best practices

Postconsumer

New Screen Changer Boosts Productivity, Cuts Scrap for Extruder of PET Strapping

Cyklop’s move to a new-model, high-efficiency screen changer reduces number of screen changes and backflush waste while yielding uniform melt flow and high throughputs. 

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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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NPE

Conformal Cooling Technology Maximizes Cooling Efficiency

DME says that the TruCool Conformal Cooling line provides greater overall cooling coverage with even distribution while maintaining a targeted, consistent temperature and reducing cycle times by as much as 60 percent.

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GW Plastics Bets on Metal 3D Printing

Conformal cooling is goal of big investment at U.S. mold facility.

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best practices

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.

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A New Way to Mold Better Parts Faster and Easier

A new injection molding process ‘breaks all the rules’ by using low, constant pressure to achieve faster cycles and better-quality parts.

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Elastomers

Technology Is the Solution For This Compounder

Compounding Solutions has seen its ´óÏó´«Ã½ grow by 20% in each of the last 12 years. That’s no accident. The firm has become a mainstay supplier of compounds—primarily for medical—by tapping into its expertise in technology and processing.

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Tooling: Hot Sprues—Mold a Disk or Not?

Having a hot sprue shut off against the parting line versus intentionally molding a thin disk has been the subject of controversy for many years.

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Injection Molding: How to Set Barrel Zone Temps

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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Materials

A Processor’s Most Important Job, Part 3: Unintended Consequences

Processors are often expected to compensate for ill-advised decisions made earlier in the product-development process. In the case of shrinkage, one of the most common ‘fixes’ is to simply reduce the mold temperature.

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Plastics Size Reduction