Mold Boosted Efficiency and Cut Sinker EDM with Mantle's Technology
This webinar will explore how Elite Mold strategically combined Mantle's 3D printing system with traditional mold-making methods to significantly reduce lead times, cost savings, and expand toolmaking capacity. Hear directly from Elite Mold & Engineering's CEO, Paul Patrash, about the company's journey integrating Mantle's cutting-edge hybrid metal 3D printing technology into their existing mold-making processes. Elite Mold & Engineering is a vertically integrated injection mold manufacturer offering precision mold-making and injection molding services across various industries, including medical, automotive, aerospace, and consumer products. By adopting Mantle's toolmaking technology, Elite Mold continues to enhance efficiency and speed without completely replacing traditional manufacturing methods, thus meeting and exceeding customer demands for rapid, high-quality production.

On Demand
Building Success in LSR Molding: What Every New Molder Should Know
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) offers unmatched versatility for producing high-quality, durable parts. If you’re starting a new LSR molding operation, what steps should you take to ensure success and what common pitfalls should you avoid? This webinar serves as a comprehensive guide for newcomers to LSR molding, outlining essential considerations for launching your operation effectively and efficiently. It’ll also explore the key advantages of onshoring production, from improved quality control to reduced lead times. Whether you’re entering the LSR market for the first time or transitioning from offshore production, this session will provide practical insights to help you succeed. Agenda: Understanding the basics: differences between thermoplastic and LSR molding LSR material insights: characteristics unique to LSR and their impact on production Selecting the right dosing equipment: evaluating systems to choose what’s right for your operation Machinery considerations: selecting the correct injection unit type and size (hydraulic vs. electric) and determining the appropriate clamp size for your needs Tooling for success: the critical role of partnering with an experienced LSR mold builder Infrastructure essentials: power requirements and operational setup critical for successful LSR molding
Calendar See All

14 Jan 2026
Detroit Auto Show
The Detroit Auto Show, formerly known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), is located squarely at the intersection of technology and mobility. It’s a global event filled with tangible advances ready to hit the pavement today. Here, the software is as revolutionary as anything out there, and the hardware always looks better with a good polish. You won’t find any devices that will fit in your pocket, but you will discover machines that will move you in the most literal sense. You’ll also connect with thought leaders from around the world, both in and outside the automotive industry, whose collective visions for the future of mobility will shape the way we move for years to come.

24 Feb 2026
Additive Manufacturing Strategies 2026
Additive Manufacturing Strategies is a 100% in-person event February 24-26, 2026 in New York City. This industry touchstone conference brings together AM stakeholders from all over the world. AMS includes panels and keynotes on topics most critical in the fast-growing world of additive manufacturing. Bringing together the industry’s leaders in a contained networking environment makes AMS the place for startups to access capital, for financial institutions and investors to sharpen their radars, and for the AM industry to focus on the business of AM.
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