Know-How
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Commodity Resins
How the ‘Big 4’ commodity materials — PE, PP, PS, PVC — came to be.
Read More
Consider the Cushion When Seeking Shot-to-Shot Consistency
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.
Read More
Put Science into Glass-Fiber Compounding on Single Screws
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.
Read More
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 4 of 4
This fourth and final installment focuses on labor, packaging, secondary operations and various assorted details.
Read MoreTracing the History of Polymeric Materials: More on Phenolic
Creation of an invention like phenolic can be traced through a long chain of events and contributors. Here’s the full story.
Read More
Extrusion: Follow These Tips to Get Profile Die Design Just Right
Calculating polymer flow is fairly straightforward when designing a die for a simple round profile, but as the shapes get more complicated these calculations can get extremely challenging. Here’s what you need to consider.
Read More
Three Key Decisions for an Optimal Ejection System
When determining the best ejection option for a tool, molders must consider the ejector’s surface area, location and style.
Read More
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Phenolics
In this installment we discuss the discovery of Bakelite, the first truly synthetic polymer, known today as phenolic.
Read More
Process Monitoring or Production Monitoring—Why Not Both?
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.
Read More
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 3
Follow these detailed tips to get the jobs you want. This installment focuses on the mold and the molding machine.
Read More
