best practices

The 3 Cs of Clean Lubricants

Clean lubricants enable machines to meet OEM specifications from the outset, keeping sensitive components like servovalves, hoses and proportional control valves operating smoothly while avoiding contaminants — even as small as a few microns — that drastically shorten their lifespans.


Shredding Thin Film: How to Do It Right

While many processors recoil at this task, a little know-how in shredding equipment, processing, and maintenance should add the necessary confidence.

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For This Molder, Less Paper + More Data = Higher Productivity

At Tessy Plastics, going paperless means more than idle printers and fewer orders for three-ring binders.

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Paperless ‘Smart Factory’ Based on Automated Production Monitoring

Tier 1 automotive molder’s home-built production-monitoring and ERP systems, designed for “the little guy,” boost its efficiency rating and profits.

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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.

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AIM Institute Continues to Grow Plastics Education and Training on 10th Anniversary

The AIM institute was created in response to the rising need for skilled injection molding professionals, providing individuals with a fundamental understanding of plastic rheology and plastic flow through a mold.

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ICYMI: February Roundup

While February was short on days, there was no shortage in insightful content from our editors and contributors! Take a look at what you might have missed. 

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Blending & Dosing
Process Cooling

ICYMI: May Roundup

May was a busy month, especially with the buzz coming out of the Extrusion Conference. Here’s a quick look at the top articles from May you might have missed. 

Sarah Barnett
Senior Digital Content Manager, Plastics Technology, MoldMaking Technology

ICYMI: January Roundup

In case you missed it, here’s a short recap of the articles that our readers are taking note of. 

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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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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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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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Plastics Technology Year in Review: Your Favorite Reads of 2024

A year-end review of the top stories showcasing industry trends, advancements and expert insights. Revisit the articles that captured the attention of the plastics community.

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Optimizing Pack & Hold Times for Hot-Runner & Valve-Gated Molds

Using scientific procedures will help you put an end to all that time-consuming trial and error. Part 1 of 2.

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ICYMI: April Roundup

Catch up on the most-read articles that captivated our readers in April.

Sarah Barnett
Senior Digital Content Manager, Plastics Technology, MoldMaking Technology

How to Configure Your Twin-Screw Barrel Layout

In twin-screw compounding, most engineers recognize the benefits of being able to configure screw elements. Here’s what you need to know about sequencing barrel sections.  

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Important Factors and Approaches to Estimating Residence Time in Injection Molding

Residence time can have a dramatic impact on part quality and production efficiency but determining its value can be tricky. Use these methods and formulas to accurately measure residence time and enable it to inform everything from scheduling jobs to optimizing a process.

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Part 2 Medical Tubing: Use Simulation to Troubleshoot, Optimize Processing & Dies

Simulation can determine whether a die has regions of low shear rate and shear stress on the metal surface where the polymer would ultimately degrade, and can help processors design dies better suited for their projects.

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Fighting Dust and Noise in Regrind Operations

Mayhew Basque Plastics implemented lower speed granulators to deal with challenging materials.

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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.  

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Get the Most From Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites Parts

There are five specific areas that designers and manufacturers need to consider to realize the potential of these unique materials.

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Plastics Size Reduction

Screw Bounce — What Causes It and Why You Should Care

There are a lot of theories about screw bounce in injection molding it, but what’s the actual cause? Through a series of experiments, and some good old-fashioned math, the author found out.


Annual Benchmarking Survey of Injection Molders Released

Plastics Technology Top Shops Benchmarking Survey provided both unanimous responses and divided results, but pervasive throughout is the sense of an industry still grappling with the aftermath of 2020’s global pandemic.

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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.

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Ensuring Repeatability: The Key to Effective Injection Molding Automation

One of automation’s key promises is repeatability: the same movement to the same location, time and time again. But to achieve that, all elements involved — robot, machine, EOAT, mold — must be in and stay in alignment.

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Starting or Restarting an Injection Molding Machine — What Works Best?

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

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What to Look for in High-Speed Automation for Pipette Production

Automation is a must-have for molders of pipettes. Make sure your supplier provides assurances of throughput and output, manpower utilization, floor space consumption and payback period.    

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What to Know About Your Materials When Choosing a Feeder

Feeder performance is crucial to operating extrusion and compounding lines. And consistent, reliable feeding depends in large part on selecting a feeder compatible with the materials and additives you intend to process. Follow these tips to analyze your feeder requirements.

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