The supplier of tooling, molding and assembly equipment is investing $20 million in its Germantown site, adding a Class 8 cleanroom and 20 presses, while consolidating its Illinois molding operations.

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.

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

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

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

MGS Manufacturing’s automation capabilities, paired with its injection molding and moldmaking capacity, came to play in it taking on the Covid-19 test kit job.

To complete the 18 new molds required for the COVID-19 test kits, MGS’s toolroom saw employees working 60-70 hr weeks with split shifts instituted to maximize equipment usage.

Spectrum Plastics Group offers customers two technology hubs — one for extrusion, the other for additive manufacturing — to help bring ground-breaking products to market faster.

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.

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

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.

An ENGEL viper 20 linear robot will be removing the two-component parts and depositing them in trays. Finally, an ENGEL e pic pick-and-place robot is covering the fully populated trays with an intermediate layer to be able to stack them in boxes and then discharge them via a tray server, which is also integrated.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

By the start of April, the immense scale of the challenge facing the country, and what plastics manufacturing’s role would be in rising to that task, began to come into focus. “Everyone knew that in order to have containment and not keep the country shut down—to have a more strategic approach to the outbreak—we needed information; we needed data; and we needed much, much more testing,” says Paul Manley, president of MGS Manufacturing, Germantown, Wis.

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

As the molds are being completed, MGS is staging 18 injection molding machines in its ISO Class 8 cleanroom into a sort of “super cell” to allow coordinated molding of the components. The plan is to be in mass production by mid-September. When that time comes, Manley anticipates the monthly volume of individual parts for this project to be in the range of 12-15 million.

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.

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 breakneck pace of the project, paired with the underlying challenge of running a complex manufacturing operation in the midst of a pandemic, could prompt many responses, but there has been one overriding sentiment for Manley.

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

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.

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.

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

That work, in many ways, is just getting started. The continued need for personal protective equipment, testing, and components related to vaccine development and manufacturing, mean plastics’ role in responding to this crisis is just getting started.

The coronavirus pandemic has exerted an unprecedented stress test on nearly every aspect of the U.S. economy, including plastics manufacturing. In the earliest days, machines idled from normal business paused by the outbreak, were rapidly repurposed for making whatever products could help right now, whether it was personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline medical personnel or valves for much-needed hospital ventilators.

Study shows the plastic compounding process is being used to boost electrical properties and UV resistance while custom compounding is increasingly being used to achieve high-performance in plastic-based goods.

“We certainly have a common enemy here,” Manley says. “This isn’t about the competitive nature of tooling organizations or plastics companies; we do have a greater good to serve here. There’s a cadence of meetings where all partners are on the phone and are sharing all information in order to make sure another partner doesn’t have to go through the same hurdles we have. If we can share best practices, if we can learn from what they’ve done, or they can learn from what we’ve done and get to market faster, great, let’s do that.”

MGS Manufacturing is marshalling its injection molding, moldmaking and automation skills in a tightly compressed timeline to outfit the equivalent of a full-scale injection molding plant for COVID-19 test kits.

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

“I’ve been a part of MGS for 24 years now,” Manley says, “and truly, I’ve never been more proud to be a part of the organization than in the last couple of months, seeing how so many people have responded so admirably.”

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.

Extrusion simulations can be useful in anticipating issues and running “what-if” scenarios to size extruders and design dies for extrusion projects. It should be used at early stages of any project to avoid trial and error and remaking tooling.

Ultimately, MGS signed on to build 18 injection molds, eight of those being multicomponent tools, by mid-July, giving the company approximately 10 weeks from project launch to sample parts from new molds with a streamlined validation process. The monumental moldmaking task was made possible by employees working 60- to 70-hr weeks and instituting split shifts in the toolroom to maximize equipment usage.

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.

With advocacy, communication and sustainability as three main pillars, Seaholm leads a trade association to NPE that ‘is more active today than we have ever been.’

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.

“The ability to take something designed for half a million or a million tests per month and scale it to 5 to 10 million tests per month—in a very compressed time frame—is a challenge,” Manley says, with considerable understatement.

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

As of June 1, 17.6 million tests had been completed in the U.S.—a staggering figure when considering the sheer volume of molded components required. The total number of individual tests created and completed in just a few months were equivalent to light-vehicles sales in the country for an entire year. Additionally, this output was for a wholly new line of products requiring new tooling and validation, with a ramp-up of just weeks rather than months.

Agreement between Eastman and Ethicon will put copolyester derived from recycled materials in sterile barrier applications.

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

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).

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

“If we can share best practices, if we can learn from what they’ve done, or they can learn from what we’ve done and get to market faster, great, let’s do that.”

“These are complex plastic parts,” Manley says. “We all understand the urgency of getting these to market, and in a suite of tools where lead times would typically be 18 to 20 weeks, we’re building them in six to eight weeks.” Manley says this testing kit, for which MGS cannot reveal the OEM, was on market, but it needed to be scaled up “exponentially.”

If the country ever gets to that last figure—theoretically completing 27.9 million tests in a month—it will be by virtue of the efforts of manufacturers like MGS and the suppliers that support them.

“Our customer, who was familiar with MGS and our unique capabilities, saw us as a perfect partner to help scale these components,” Manley explains. “I say unique capabilities because there are a lot of really good toolmakers in the United States and a lot of really good injection molding companies. There are also a lot of companies that build automation, but at MGS, our integrated solution, our unique value proposition, is that we do all three.”

ENGEL will also establish its new records in plant footprint and energy consumption at K 2022, where a minimal footprint, all-electric, high-performance e-motion 160 combi M injection moulding machine will make its debut and produce sample vessels for medical diagnostics in two-component injection moulding under cleanroom conditions.

The basis for automatically calculating the holding pressure time is mould breathing on the one hand, and the plasticising screw position on the other. iQ hold control analyses both process values and suggests the optimum holding pressure time via the CC300 injection moulding machine control after just a few cycles. Once the set-up technician has confirmed the value, production can immediately begin.

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.

“Several of the parts are multishot components, adding another layer of complexity. I wouldn’t classify any of the parts as simple open-and-close molds.”

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.

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.

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.

The holding pressure time is determined objectively, meaning that even less experienced process technicians can adjust the process parameters at the push of a button in case of a batch change. Further efficiency gains can result from the automatically determined optimum holding pressure time being lower than the holding pressure time set initially. In these cases, the cycle time is reduced. And the energy requirement decreases.

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.

Visitors to the K show 2022 can experience the new iQ hold control in action at the ENGEL booth, where connectors for vehicle electronics will be produced on an all-electric e-mac injection moulding machine. The smart assistance systems can be activated and deactivated individually to allow visitors to the show to experience the feature live.

Since the outbreak took hold in the U.S., coronavirus testing has ramped up continuously, but the gap between where things stand and where they need to be, according to public health experts, remains wide. In April, when MGS first became involved, a daily average of just over 173,000 tests were being performed in the U.S. according to the COVID-19 tracking project. In May, that figure doubled to more than 343,000 tests/day—rising to 391,173 average daily tests over the last two weeks of the month. Given the size of the U.S. population—328 million people—and the extent of the outbreak here, Harvard’s Global Health Institute said the U.S. should be doing more than 900,000 tests per day.

The holding pressure time is one of the quality-driving parameters in the injection moulding process. This is why it is individually configured after mould set-up and typically determined empirically. Determining what is known as the sealing point not only takes a lot of time, it also consumes a lot of raw material since several parts first need to be moulded and analysed in the quality control lab. The new holding pressure assistant by ENGEL removes the need for production personnel to make this effort, saving both time and raw materials.

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

ENGEL is offering all iQ systems, including the new iQ hold control, as trial versions with immediate effect. Various packages are available, including – for example – webinars and in-house training, process engineering consultancy and tests at the ENGEL technology centre.

That pride extends to the broader U.S. manufacturing base, which leapt into action to address the outbreak from the very beginning. “Whether it be transport tubes and caps for sample collection for testing or these rapid test kits,” Manley says, “all of it has been a testament—and I’m sure this is what many companies are seeing—but a testament to the great work that U.S. manufacturers do here.”

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.

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

MGS’ ability to take on a project of this scale is a direct result of recent investments. In June 2019, the company announced an injection of $20 million into its Germantown headquarters, expanding its cleanroom molding with a new 13,000-ft2 Class 8 space that is the heart of its new Healthcare Center of Excellence. That new cleanroom houses 20 injection machines, ranging in clamp force from 160 to 650 tons, and it joins existing cleanrooms in Germantown that covered 15,000 ft2 and 6500 ft2, respectively. MGS has more than 100 molding machines and 300 employees in Germantown, and despite broader market difficulties, it anticipates hiring 40 new employees in 2020.

ENGEL is introducing a new member of the iQ product family at K 2022. The new smart assistant for nominal values goes by the name of iQ hold control and automatically determines the optimum holding pressure time to help process technicians achieve massive time savings.

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 primary parts with cylindrical cavities are injected using a PC material dyed in black. The indexing table then rotates 180 degrees to seal the cylinders with transparent PC on one side with lenticular covers in a second injection moulding step. Simultraneously, the next set of primary parts will be produced on the other side. The two moulds, with 32 cavities each, come from Hack Formenbau in Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

As a system solution provider, ENGEL looks to ensure in the scope of process digitalisation that the control units of external systems, such as the mould or peripheral units, can be integrated with the central CC300 control panel on the injection moulding machine. For example, the HACK moldlife sense software is integrated with the CC300 machine control unit with the help of Webviewer technology. HACK moldlife sense detects errors and irregularities in the mould and automatically notifies the machine operator before rejects and high costs occur.

The combi M's horizontal indexing table technology saves valuable floor space, especially where multiple-cavity moulds are used. A comparable 32-cavity mould with a vertical rotary table would require a larger e-motion injection moulding machine with at least 280 tonnes clamp force. In this application, the horizontal indexing table technology reduces the injection moulding machine's footprint by more than 20 per cent.

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

“I’ve been a part of MGS for 24 years now, and truly, I’ve never been more proud to be a part of the organization than in the last couple of months.”

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

MGS is limited in the specific information it can share about the individual elements of the project, but generally speaking, the job involves a number of components molded by MGS in tooling it is building. These components are then sent to the customer for assembly into a single-use consumable, including the reagent. After introduction of the patient’s sample, the consumable is inserted into the testing instrument. “Several of the parts are multishot components, adding another layer of complexity,” Manley says. “I wouldn’t classify any of the parts as simple open-and-close molds.”

At that time, as the coronavirus pandemic pushed towards an initial apex in cases and deaths, MGS Manufacturing shifted from supplying tooling to a competitor for a new rapid molecular-level test kit for COVID-19 to taking a sizable portion of the moldmaking and injection molding for the project in-house. Founded in 1982 as Moldmakers Inc., the Wisconsin-based company that is now global with operations in Europe and Mexico has expanded into injection molding and custom automation, with a specialization in two-shot molds and molding and medical manufacturing. That amalgam of abilities put MGS in a special position help ramp up production of urgently needed test kits.

MGS Manufacturing’s Healthcare Center of Excellence, including its ISO Class 8 cleanroom, made it uniquely suited to tackle molding of components for COVID-19 test kits.

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.

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.