Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda:  Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

The complex geometry of the Ursula product is a good example to evaluate the outcome of both approaches. This product requires a material with high stability in rheological properties and curing kinetics, as well as an elaborate cooling and cold-runner design for the mold to ensure process capability and stability.

Growing sophistication in simulating the molding performance of LSR is evident in the case of this exceedingly complex part. Actual molding trials validated the predictions of simulated ‘virtual molding.’

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

The Moldex3D R16 version expands simulation capabilities for resin transfer molding, polyurethane chemical foaming, fiber-reinforced plastic injection molding, hot-runner molding and more.

Using material models, the software extrapolates the required values from the measured data. Above material properties were measured by Momentive for this demonstration and used in Sigmasoft for the virtual molding process.

Figure 7 shows the comparison for the short shots of 10, 40, and 60 cm³. The slightly asymmetric filling pattern is a direct result of the offset gate position. There is a remarkable correlation between the virtual molding results and actual production shots, as is clearly identifiable from Fig. 7. The locations where the melt is advancing more rapidly are evident, making the results and partial fillings easy to compare.

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

In case of LSR and other elastomers, the polymer material properties available in datasheets (typically tensile strength, elongation at break, tear resistance, density, etc.) are insufficient to perform the necessary mathematical operations for accurate molding simulation. Material data for the molding simulation of LSR include crosslinking as a function of time, and viscosity as a function of shear rate, at different temperatures. Other necessary material data include thermal conductivity, heat capacity, CTE, and Poisson’s ratio.

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

The viscosity was measured on a cone-plate viscometer at three different temperatures (23, 50, and 70 C) and three different shear rates (0.9, 5, and 10 sec-1). Here the A and B components were measured separately and the total viscosity was averaged from the 1:1 blend ratio (Fig.2).

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

The moveable mold half shows temperature differences of more than 30° C even after reaching the thermal steady state, which required more than 25 cycles. Classical simulation only looks at a single cycle and so cannot capture the changes in mold temperature after startup.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics:  Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

Plastics processors are finding applications for 3D printing around the plant and across the supply chain. Here are 8 examples to look for at NPE2024.

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

During PLASTEC West, Moldex3D Engineering Manager Srikar Vallury will be available at booth 4033 to answer questions. To schedule an appointment or live demonstration of Moldex3D’s simulation products, fill out a request form on the Moldex3D website.

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

Crosslinking curves of Silopren LSR 2670, measured at three different temperatures with a moving-die rheometer. Data such as this, not usually found on data sheets, is necessary for accurate LSR molding simulation.

LSR has a unique flow and viscosity profile in combination with special curing characteristics. The heat-activated crosslinking reaction is chemically inhibited (as part of the LSR formulation) and starts only at temperatures exceeding 230 F (110 C). This makes it difficult to guess the limits of cavity design and process parameters just by experience. Current simulation tools like Sigmasoft Virtual Molding allow a deeper understanding of the filling and crosslinking behavior of particular designs by combining the entire mold and cold-runner system, including the individual water channels or electric cartridge heaters, with the desired molding process, cycle by cycle.

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

In the first evaluation under the classical simulation approach with a homogenous mold temperature of 356 F (180 C), it seemed like both materials could be used (Fig. 4, top). However, the virtual molding approach showed this was not the case. One of the materials could not completely fill the cavity due to premature curing (Fig. 4, bottom left). This difference resulted from the materials’ different curing characteristics combined with the high temperature difference within the cavity during filling. That actual thermal gradient was not available in the single-cycle simulation because it required multiple (>25) production cycles before it was evident.

The temperature distribution inside the cavity influenced not only filling but also the curing behavior of the Ursula part. Further evaluation of the process using the Silopren LSR 2670 showed that the curing reaction began at the top of the cavity (Fig. 6, left) and then moved from the outside to the center of the part (Fig. 6, middle and right). Possible counter-measures to obtain smoother curing behavior and more balanced filling include adjustments to the power settings or a different location of the heating cartridges. Both options could safely be evaluated in the virtual molding model prior to making changes in the real mold.

Some of the benefits include rapid mold gating iteration that allows users to achieve ideal gate locations, especially for large parts, in a short amount of time before committing to a comprehensive design validation analysis.

In the special environment of LSR materials, processing simulation can provide high value. There are significant costs associated with physical mold trials, and rework on such precision molds is tedious and time consuming. Shifting these efforts from the production machine into the “virtual” simulation environment reduces the risk and cost of building a precision mold and finding the most efficient process with respect to quality and cycle time.

Viscosity curves of Silopren LSR 2670 at three different temperatures and shear rates (made with a cone-and-plate rheometer) are another example of the data required for LSR simulation.

The reason behind the different outcomes was the temperature distribution inside the mold. While the classical approach assumed a homogenous temperature, the virtual mold showed large temperature variations. After the thermal steady state was reached, inspection of the movable half revealed that just inside the cavity, there was a temperature difference greater than 50° F/30° C (Fig. 5). Exposed to the hot areas at the top of the cavity, one of the two LSR materials quickly reached a curing degree of over 20% at the flow front, even though the “alpha gel” point of no-flow was at only 10% cure. On the other hand, the Silopren LSR 2670 proved more stable, and while the curing degree also rose, it did not impair the filling behavior. As in reality, it still ensures a good part quality (Fig. 4, bottom right) despite the inhomogeneous mold temperatures.

Moldex3D Northern America Inc., headquartered in Farmington Hills, MI, will be previewing the latest innovations in its simulation portfolio for the plastics industry at PLASTEC West, which comes to the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, on Feb. 6 to 8.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

After the heating-up of the mold, multiple consecutive production cycles are simulated and a true thermal gradient within the mold is established, replacing the previously mentioned assumptions.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Since its market introduction in 1979, LSR (liquid silicone rubber) continues to grow faster than the overall plastics market. An important driving force for this success is its outstanding performance in modern injection molding processes. Most commercial LSR injection molded articles are processed in a fully automated, trim-free, and wasteless setup using cold-runner molds. Consequently, LSR technology requires a higher investment in the mold and equipment than conventional elastomer parts.

Depending on whether or not your chosen material is in the simulation database — and sometimes even if it is — analysts will have some important choices to make and factors to be aware of. Learn them here.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

After the virtual molding analysis was completed, the congruence of the calculated results and reality was verified. For this purpose, short shots (partial fillings) were compared with the simulated results during filling. With the part volume of 72 cm³, a short shot was prepared at every 10 cm³ of fill. These short shots were compared with the corresponding simulation results at points where the same amount of material was inside the cavity.

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

A recent example highlighting the potential of LSR molding of complex shapes is the designer product “Ursula” (named for the first James Bond girl, Ursula Andress) produced by molder CVA Silicone in France. The part is a protective carrier for bottles, which received an award at the Biennale du Design Français. Its flow length of up to 619 mm (more than 24 in.) with a thin wall of just 3 mm (~0.1 in.) and a shot weight of 73 g (~2.5 oz) combines different challenges for elastomer molding, which can only be managed by a robust process and tool design, along with a highly processable LSR material.

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

During the customer trials, two similar LSR materials were designated for the production of the Ursula part. After some trials, Momentive Silopren LSR 2670 was identified as the best material for the process. Both materials were evaluated using the classical as well as the virtual molding simulation approaches, revealing why only one material was up to the task.

The authors thank CVA Silicone, St. Vidal, France (CVA Technology Pure Silicone Group) for the support and close cooperation in this project.

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

This validation provides just one example where the virtual molding approach goes well beyond the capabilities of classical simulation. It provides LSR molders not only a reliable outcome but also clear background information on the specific issue and its consequences. Such information is paramount for finding a resolution efficiently.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

Additionally, the R16 version allows users to simulate more in less time. For example, it reduces filling/packing simulation processing time by up to 30%. It also supports automatic generation of non-matched solid meshes for the entire mold base and its components, including the mold plate and inserts, thus reducing the amount of time and effort required to perform an accurate and reliable mold analysis.

Automated Simulation Workflow boosts efficiency by allowing users to customize and automate simulation workflows through the integration of Moldex3D API with its product design systems. This reduces the complexity of simulation workflow and possible manual mistakes to ensure accuracy and consistency.

A mold-filling evaluation shows little difference between Silopren LSR 2670 (right) and a similar LSR (left) when using the classical simulation approach (top row). Significant differences between the two materials becomes apparent when using the more complete virtual molding approach (bottom row).

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

For complex parts and processes, it is critical that a suitable material is selected. For proper selection, a deeper understanding of the actual mold construction and production conditions must be available to understand effectively why one material is not working and what specific attributes are necessary to select an appropriate one. With the input of measured material properties and process data, virtual molding helps to find the ideal setup without wasting resources on the machine.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

Comparison of actual short shots shows good agreement with virtual-molding simulation at 10, 40 and 60 cm³ of fill (top to bottom).

Without electrical-heater and parting-line information, there is also limited processing information—actual curing time, mold opening/closing times, etc. This approach is nonetheless suitable for a first estimation or general impression of the filling behavior, even though it cannot deliver reliable results for the final mold and process. In actuality, the temperature distribution within the mold and throughout the production cycle is constantly changing and, for accurate calculations, cannot be assumed as a homogeneous user-defined input. Especially for complex materials and processes like this one, this factor cannot be neglected.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

Oliver Franssen is global marketing director transportation at Momentive Performance Materials GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany. He studied Mechanical Engineering and Plastics Technology at the University of Technology RWTH Aachen/IKV and started his professional career 1990 at Daetwyler/CH as project leader for rubber precision parts for the automotive industry. In 1996, he joined DuPont-Dow Elastomers in automotive market development, and in 2004 he joined Momentive Performance Materials in automotive marketing for elastomers. Contact: oliver.franssen@momentive.com.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

The R16 version also allows for enhanced simulation capabilities for composite and special molding processes. It expands simulation capabilities for resin transfer molding, polyurethane chemical foaming, fiber-reinforced plastic injection molding, hot-runner molding and so forth.

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

Vanessa Schwittay is marketing manager & engineering at SIGMA Engineering GmbH, Aachen, Germany. After receiving her degree in Mechanical Engineering/Plastics Technology at IKV, she started working in the fields of engineering and marketing at SIGMA Engineering in 2012. Contact: v.schwittay@sigmasoft.de.

GOING BEYOND SIMPLE SIMULATION The crucial point of virtual molding is to achieve reliable calculations of the material behavior during filling and curing. This involves a fully coupled model incorporating the complete mold and molding process together with the material data. Such coupling ensures that the ever-changing mold temperature reliably impacts the LSR throughout the complete production cycle. A complete virtual molding analysis is possible only when all of these components are incorporated, because the real information is now replacing the previously used assumptions from the classical simulation approach.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

Simplified preliminary simulation evaluations of filling and curing behavior can provide valuable insight. They require less information and are often supplemented with user-defined assumptions to bridge the gap of missing information. When should more thorough virtual molding simulation be used instead of classical simulation approaches?

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

For the classical simulation, a 3D model of the part and runner are imported and a generic mold cube is assembled around these geometries. Without considering actual mold components, the thermo-physical properties are limited to only one mold material (there are no inserts or parting lines), and the initial temperature of the mold is assumed to be constant. There cannot be any heat lost by radiation at the parting plane because there is no parting plane, and the simulated mold temperature is the result of ideal, user-defined boundary conditions (Fig. 3, left).

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

Driven by brand owner demands and new worldwide legislation, the entire supply chain is working toward the shift to circularity, with some evidence the circular economy has already begun.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

Coverage of single-use plastics can be both misleading and demoralizing. Here are 10 tips for changing the perception of the plastics industry at your company and in your community.

Molding simulation software is a powerful tool, but what you get out of it depends very much on your initial inputs. Follow these tips to create the most successful simulation possible.

This kind of virtual molding simulation requires detailed material data. This applies not just to the LSR material, but also to the different metals of the mold (plates, cavity, ejectors, etc.) and cold-runner deck, as well as to the cooling media. Most of those values can be taken from literature or are already built into the simulation software.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

Visitors to the Moldex3D booth (4033) will get an exclusive sneak peek of its upcoming Moldex3D R16 version, which is designed to deliver reliable, high-efficiency, simulation-driven solutions to accelerate the pace of product innovation.

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

Results obtained with the single-cavity cold-runner mold from CVA Silicone were presented during last fall’s Fakuma 2015 show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The parts were molded with Momentive Silopren LSR 2670 liquid silicone rubber on an Engel e-mac 100 machine with integrated robotic handling in a cycle time of approximately 1 min. In the next hall of the same tradeshow, Sigmasoft demonstrated virtual molding of the part, utilizing the same processing conditions.

The virtual molding approach includes all of the mold plates, cavities, electrical heaters, cold deck, water channels, etc.—all defined as actual 3D components. There are no limitations as to the description of multiple mold materials or their operational times (when they are or are not in contact with each other or the part), how heat flows through one mold half while the mold is open, etc. (Fig. 3, right).

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

Crosslinking was measured on a moving-die rheometer at three different temperatures (110, 130, and 150 C). Here the LSR (mixed parts A and B at a ratio 1:1) is measured between two heated plates turning against each other. With the temperature increase from 110 to 150 C, the crosslink density increases more rapidly and the plateau is reached in a shorter time (see Fig.1).

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.