How to Select the Right Cooling Stack for Sheet
First, remember there is no universal cooling-roll stack. And be sure to take into account the specific heat of the polymer you are processing.
What You Need to Know About Blade Ejectors: Part 1
Follow these guidelines to prevent premature wear, flash and galling.
The Difference Between Knit and Meld Lines--and Why It Matters
In many part designs, flow fronts will inevitably be split, but how and where they come back together is hugely important to the molded part’s finished strength.
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Part 7
How—and when—cellulose-based chemistry led to the discovery of cellophane.
#Elastomers
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 2
Follow these detailed tips to get you the jobs you want. Here we factor in the costs of scrap and regrind, along with energy and certain additives.
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Part 6
How the ‘Big 4’ commodity materials came to be.
#Elastomers
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.
#bestpractices
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cast vs. Integral: Which Feed Section Is Best for You?
Here are seven factors extrusion processors should weigh to help them decide between cast feed section versus an integral extrusion feed section.
#processingtips #bestpractices #technologyinaction
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 4
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?
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
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.
#bestpractices
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.
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 3
In this series we delve into a discerning look back into the history of our industry and how we all got here.
General-Purpose Screws on the Comeback?
They are being specified more often for recycling applications to increase flexibility. But there is still no such thing as a GP screw and recyclers need to consider other processing approaches.
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.
#processingtips
Get Better at Quoting Injection Molded Parts: Part 1
Follow these detailed tips to get you the jobs you want. This installment focuses on the various raw material aspects of quoting.
The Three Causes of Screw Wear
You run the risk of wasting time and money by not understanding what’s causing your screws to wear.
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Part 1
In this series we’ll delve into a discerning look back into the history of our industry and how we all got here.
Recycling: Expanding 'Circularity' through Advanced Recycling Technologies
Recycling and achieving circularity for materials is at the core of the plastics industry’s evolving sustainable business model. Advanced technologies will play a big role.
Residence Time and Residence-Time Distribution—Part 1 of 2
Failing to calculate and accurately account for residence time can compromise material integrity before it’s even injected.