resin pricing 21 Jan 2025

Prices Generally Trending Upward for the Five Commodity Resins

Scheduled and unscheduled production disruptions, and projected higher feedstock costs could be key factors.

Your Business

economics 14 Jan 2025

Plastics Index Shows Fourth Consecutive Monthly Gain

December reading hints at slowing contraction as plastics industry outlook improves

polyolefins 1 Jan 2025

Prices of Volume Resins Drop by Year-End

Entering 2025, prices of major commodity and volume resins are generally in a ‘buyer’s market.’

Packaging 20 Dec 2024

Packaging Converter Adopts PE-Based Vacuum Skin Packaging (VSP) for Food Applications

Videplast and ExxonMobil collaborated on the development of this cost-effective VSP film solution that contains no ionomers.

Recycled Materials 18 Dec 2024

Industrial Resin Recycling Diversifies by Looking Beyond Automotive

Recycler equips for new business in medical, housewares and carpeting.

Thermoforming 1 Nov 2024

Making Gains in the Drain Game

AWD blends extrusion and thermoforming technologies with plenty of home-brewed equipment and processes to keep water away from where it isn’t supposed to be.

Automation 7 Oct 2024

Injection Molder Amplifies Automation for Optimized Production

AIM Processing has parlayed small part molding expertise and aggressive automation, even for short run production, into a highly successful custom molding business.

close up on technology 10 Jan 2025

PolyJohn Turns to Blow Molding, Doubles Its Productivity

Leading maker of portable sanitation products knew thermoforming, sheet extrusion, rotomolding and injection molding. Then it found the missing link to higher productivity and new markets: blow molding.

Automotive 8 Jan 2025

Automotive Awards Highlight Emerging Technologies

Annual SPE Automotive event gives nods to several ‘firsts’ as well as sustainability.

Postconsumer 3 Jan 2025

Novel Line Turns Fluff to Blown Film

Processor Bioflex of Mexico is utilizing Reifenhäuser Blown Film’s EVO Fusion technology to integrate postindustrial and postconsumer recycled materials into products.

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KNOWLEDGE CENTERS

Gain in-depth knowledge in processes, products and technology from industry experts

Training

Combat the skilled labor shortage using this comprehensive resource to train your own plastics processing experts.

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Size Reduction

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

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Process Cooling

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

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Blending & Dosing

Deep dive into the basics of blending versus dosing, controls, maintenance, process integration and more.

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Solutions

Resin Conveying 13 Jan 2025

Processors: Gear Up to Handle More Regrind

Plastics auxiliary and primary processing equipment was optimized for running pellets; here’s how you can adjust to the bulk density differences of flake and regrind in drying, conveying, mixing, feeding and processing.

monitoring 7 Jan 2025

Process Monitoring or Production Monitoring—Why Not Both?

Molders looking to both monitor an injection molding process effectively and manage production can definitely do both with tools available today, but the question is how best to tackle these twin challenges.

Tooling Know-How 31 Dec 2024

Best Practices for Engraving Cores and Cavities

Consider depth, font style, artwork size, polarity and location when engraving.

Essential Reading

Extrusion Know How 3 Dec 2024

How to Select the Right Cooling Stack for Sheet

First, remember there is no universal cooling-roll stack. And be sure to take into account the specific heat of the polymer you are processing.

Hot Runners 29 Nov 2024

Optimizing Pack & Hold Times for Hot-Runner & Valve-Gated Molds

Using scientific procedures will help you put an end to all that time-consuming trial and error. Part 1 of 2.

best practices 26 Nov 2024

How to Configure Your Twin-Screw Barrel Layout

In twin-screw compounding, most engineers recognize the benefits of being able to configure screw elements. Here’s what you need to know about sequencing barrel sections.

Extrusion Know How 15 Nov 2024

What's Restricting My Output Rate?

In a single-screw extruder, it could be an improperly designed barrier flighted entry section. Here’s why.

Injection Know How 11 Nov 2024

Important Factors and Approaches to Estimating Residence Time in Injection Molding

Residence time can have a dramatic impact on part quality and production efficiency but determining its value can be tricky. Use these methods and formulas to accurately measure residence time and enable it to inform everything from scheduling jobs to optimizing a process.