Articles

sustainability 12 Mar 2020

Why—and How—You Should be Tracking Your Regrind

Ask yourself these questions to decide whether you need to implement a system to manage your scrap.

Injection Molding 11 Mar 2020

Use a DOE to Improve Consistency of Your Resin-Drying Process

Conducting a drying design of experiments (DOE) will ensure your polymer is properly dried every time. Here’s how to do it.

Injection Molding 10 Mar 2020

In Search of a Universal Setup Sheet

Duplicating a process from one injection machine to another is frustrating and time-consuming. Develop a mold-specific setup sheet that works in all kinds of presses by differentiating plastic parameters from machine parameters and duplicating those plastic conditions from machine to machine, electric or hydraulic.

best practices 9 Mar 2020

Compounding: Part 1 of 2: Demystifying Devolatilization

Very little has been written about this critical topic, and most of what has been published is theoretical. Here’s some practical guidance to help you better understand the process and improve your operation.

Feeding & Blending 6 Mar 2020

Act Sooner, Not Later, on Auxiliary Equipment Alarms

There can be real financial, safety, and quality benefits for processors who train plant personnel to interpret and respond promptly to various alarms. Real-world examples offer proof.

Extrusion 5 Mar 2020

Index Inching Close to 50

January reading of 48.6 sends early signals of business-cycle phase change.

Injection Molding 4 Mar 2020

Robot Questions? Automation Answers

Robot vs. cobot; what to automate, what to leave as is; 3- vs. 5- vs. 6-axis—Molding 2020 tackles the hard automation questions injection molders face.

polystyrene 4 Mar 2020

Flat to Higher Pricing for Polyolefins, PS, PVC and PET

The trajectory for resin pricing going into the second quarter is unsettled by a virus outbreak.

sustainability 2 Mar 2020

Eastman Talks Increasing Demand for Recycled Materials

Holli Alexander, Eastman’s strategic initiative manager of global sustainability, discusses the company’s recycling initiatives.

Injection Molding 27 Feb 2020

Molding 2020 Puts Process Improvement On the Agenda

Molding 2020 has multiple presentations—and an entire track—devoted to pushing your plant’s productivity to the limit. Join us in Chicago to take back some instant boosts for your shop’s output.