Injection Know How
Improve Production Rates Via Screw Design — Barrier vs. General Purpose vs. Melt Uniformity
I’m looking for a few good molders to help trial a new screw design, and share data and results for a future article to prove the benefits of a melt uniformity screw.
Read More
The Experience Curve and Well-Trained Process Technicians
Pairing external big picture training with internal job-specific instruction can help your process technicians meet quality expectations as well as production targets.
Read More
Avoiding Common Cosmetic Defects in Molded Parts
Identify familiar flaws and then work to eliminate them with these mold and part design tips, and process considerations.
Read More
Is There a More Accurate Means to Calculate Tonnage?
Molders have long used the projected area of the parts and runner to guesstimate how much tonnage is required to mold a part without flash, but there’s a more precise methodology.
Read More
The Cost of High Employee Turnover in Injection Molding: Why Retention Matters
Starting in molding in 1993 and clocking in for nearly every job on the floor over the intervening decades, I’ve seen all sides of the hiring, training and retention process in the industry. Here are my thoughts on how to keep your most important asset — your people.
Read More
The Importance of Hot Nozzle-Tip Mating Against a Cold Sprue Bushing
Done improperly, the result is a cold slug in the nozzle/sprue and a production stop. But there is a better way.
Read More
Time to Swap Out Those General-Purpose Injection Nozzle Tips
Still the standard in the industry, GP nozzle tips can cause a myriad of problems for molders. There are alternatives out there that should be examined.
Read More
How Backpressure Optimization Affects Melt Preparation
Backpressure is often the least understood of the settings in an injection molding process, even though it can play a significant role in the final quality of the part. Let’s start with understanding what backpressure is and then learn how to optimize it for a given mold.
Read More
How Important is Minimizing Residence Time in Injection Molding?
Does a focus on the concept of “minimum residence time” distract attention from areas of injection molding that have more of a direct impact on melt quality?
Read More
Understanding Flow Fronts and Defects
Flow-front behavior and corrections are key to solving many common molding problems —what is your process’s flow trying to tell you about your part?
Read More