processing tips

Medical Tubing: Use Simulation to Troubleshoot, Optimize Processing & Dies

Extrusion simulations can be useful in anticipating issues and running “what-if” scenarios to size extruders and design dies for extrusion projects. It should be used at early stages of any project to avoid trial and error and remaking tooling.  


The Importance of Barrel Heat and Melt Temperature

Barrel temperature may impact melting in the case of very small extruders running very slowly. Otherwise, melting is mainly the result of shear heating of the polymer.

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Five Quick Steps Toward Better Blending

Rising costs of resins and additives, along with higher demands for quality and use of regrind, place a premium on proficient blending. Here are some steps to get you there.

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Got Streaks or Black Specs? Here’s How to Find and Fix Them

Determining the source of streaking or contamination in your molded parts is a critical step in perfecting your purging procedures ultimately saving you time and money.

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Know Your Options in Injection Machine Nozzles

Improvements in nozzle design in recent years overcome some of the limitations of previous filter, mixing, and shut-off nozzles.

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Bozzelli’s Guide To Specifying a Dryer

Here's a list of 17 things to do when looking for new drying equipment.

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The Effects of Time on Polymers

Last month we briefly discussed the influence of temperature on the mechanical properties of polymers and reviewed some of the structural considerations that govern these effects.

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Ultrasonic Welding: Tips, Techniques, and Troubleshooting

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.


The Effects of Stress on Polymers

Previously we have discussed the effects of temperature and time on the long-term behavior of polymers. Now let's take a look at stress.

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How to Optimize Pack & Hold Times for Hot-Runner & Valve-Gated Molds

Applying a scientific method to what is typically a trial-and-error process. Part 2 of 2.

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The Importance of Melt & Mold Temperature

Molders should realize how significantly process conditions can influence the final properties of the part.

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Hot Runners: A View from the Bottom Up

Addressing hot-runner benefits, improvements, and everyday issues from the perspective of decades of experience with probably every brand on the market. Part 1 of 2.

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How to Set Barrel Zone Temps in Injection Molding

Start by picking a target melt temperature, and double-check data sheets for the resin supplier’s recommendations. Now for the rest...

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The Strain Rate Effect

The rate of loading for a plastic material is a key component of how we perceive its performance. 

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Gardner Business Media, Inc.
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A Guide to Ultrasonic Welding Controls

Ultrasonic welding today is a sophisticated process that offers numerous features for precise control. Choosing from among all these options can be daunting; but this guide will help you make sense of your control features so you can approach your next welding project with the confidence of getting good results.


Why (and What) You Need to Dry

Other than polyolefins, almost every other polymer exhibits some level of polarity and therefore can absorb a certain amount of moisture from the atmosphere. Here’s a look at some of these materials, and what needs to be done to dry them.

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Understanding Intensification Ratio

A first step in taking the “art” out of molding.

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Tunnel Gates for Mold Designers, Part 1

Of all the gate types, tunnel gates are the most misunderstood. Here’s what you need to know to choose the best design for your application.

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The Effects of Temperature

The polymers we work with follow the same principles as the body: the hotter the environment becomes, the less performance we can expect.

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Solve Four Common Problems in PET Stretch-Blow Molding

Here’s a quick guide to fixing four nettlesome problems in processing PET bottles.

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Improve The Cooling Performance Of Your Molds

Need to figure out your mold-cooling energy requirements for the various polymers you run? What about sizing cooling circuits so they provide adequate cooling capacity? Learn the tricks of the trade here.

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Improve Quality & Productivity With Advanced Screw Design

Most molders are still running with screw designs that haven’t changed much in 30 years. But they don’t need to.  

John Bozzelli
Founder, injection Molding Solutions

A Simpler Way to Calculate Shot Size vs. Barrel Capacity

Let’s take another look at this seemingly dull but oh-so-crucial topic.

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Formulating LLDPE/LDPE Blends For Abuse–Resistant Blown Film

A new study shows how the type and amount of LDPE in blends with LLDPE affect the processing and strength/toughness properties of blown film. Data are shown for both LDPE-rich and LLDPE-rich blends.

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How to Get Rid of Bubbles in Injection Molding

First find out if they are the result of trapped gas or a vacuum void. Then follow these steps to get rid of them.

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The Importance of Gauging Residence-Time Distribution—Part 2

Each molecule in the molded product can have a different residence time. This variance is reflected in the Residence-Time Distribution, which you can learn how to determine below.  

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Troubleshooting Pressure Fluctuations in Piston-Type Melt Filters

Piston filtration offers many advantages over other systems. While pressure fluctuations could be regarded as their weakness, there are many ways to avoid them, both from the mechanical and the process side. Small adjustment can make a huge difference in the overall performance and efficiency of the system.

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When to 'Adapt,' When to Retool?

That is the question pipe and tubing processors typically confront when they specify a line for one product, only to have to add to the product mix when business conditions change. Here are some tips to guide you to the right answer.

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