best practices
EXTRUSION: Finding the Sweet Spot in Screw Design
The compression ratio of a screw does not provide enough detail on how it will perform. Screw design is a balancing act that takes many variables into account.
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INJECTION MOLDING: Gate Freeze Study: Danger in a Name?
The test actually determines the hold time needed to mold repeatable parts, and it should be done regardless of whether the gate freezes or not.
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Are You Getting Maximum Value From Your Plastic Scrap?
If not, you’re throwing away money. The solution comes from knowing the difference between a scrap materials reprocessor and a recycler, and how to evaluate what a reprocessor can do for you.
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MATERIALS:The Problems with Single-Point Data
This real-world scenario explains why molders and their customers need to ‘think in terms of graphs’ and gather as much data as possible before selecting a material for an application. Part 11.
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INJECTION MOLDING: Properly Placing & Cooling Insulator Plates
Thermal-energy management from the mold to the platens is critical for making consistent parts.
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A Service Engineer’s Guide to Boosting Molding Machine Productivity
Consider these tips from a technician who’s visited about 4000 plants over a 40-year span.
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Integrated Process Cooling Boosts Output, Cuts Costs
Closed-loop system helps an extrusion processor maintain quality of reusable straws and other products.
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EXTRUSION: Understanding The Barrier Gap
All barrier screws are not created equal, and the barrier length and gap can be one of the reasons.
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INJECTION MOLDING: Do You Need to Profile Injection Velocity?
Look at the parts. If the answer is yes, the on-machine viscosity curve can help.
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MATERIALS: The Problems with Single-Point Data: Part 10
You can predict creep performance of a material over time at a particular temperature by examining how its modulus changes over a range of temperatures.
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