processing tips

Injection Molding: Fill Based on Volume, Not Weight

Most parts should be 90-99% full after first-stage—by volume not weight. Here’s why that’s important and how to make a first-stage-only part.

Read More

A Processor's Most Important Job, Part 7: Reviewing Crystallinity

There are several process-related issues that influence crystallinity besides cooling rate. Let’s examine a few.

Read More

Extrusion: A Simple Way to Evaluate Your Screw Performance, Part 2

A hand-held calculator and some basic equations can help determine whether your screw is up to snuff.

Read More

Injection Molding: Safety First—Know the Compatibility of Different Resins

Certain materials don’t play well together when mixed. So it’s best not to. Here are some guidelines.

Read More

Rapid Heat & Cool Molding Evolves to Meet Industry Challenges

Technical capabilities of the process have advanced to erase former cycle-time penalties, and ongoing developments address creation of a materials database and new applications in hybrid composite injection overmolding.

Read More

Injection Molding: Process Documentation Is Crucial to Making ‘Identical’ Parts

Use a machine/mold setup sheet to document plastic parameters and use them on any acceptable machine into which the mold is placed.

Read More
best practices

Tooling: Clamp Pressure and Cavity Land Area

What you need to know to prevent flashing and mold damage.

Read More
processing tips

Injection Molding: A Practical Approach to Calculating Residence Time

Toss the formulas. The best way to determine residence time is to conduct a simple experiment.

Read More
best practices

A Processor's Most Important Job, Part 5: POM Polymers

Using a mold temperature above a polymer’s Tg ensures a degree of crystallinity high enough to provide for dimensional stability, even if the part must be used at elevated temperatures. But POM is an exception. Why?

Read More
processing tips

Tooling: What You Need to Know About Jump Gates

Many molders don’t care for jump gates because they have to process around them. But here are some tricks of the trade.

Read More