Articles

sustainability

High Quality PCR With Mechanical Recycling Is Within Reach

Successful mechanical recycling of postconsumer materials requires market analysis, understanding requirements and building relationships across the value chain.

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Polymer Science for Those Who Work With Plastics: Molecular Weight — What It Is and Why It Matters

Molecular weight might seem like an abstract concept, but it plays a crucial role in determining the behavior of plastics during processing and in their final applications.

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Production Monitoring Automates Molder’s Planning, Operations

DCT saves 60 man-hours per week by shifting from paper records and discrete spreadsheets to a shared, automatic production monitoring platform.

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Multiscrew

Understanding 'Boundary Conditions' in Twin-Screw Compounding

In twin-screw compounding, the objective is generally to produce the highest quality product at the maximum strand. But sometimes there are operating parameters that prevent this objective from being realized.  

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Film Extrusion

What You Need to Know About Roll-Cooling Design

Cooling rolls might not look like high-tech machines, but the fact is there is a surprising amount of technology involved in their design, manufacture and use. Here’s what you need to know.    

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Materials

Prices Generally Trending Upward for the Five Commodity Resins

Scheduled and unscheduled production disruptions, and projected higher feedstock costs could be key factors.

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sustainability

How Yeast Could Give Rise to Bioplastic

Researchers work to scale up a biomanufacturing process for succinic acid, an important building block for industrial chemicals and a biopolymer precursor.

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To Cushion or Not To Cushion: That Is the Question

Whether or not your process setup includes adding cushion depends on multiple factors, including the part being molded. Learn when and how to effectively apply cushion in your process.

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Automation

BMW Group Vehicle to Adopt 3D Printed Center Console

A vehicle coming to market in 2027 will include a center console carrier manufactured through polymer robot-based large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM).

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economics

Plastics Index Shows Fourth Consecutive Monthly Gain

December reading hints at slowing contraction as plastics industry outlook improves

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Processors: Gear Up to Handle More Regrind

Plastics auxiliary and primary processing equipment was optimized for running pellets; here’s how you can adjust to the bulk density differences of flake and regrind in drying, conveying, mixing, feeding and processing.

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Automation

PolyJohn Turns to Blow Molding, Doubles Its Productivity

Leading maker of portable sanitation products knew thermoforming, sheet extrusion, rotomolding and injection molding. Then it found the missing link to higher productivity and new markets: blow molding.

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