Articles
Contraction Slows for Processors
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, Gardner Business Index signals decelerating contraction as all components report improved readings.
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Clean Conveying Cuts Costs and Enables Efficiency
Focus on three key areas when moving material for better-quality parts and less downtime.
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How to Properly Maintain Aluminum Injection Molds
Aluminum and steel tools have some important differences, but also one key similarity: Routine maintenance will extend the mold’s life and boost the quality of its output.
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Five Big Advances to Track in Thin-Gauge Thermoforming
High speeds, automation, smarter process control, integrated vision systems, and better decoration techniques are becoming more common among practitioners of the ‘black art’ of thermoforming. Are they for you?
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Extrusion: The Importance of Zone 1 Barrel Temperature
Tweaking the temperature settings of the first barrel zones may not yield the desired result. In fact, they may yield the opposite. Here’s why.
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Moving Toward Third Quarter, Prices of All Volume Commodity Resins Appear to Have Bottomed Out
The resurgence in exports along with higher feedstock prices place upward pressure on PE and possibly PVC.
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Video: Essentium and Sulzer Discuss 3D Printed Face Mask Project
In this video interview, Blake Mosher of Essentium and Darayus Pardivala of Sulzer talk about Essentium’s work in creating 3D printed face masks for Sulzer employees.
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Plastics Processing Business Continued Contracting in April
Global economic shutdown causes downturn in new orders and production.
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Tooling: How to Properly Size Gates, Runners and Sprues, Part 4
How to get the sprue, runner and gate sizes close to ideal the first time around.
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Attention Moldmakers: Amerimold Goes Live
Live and on-demand sessions, exhibitor showrooms, a community forum and more—Amerimold is online June 9-13, register now for free.
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Part 3 Materials: Annealing Tips for Semicrystalline Polymers
For these polymers, annealing is done to establish a level of crystallinity that cannot be practically obtained within the parameters of a normal molding cycle. Here’s some guidance on setting annealing time and temperature.
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Fundamentals of Proper Press Shutdown
Press shutdown procedures have a significant impact on achieving smooth machine startups and restarts to improve uptime. Here’s a procedure you might want to deploy in your molding operation.
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