best practices

best practices

TOOLING: Venting: Where And How Deep?

After last month’s introduction to the subject, let’s get into the details on vent depths, land lengths, and the alternatives to perimeter venting.

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EXTRUSION: Cooling: The Critical Function in Extrusion

Figuring out how much cooling your process needs is complicated. But there are ways to approximate.

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INJECTION MOLDING: How to Specify an Injection Molding Machine

With the market percolating, more molders are looking at new presses. This series will discuss what you should consider before writing a check, beginning with the clamping unit.

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plant tour

Bag ‘Commander’ Brings Innovation And Service to Can-Liners

Aluf is a huge supplier of industrial and consumer can liners that—despite its size—is fast, flexible, and customer responsive.

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Testing

CT Scanning Gives Precision Molder X-Ray Vision of Part Quality

It beats other techniques for measuring critical part dimensions, and it provides unique visibility inside parts, nondestructively. One molder’s experience illustrates the benefits.

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Molder Cuts Post-Purge Costs and Downtime in Half

By switching to a new purging compound, IMCO now can complete a changeover in 10 min.

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Film Extrusion

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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best practices

Know Your Options for Foaming Sheet

Tandem extrusion of PS is still the standard technology, but new materials options and equipment technology are emerging.

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PET

Ten Tips to Slash Cycles in PET Preform Molding

Here are some tricks of the trade to make your preform processing more productive, even if you don’t have the latest souped-up press.

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best practices

Injection Molding, California Style

There are particular challenges associated with plastics processing in the Golden State. But opportunities beckon for those who can overcome them. That’s the story of AMA Plastics.

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Plastics Size Reduction
Process Cooling
Blending & Dosing