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Michael Sepe Independent Consultant
Michael Sepe is an independent materials and processing consultant based in Sedona, Ariz., with clients throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has more than 45 years of experience in the plastics industry and assists clients with material selection, designing for manufacturability, process optimization, troubleshooting and failure analysis. Contact: (928) 203-0408 • mike@thematerialanalyst.com
Part 3: The World of Molding Thermosets
Thermosets were the prevalent material in the early history of plastics, but were soon overtaken by thermoplastics in injection molding applications.
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Let's Take a Journey Into the World of Thermosets: Part 2
Most thermoset molding processes still treat the mold like a black box where the curing process is invisible and mysterious, and nobody knows what is happening to the material until the mold opens. That just isn’t so.
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Let's Take a Journey into the World of Molding Thermosets – Part 1
There are many fundamental differences between thermosets and thermoplastics, from the way raw materials are furnished to the molder and the process in which parts are molded.
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Unraveling the Science and Myth Associated With Moisture Analysis — Part 2
Once you’ve selected the right moisture analyzer, the task of method development begins. Don’t skip this step or you’ll run into problems. Here’s what happened in my lab decades ago.
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Unraveling the Science and Myth Associated With Moisture Analysis— Part 1
The first task in moisture measurement is to purchase an instrument that is based on sound fundamentals. Then, before it goes into use, method development must be undertaken for all polymers that are going to be processed in the plant.
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The Fantasy and Reality of Raw Material Shelf Life: Part 2
For the vast majority of thermoplastics, the stability of the materials can be stated in years, not months. But there are exceptions where shelf life can be a serious issue.
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The Fantasy and Reality of Raw Material Shelf Life: Part 1
Is a two-year-old hygroscopic resin kept in its original packaging still useful? Let’s try to answer that question and clear up some misconceptions.
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Imagine A World Where Polymers Were First
One reason for the disproportionate attention that plastics receive in the environmental conversation is that they are newcomers. Perhaps if we had been relying on them for thousands of years, we’d view them differently.
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What's the Allowable Moisture Content in Nylons? It Depends: Part 2
Operating within guidelines from material suppliers can produce levels of polymer degradation. Get around it with better control over either the temperature of the melt or the barrel residence time.
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What is the Allowable Moisture Content in Nylons? It Depends (Part 1)
A lot of the nylon that is processed is filled or reinforced, but the data sheets generally don’t account for this, making drying recommendations confusing. Here’s what you need to know.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Part 31, The Conclusion
Let’s close this lengthy series with some personal anecdotes.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials -- Part 30: Polyurethane
In the world of polymers, polyurethane chemistry is probably the most versatile. This a resulted in a wide range of products made from these materials and given the industry the flexibility to respond to the progressive march of regulatory concerns.
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