Know-How
The Importance of Barrel Heat and Melt Temperature
Barrel temperature may impact melting in the case of very small extruders running very slowly. Otherwise, melting is mainly the result of shear heating of the polymer.
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Optimizing Barrel Temperatures for Single-Screw Extruders
If barrel temperatures are set correctly and screw design is optimized, the extruder will be operating at peak performance, providing maximum profitability. If not, bad things can happen impacting quality and profitability.
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Imagine A World Where Polymers Were First
One reason for the disproportionate attention that plastics receive in the environmental conversation is that they are newcomers. Perhaps if we had been relying on them for thousands of years, we’d view them differently.
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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.
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Where and How to Vent Injection Molds: Part 3
Questioning several “rules of thumb” about venting injection molds.
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Configuring the Twin Screw Extruder: Part 4
For many compounding operations, material is fed to the extruder at the feed throat. This is the case when feeding a single polymer or a blend of polymers mixed with solid additives. Some ingredients, however, present a challenge in feeding. Here’s how to solve to them.
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Back to Basics on Mold Venting (Part 2: Shape, Dimensions, Details)
Here’s how to get the most out of your stationary mold vents.
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Single vs. Twin-Screw Extruders: Why Mixing is Different
There have been many attempts to provide twin-screw-like mixing in singles, but except at very limited outputs none have been adequate. The odds of future success are long due to the inherent differences in the equipment types.
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Back to Basics on Mold Venting (Part 1)
Here’s what you need to know to improve the quality of your parts and to protect your molds.
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How to Design Three-Plate Molds: Part 2
There are many things to consider, and paying attention to the details can help avoid machine downtime and higher maintenance costs, and keep the customer happy.
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