Know-How
Try This Lower-Cost Purging Method
You might be able to reduce purging times and save money by scheduling processing jobs in order of the increasing material viscosity. But to get started, you'll need shear rate/viscosity curves for your polymers.
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How to Optimize Usage of Recycled Material
Processors need to “engineer” feeding properties similar to virgin pellets into their regrind to efficiently and economically utilize more of their scrap.
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In Search of a Universal Setup Sheet
Duplicating a process from one injection machine to another is frustrating and time-consuming. Develop a mold-specific setup sheet that works in all kinds of presses by differentiating plastic parameters from machine parameters and duplicating those plastic conditions from machine to machine, electric or hydraulic.
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Compounding: Part 1 of 2: Demystifying Devolatilization
Very little has been written about this critical topic, and most of what has been published is theoretical. Here’s some practical guidance to help you better understand the process and improve your operation.
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Revisiting Shot Size vs. Barrel Capacity
We’ve covered this topic before, but it’s important enough to warrant another look..
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Save Time, Money: Use a Mold-Design Checklist
Here are 15 examples of common molding issues that occur during an initial mold trial. Many of them could be avoided or corrected with a proactive checklist.
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What You Need to Know to Get into Coextrusion
Key considerations range from determining the right extruder sizes to tooling, matching material viscosities, and lots more. Take a look.
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How Can Molders Achieve Effective Process Monitoring?
You have developed a proper process; now you need to monitor that process to ensure its stability through a run.
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How to Prevent Nozzle Tip Leaks, Part 2
Your very costly mold in that very expensive press is relying on the performance of a $20 nozzle tip that no one ever checks, and has a high probability of not doing its job. Stop learning from your mistakes and start learning how not to make them.
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