best practices

k show 31 Oct 2019

October's Most Popular Articles from Plastics Technology

Customizable 3D-printed prosthetics; new-concept cube molds at the K; fundamentals in PE, extruder alignment and nozzle leaks; benchmarking and more stirred reader interest at PTOnline.com in October.

best practices 19 Nov 2021

Exclusive Benchmarking Report: Top Shops Are More Than Just Molders

The 2019 Plastics Technology Top Shops Survey shows that for its highest-rated respondents, injection molding is just one element in a growing suite of services and capabilities offered to customers.

Pipe, Profile & Tubing Extrusion 23 Oct 2020

When to 'Adapt,' When to Retool?

That is the question pipe and tubing processors typically confront when they specify a line for one product, only to have to add to the product mix when business conditions change. Here are some tips to guide you to the right answer.

Molds & Tooling 1 Oct 2019

How to Prevent Nozzle Tip Leaks, Part 1

Instead of learning from your mistakes, stop making them in the first place.

best practices 1 Oct 2019

V-to-P Ramp Time and Over-Travel

Many injection machines use ramp time to control the transition from injection pressure to hold pressure and reduce over-travel. Do you know how to set yours?

Film Extrusion 1 Sep 2019

Understanding Viscosity in Extrusion

Both the power-law coefficient and the consistency index must be considered to calculate viscosity.

Molds & Tooling 1 Sep 2019

Part 1: The Basics of Tapered Interlocks

Various types of interlocks are available to molders. Here, we discuss the oldest and most common types of interlocks—those with a tapered or angular shutoff.

scientific molding 1 Sep 2019

Graphing Injection Pressure: What Should Pack & Hold Curves Show?

Are you sure your press is doing what you want? Visit your controller often to ensure your machines plot the pressure vs. time graph for all your processes. Here let’s focus on pack and hold.

business 1 Sep 2019

Molder’s Philosophy of ‘Giving Back’ Helps Attract New Employees

R&D Plastics participates in numerous programs to further plastics education with local universities and high schools. This effort breeds good community relations and helps attract new employees.