processing tips
Injection Molding: Melting Amorphous vs. Semi-Crystalline Plastics
Understanding the differences in how each melts is crucial to obtaining melt uniformity.
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A Processor’s Most Important Job, Part 2: Crystallinity
Process conditions help determine the difference between the maximum degree of crystallinity that can be achieved in a polymer and the degree that is present in a molded part.
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Air-Ring Upgrade Pumps Up the Output
Film processor Dallas Plastics boosts throughput by as much as 40% by retrofitting a new air ring—without the need for IBC.
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Why Drying Polyolefins Might Be Right for Your Process
From a technical standpoint, drying non-hygroscopic materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene may not be necessary. However, doing so may be advantageous to your process. Here are details.
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Determining Vent Depths in Injection Molding
Experiments reveal the relationship between vent depths and part thickness, allowing molders and moldmakers to more precisely determine vent dimensions.
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A Processor’s Most Important Job, Part 1: Molecular Weight
Many processors don’t realize that preserving material characteristics is crucial to product success and failure. The focus here is on molecular weight.
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What You Can Learn From Pharma Compounders
Twin-screw extrusion has been a standard in plastics compounding for decades but has only recently been embraced by the pharmaceutical industry. Here’s what plastics compounders might learn from the ‘newbies’ to help make a better, more consistent product.
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Extrusion: How Hopper Crammers Can Help Feeding
A crammer can assist the flow of certain polymers into the extruder. But the design is not universal and very material dependent. Here’s what you need to know.
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Injection Molding: New Mold Trial—Will It Run 24/7?
Use this nine-step process to make sure you’ll be making good parts after a successful trial. But even then, be prepared for some hiccups.
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Materials: Cycle Time—Science vs. Rules of Thumb, Part 6
This installment—on elastomers—completes a series, whose theme is to bring more science to the discipline of molding. The overall message: Ask a lot of questions whenever someone posits this or that ‘rule of thumb’ about processing.
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