processing tips

best practices 25 Sep 2017

Cycle Time: Science vs. Rules of Thumb—Part 4

While laboratory tests are helpful in determining how polymers behave, you must remember the fundamental differences between laboratory measurements and the real world of plastic processing. Let’s examine semi-crystalline polymers here.

processing tips 1 Sep 2017

How Low Can Low-Rate Feeders Go?

More and more processors are looking for greater precision from their feeding equipment. Here’s what some are doing about it.

processing tips 31 Jul 2017

Keep Dust and Angel Hair Out of Your Process

Angel hair, fines, and dust can adversely impact any type of plastics production—from resin manufacturing itself to molding and other processes. Here’s how to solve it.

Additives 27 Jul 2017

Polyolefin Discoloration: New Additive Solutions Solve Common Problems

There’s a growing demand for PE films with lower initial color and improved color stability, as well as better retention of physical properties. New stabilizer systems address these and similar concerns for molded PE and PP parts.

Materials Know How 25 Jul 2017

Materials: Cycle Time: Science vs. Rules of Thumb—Part 2

Understanding cooling—how a given material develops modulus as it solidifies—requires access to data that provides some insight into the relationship between modulus and temperature. Dynamic mechanical analysis is a helpful tool.

Feeding & Blending 27 Jun 2017

Understanding Low-Rate Feeding for Continuous and Batch Processes

Molders and extruders that need to feed tiny amounts of material to their process require precision in both the material being fed and the equipment doing the dosing. When a shot size consists of three pellets, there is no margin for error.