January 2025 2025 Issue

January 2025

January 2025

Digital Edition
Medical and Molding Elite
Cover Story

Medical and Molding Elite

When Jeff Smith received a notice evicting his promising business out of his house, it could have been the end of Elite Biomedical Solutions’ and Elite Precision Plastics’ stories before they really got started, instead it was just the beginning.

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Features

Featured articles from the January 2025 2025 issue of Plastics Technology

To Cushion or Not To Cushion: That Is the Question

To Cushion or Not To Cushion: That Is the Question

Whether or not your process setup includes adding cushion depends on multiple factors, including the part being molded. Learn when and how to effectively apply cushion in your process.

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Polymer Science for Those Who Work With Plastics: Molecular Weight — What It Is and Why It Matters
Materials

Polymer Science for Those Who Work With Plastics: Molecular Weight — What It Is and Why It Matters

Molecular weight might seem like an abstract concept, but it plays a crucial role in determining the behavior of plastics during processing and in their final applications.

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Plastics Index Shows Supply Chain Improvement Despite Production Slowdown
economics

Plastics Index Shows Supply Chain Improvement Despite Production Slowdown

Future expectations reach 2024 high on the heels of the recent election.

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How Yeast Could Give Rise to Bioplastic
Biopolymers

How Yeast Could Give Rise to Bioplastic

Researchers work to scale up a biomanufacturing process for succinic acid, an important building block for industrial chemicals and a biopolymer precursor.

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Processors: Gear Up to Handle More Regrind

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.

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Be Our Guest
PTXPO

Be Our Guest

The Plastics Technology Expo (PTXPO) returns March 18-20 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, with elements old and new. 

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Prices of Volume Resins Drop by Year-End
PVC

Prices of Volume Resins Drop by Year-End

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

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PolyJohn Turns to Blow Molding, Doubles Its Productivity
Blow Molding

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.

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Production Monitoring Automates Molder’s Planning, Operations
industry 4.0

Production Monitoring Automates Molder’s Planning, Operations

DCT saves 60 man-hours per week by shifting from paper records and discrete spreadsheets to a shared, automatic production monitoring platform.

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Understanding 'Boundary Conditions' in Twin-Screw Compounding
Multiscrew

Understanding 'Boundary Conditions' in Twin-Screw Compounding

In twin-screw compounding, the objective is generally to produce the highest quality product at the maximum strand. But sometimes there are operating parameters that prevent this objective from being realized.  

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Automotive Awards Highlight Emerging Technologies

Automotive Awards Highlight Emerging Technologies

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

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Applying AI to Manage, Synchronize Material Data and Power Material Development
Materials

Applying AI to Manage, Synchronize Material Data and Power Material Development

Global masterbatch and compound producer Kafrit Group worked with MaterialsZone to apply AI to its raw materials management and product development.

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What You Need to Know About Roll-Cooling Design
Sheet Extrusion

What You Need to Know About Roll-Cooling Design

Cooling rolls might not look like high-tech machines, but the fact is there is a surprising amount of technology involved in their design, manufacture and use. Here’s what you need to know.    

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Novel Line Turns Fluff to Blown Film
Film Extrusion

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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WSB Gravimetric Blenders
WSB Gravimetric Blenders