less material - pp moulding

Considering that this case represents just one application, and that TK Mold can use this technology for many moulds and produce them at multiple locations at the same time, AM is very quickly paying for itself. As a result, TK Mold is now operating its AM machine at a very high capacity, in order to meet the demand for various optimised inserts.

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.

TK Mold applies AM to produce mould inserts where conventional subtractive machining is unable to achieve the necessary quality and productivity at a reasonable cost. The example presented here is common in the packaging sector – particularly for products linked to the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. Used as an element of the packaging box of a smartwatch, the plastic part is the support for fixing the watch inside the box (Fig. 2).

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

Instead, manufacturers generally have to rely on visual alignment or external coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) to confirm positioning accuracy. Both techniques are time-consuming and, in the case of simple visual alignment, prone to operator error. With variances in excess of 100 µm, these techniques are also unable to provide the accuracy required for most final applications.

In terms of processing, an Alpine spokesperson told Plastics Technology that any molder with experience running high-temperature materials should easily be able to mold with HX5. From a temperature standpoint, mold temps are typically above 300°F, with barrel temperatures near 750°F.  Alpine says that HX5 is, on average, about four times less viscous than a filled PEEK material, allowing molders to reduce cycle time and fill pressures, resulting in parts with less warpage out of the tool. Compared to some instances with carbon-filled PEEK, where sprues were required to be much larger, Alpine says HX5 allows for smaller sprues that still achieve completely filled parts.

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Additive Manufacturing has proven to be a valuable solution for the optimisation of the cooling process, because it allows for the creation of cooling channels that closely follow the moulding surface – this is known as conformal cooling. These moulding surfaces can be highly complex and are therefore difficult to cool. AM enables the design and manufacture of parts that incorporate cooling channels that would be impossible to produce using conventional manufacturing technologies.

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.

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

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

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.

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.

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.

TK Mold uses the above-described process and equipment to produce high-quality hybrid parts, and manufactures around 90% of the moulds requiring AM-enabled conformal cooling by this method. As an example, the hybrid mould insert object of the smartwatch packaging support was achieved from a preform obtained by wire EDM in two different positioning steps. Each preform was then clamped onto the System 3R interface plate ‘AM Carrier’, mated with the DMP machine (Fig. 10). Here the DMP Calibration tool was exploited to correctly reference each preform independently through its set of two locating holes, automatically calculating and applying both translation and rotation corrections to the job file (Fig. 11).

Surface and sub-surface porosities are particularly critical for mould and die applications, as they may emerge on the part cavity walls after their subsequent machining, leading to defects on the moulded product; moreover, they may be greatly detrimental for the lifetime of the mould/die, constantly undergoing thermal fatigue while being in operation. Thanks to a finely tuned laminar argon flow, the DMP Flex 350 ensures a high removal rate of fumes which are the main driver of inconsistent density (Fig. 12).

Additionally, some traditional design considerations for the mould-making sector are still valid in the case of additively manufactured moulds and dies. These mainly concern the minimum distance of channels from part walls for structural resistance, as well as the pressure drop throughout the whole channel path, and ease of cleaning (both mostly influenced by the channel section size, path and number of branches). Leakage is not an option. In these cases, the minimum distance should be large enough to safely process and post-process the mould. Thus, from the design phase, risks can be greatly reduced.

The simulation tools allow the designer to better predict the real-life efficiency, and thus more confidently design, the conformal channels placed inside the mould insert. It theoretically validates that the channels will have a positive impact on the injection process and, ultimately, on the plastic part. TK Mold uses these types of tools to demonstrate the added value of conformal cooling to its customers (internal or external) before the manufacturing of a mould.

With AM, cooling channels can be set at a constant distance from the surface of the part to achieve uniform cooling, and deliver two main advantages:

Reach a truly international audience that includes component manufacturers, end-users, industry suppliers, analysts, researchers and more.

In addition to providing extensive industry news coverage, Metal AM magazine is known for exclusive, in-depth articles and technical reports.

By enabling the generation of conformal cooling paths within inserts, the adoption of AM in the mould and die sector has repeatedly been proven as an effective way to enhance the yield of moulding processes in terms of both productivity and part quality. This is confirmed by the application case study from TK Mold, and its now firmly established use of AM mould inserts in everyday production.

Sustainability has risen to the top of the global manufacturing agenda. Whilst metal AM has long been considered a green technology because of its ...»

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.

BlueHalo’s Intense Eye UAS has replaced a machined aerospace-grade aluminum chassis with one molded from Alpine Advanced Materials’ HX5 multi-scale reinforced polymer for a stronger, lighter craft.

To overcome these challenges and find ways to profitably integrate this new technology into their operations, manufacturers can pre-machine a so-called preform and then, using AM, produce a portion of the part with value-added features in the location where the technology can prove most beneficial.

With thirty-seven years of mould design and fabrication experience, the company is dedicated to providing the best performance injection mould solutions and final plastic parts. As both a mould maker and a parts producer, the company quickly grasped the advantages of metal AM and invested in it to develop mould inserts with conformal cooling channels. TK Mold’s mould-making and injection capabilities uniquely position the company to benefit from using these inserts to produce final parts – the benefits include productivity and quality gains, as well as the ability to deliver more efficient solutions to its customers.

The chassis, which measures 18.0 by 8.125 by 1.0 in, is molded by Prudent American Technologies at its Lexington, Ky. facility on a 400-ton Nissei press, and weighs only 0.36 lb. BlueHalo collaborated directly with Alpine on the project, utilizing Moldex3D analysis to optimize fiber alignment and strength in critical areas. In addition to the mechanical and environmental benefits of using HX5, BlueHalo says shifting to injection molding will allow it to accelerate production and delivery. It also allowed the craft to consolidate parts on a 7:1 ratio.

As the part is produced in large series, the packaging and the support must also be produced in large series. The challenges therefore relate to cost and productivity. As the final product is considered a high-value item, there are also requirements in terms of the support’s aesthetics.

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.

The next generation of IE-V3 platforms will be the first BlueHalo UAS to incorporate the HX5 injection molded chassis. BlueHalo can modify the IE-V3 for custom applications, including autonomous swarming solutions; payload development and deployment; test targets; fire and rescue operations; atmospheric profiling; education and research; and more.

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

Unlike many AM applications, here the manufacturing process begins with the machining of the preforms. In this case, the outer geometry of preform is typically produced by cutting a blank plate with wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). Ejection holes and cooling channels are, on the other hand, previously machined in the blank by deep-hole drilling. It is crucial that all preforms are identical in terms of height, since the Additive Manufacturing process must be conducted on a level plane.Beginning the process with subtractive machining, however, introduces new positioning and referencing challenges. This type of hybrid process must therefore start with the preform fixed on the build platform before the intended AM section is aligned by using a referencing system. The use of this type of referencing is especially challenging because, unlike in CNC machining, in an AM machine there is no physical link between the optics and the target substrate.

Although the benefits of AM for efficient cooling are well-documented and have often been presented, adoption has been slow due to initial concerns about material properties, costs, and a lack of knowledge on how to apply the technology in a market segment that is often regarded as quite traditional. In addition to the fact that mould makers are often risk-averse, they are generally under tremendous pressure to manufacture injection moulds at the lowest price possible. The use of additively manufactured inserts in moulds offers significant benefits, but also comes with additional costs. Mould manufacturers must, therefore, demonstrate the value of the additional investment to the final customer. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that adoption of conformal cooling has been higher in companies which manage both mould production and injection moulding. These companies fully understand the value, and actively incorporate AM into their manufacturing workflow, demonstrating return on investment (ROI) and increasing their use of the technology as they further master the process.

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

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.

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

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

Additive Manufacturing conferences rarely attract as many industry CEOs as New York's Additive Manufacturing Strategies event, let alone persuade t...»

Once the optimised insert is finished, it replaces the conventional insert inside the mould, and the injection process can begin. This article’s observations focus on two elements: cycle time and part quality. The first element influences productivity and the second element influences waste costs.

Noting that HX5 was designed to replace 6061-T6 aluminum, the spokesperson said Alpine is currently developing an overmolding solution using carbon-fiber reinforced plastics in conjunction with HX5 to compete with and exceed the mechanical capabilities of 7000-series aluminum.

Once the program is ready, the insert is clamped inside a Mikron MILL S 400 U Milling machine from GF Machining Solutions. This product is well-established in the mould-making industry and enables a perfectly homogeneous surface finish. The excellent mould surface quality is particularly valuable for plastic parts with a final transparent finish, where flaws can be easily visible. Mirror surface finishing also reduces the need for hand polishing of mould components, reducing lead time. The square sections of the ejector pins required a milling operation (3+2 pre-machining) and a final grinding operation.

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

In Fig. 7, we can observe the temperature inside the ‘outer channels’, which transport the coolant in the insert. In this image, the latter is located in the middle in a grey colour. We can already see a colder temperature inside the channels, but also more homogeneity between the conventional approach and the conformal approach.

In conclusion, for the mould and die as well as other sectors, a whole ecosystem has to be considered, encompassing software, AM and subtractive machines, materials, automation and tooling solutions. These must be efficiently combined and integrated to drive design and manufacturing costs down, thus allowing AM technology to express its full potential as an industrial process.

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

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

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.

While the adoption of AM is increasing, many manufacturers are still reluctant to take this step. One of the biggest challenges in using AM is the need to integrate the new process into manufacturing workflows built on well-established, mature manufacturing technologies. In particular, in the mould-making segment, additively manufactured components and inserts require – in nearly all cases – additional subtractive machining operations to achieve the very high surface quality required on the mould surface.

The next generation of BlueHalo’s (Arlington, Va.) Intense Eye Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) aircraft features an injection molded chassis using HX5, a multi-scale reinforced polymer from Alpine Advanced Materials (Dallas). In this application, the HX5 material is replacing machined aerospace-grade aluminum, helping make the craft stronger and lighter with increased efficiency and payload capacity. HX5 was originally developed by Lockheed Martin for use in the F-35 fighter jet to provide a nanocomposite material that offered the strength of aluminum but at half the weight. While Alpine declines to reveal the base resin for HX5, it does say that the nanocomposite exceeds the performance of PEEK and Ultem (PEI) and is comparable to Torlon (PAI).

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.

Lastly, the use of dedicated tooling and fixtures, such as those from GF Machining Solutions’ System 3R unit, allows the hybrid parts built in the DMP machine to undergo all the necessary post-processing operations with reduced setup and changeover times, thanks to the standardised part interfaces being compatible with multiple machines.

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.

Germany's Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) will begin manufacturing composite components on a new composite press from Shuler by year's end.

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

Binder Jetting's position as an accepted mass production technology for precision metal components is on the near horizon. The coming success will,...»

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Established in 1983, TK Mold is a subsidiary of TK Group (Holdings) Limited, a well-regarded manufacturer of plastic moulds and parts for a variety of industries including healthcare and consumer goods. TK Mold manufactures plastic moulds and parts for mobile phones, healthcare applications, smart homes, packaging and precision electronics. In addition to its Shenzhen base, TK Mold has three other factories in Suzhou and Huizhou, China, and Braunschweig, Germany.

In addition, when using AM directly on a section of the final machined geometry, the costly cutting operation needed to remove the insert from the build platform is eliminated. This combination of subtractive and additive technologies – which is proving cost-effective – results in what is now commonly referred to as a hybrid part.

The challenges of this type of packaging component are quite common, and the number of similar applications is infinite. Concerning this application, TK Mold faced three critical manufacturing challenges:

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.

As a result, manufacturers expect metal AM providers’ solutions to cover the complete workflow, from design to final part, to deliver moulds that meet precise specifications. Software, AM machines, materials, subtractive technologies, automation and clamping solutions must be combined to provide an efficient ecosystem to drive down costs and complexity.

To improve the process, TK Mold’s engineers focused only on the improvement of the most critical mould inserts: those with the most influence in terms of cycle time or part quality. This is where the ROI in metal AM is the highest.

First, the size and shape of the internal channels have design constraints. Large overhanging regions require support structures that are impossible to remove from the inside of the part after Additive Manufacturing. Channel diameters are thus constrained in size and self-supporting channel shapes (such as diamond, elliptical, or teardrop, among others) are preferable to the traditional round cross-sections typical when straight-drilled holes are used by traditional methods (Fig. 3).

As a last step, the AM build was performed in 3D Systems’ LaserForm® Maraging Steel – a proven material for the mould and die sector thanks to its wear resistance – on a DMP Flex 350 machine.

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.

Injection moulding is, without a doubt, one of the most widely-used and successful manufacturing processes. It is most commonly applied to the production of thermoplastic and thermosetting polymer parts, using moulds manufactured from steel alloys, which allows for, in many cases, millions of injection cycles in serial production. The process entails injecting molten material into a cavity shaped like the final part, followed by rapid cooling to ensure hardening. The cooling time must, however, be sufficient for the part to properly solidify so it can be ejected with limited deformation. The cooling aspect of the injection cycle is, therefore, a key factor in achieving high-quality parts while keeping the cycle time efficient. Cooling of the mould insert is achieved by circulating a cold fluid (typically water or oil) through the mould to cool the mould surface.

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

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

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

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.

Our audience includes component manufacturers, end-users, materials and equipment suppliers, analysts, researchers and more.

Moreover, as this case study demonstrates, for companies to fully grasp the end-to-end value offered by this disruptive manufacturing technology, and thus quickly achieve ROI, AM should not be evaluated as a ‘stand-alone’ process. For the technology to shift to the full industrial scale, its integration with conventional, well-established manufacturing processes is crucial; a complete workflow approach, from design to final part, is required.

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.

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

To demonstrate the benefits AM can bring to the injection moulding process, this article reports on how TK Mold, a customer of GF Machining Solutions’ subtractive and additive systems headquartered in Shenzhen, China (Fig. 1), is using Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) technology and, specifically, how workflow optimisation was able to support the business case for AM mould inserts with conformal cooling.

3DXpert includes tools such as the ‘heat map’, which allows designers to quickly evaluate the homogeneity and efficiency of the cooling. This does not replace more complete rheology simulations, but allows the user to quickly assess the design quality early in the process.

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.

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

BlueHalo’s Intense Eye is a 750-mm class 4 rotor Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) UAS with commercial and military possibilities. Photo Credit: Alpine Advanced Materials

Today, more than ever, granulation is an important step in the total production process. Our expert explains a few of the many common traps to avoid when thinking about granulators

With user-defined threshold values, this referencing process offers exceptional repeatability and accuracy without any risk of human error. Furthermore, the use of the laser enables the referencing of multiple parts on the same build platform in a single operation, further accelerating high-volume production. Thanks to this optical system’s exceptional level of accuracy, the final quality of the referencing operation, and thus of the resulting hybrid parts, is higher as well.

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.

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

Once the part is built (Fig. 13), final machining operations are required to achieve the expected surface roughness on the final geometry. A first programming stage is performed to generate the tool path for the surface finishing of the required area. A real benefit here is 3D Systems’ Cimatron® software, which provides the technology user with a seamless transition between AM and post-machining.

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).

When determining the best ejection option for a tool, molders must consider the ejector’s surface area, location and style.

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.

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

Improvements in nozzle design in recent years overcome some of the limitations of previous filter, mixing, and shut-off nozzles.

When it comes to presenting a review of the world's largest international exhibition for AM, one can go about it in two ways: very broad generalisa...»

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

The consequences of this productivity gain are multiple. TK Mold was able to increase its production from 189,788 pieces to 242,250 pieces produced per month, equating to an increase in monthly revenue from this application of RMB 92,871, or approximately €12,000.

While AM technology is helping many companies in the mould and die sector achieve new cost savings and efficiencies through conformal cooling, the economic viability of many applications requires other approaches. Indeed, for structural reasons, these applications typically include parts that require large amounts of mould material – in the case of AM, metal powder. This can make large parts costly to manufacture, as an AM insert’s price will be directly linked to the volume of material required for the AM process.

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

GF Machining Solutions and 3D Systems have partnered to develop an end-to-end solution that enables manufacturers to more efficiently produce complex metal parts. This is accomplished by seamlessly integrating metal AM into existing manufacturing processes through the development of an optimised workflow. Here, each step of the workflow is illustrated as it applies to the custom solution created for TK Mold.

The new injection molded chassis for BlueHalo’s Intense Eye UAS utilizes the HX5 thermoplastic compound from Alpine Advanced Materials for an application that can replace aluminum and weighs just 0.36 lb. Photo Credit: Alpine Advanced Materials

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.

Such a solution can also help companies to meet demand without needing to invest in additional new moulds. According to TK Mold, the ROI on the production of this insert by AM is very attractive and, in this specific case, was achieved in fewer than twenty-six days of production.

Before starting to build a mould insert in an AM machine, performing rheology thermal assessments is often done to detect where potential issues may arise. This makes it possible to interpret whether the optimised channels will be effective, particularly whether there is a need to improve the temperature homogeneity to reduce hot spots (Fig. 6).

Additional considerations are the cost savings that are available due to improved productivity by reducing the hourly cost of machine use and increased flexibility in terms of machine capacity. Due to the improvements in thermal homogeneity and the reduction or elimination of hot spots, TK Mold also improved repeatability and final part quality, thereby reducing these waste costs while better satisfying its end customer.

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

Victrex's 40% carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK results in a 40% savings in both weight and production costs over the incumbent aluminum part.

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.

Thanks to their expertise in multiple fields and processes, GF Machining Solutions and 3D Systems are able to offer industrial solutions that make this possible. Their joint offering is further enhanced by the availability of dedicated products and tools, such as the Additive Molding module of 3D Systems’ 3DXpert software for the design and analysis of conformal cooling channels, and the DMP Calibration tool offered with the DMP machine series for the manufacturing of hybrid parts through the automated, user-error-free alignment of preforms and substrates to the highest accuracy inside the AM machine.

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.

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

Through the adoption of AM, new design possibilities are available to mould manufacturers. Such design freedoms must be mastered, bearing in mind both the layer-by-layer manufacturing approach as well as the raw material involved in the process – the fine metal powder. These two elements result in a very limited set of constraints to the part design, mainly related to overhang regions, feature size and ease of powder removal. For additively manufactured parts with conformal cooling channels, such constraints may be easily overcome by adhering to a few design guidelines, which have become well-established over the years.

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.

The generation of conformal cooling paths in adherence to the above design guidelines may quickly become very time-consuming with traditional computer-aided design (CAD) software tools. For this reason, a dedicated software solution such as 3DXpert®– and particularly its Additive Moulding Add-on – is very helpful for mould designers and tooling manufacturers in optimising part quality and reducing design and manufacturing costs.This add-on makes it possible to create conformal cooling inserts and to combine traditional and conformal cooling where appropriate (Fig. 4). This is made possible by a unique set of functionalities that save the user hours of design work before moving to the simulation-based verification and validation stages of the mould design:

In Fig. 8, we can analyse and compare the potential hot spots during injection with or without conformal channels. Here again, we observe a decrease in the temperature of the hot spots, going for example from 96°C to 86°C. Most important is the much more even temperature gradient, which is the critical factor influencing the quality of the part in terms of warpage and distortion. In this specific case, a productivity increase is the main goal, but customers are always looking for quality improvements.Today, these simulations are more reliable as rheology models have improved, taking cooling geometries into consideration; this type of data was previously not easy to simulate.

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 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

To overcome this issue, GF Machining Solutions and 3D Systems have developed a software solution that leverages the power of the meltpool monitoring hardware available on the partners’ DMP series of metal AM machines. In machines such as the DMP Flex 350, DMP Monitoring in-process monitoring software acquires meltpool data during the build process to detect potential defects such as lack-of-fusion pores.The DMP Calibration tool function exploits this light-sensing monitoring hardware for another purpose: scanning preforms to identify pre-machined locating holes in the part surface. The contrast in light reflection between the part surface and such holes allows for an extremely reliable method of establishing the precise location of the preform on the build platform (Fig. 9).

The injection data collected in Fig. 14 show that the total injection cycle time varies between 21.70 and 21.79 seconds with a traditional insert. With the optimised insert, the cooling time of the plastic is reduced and cycle times stabilise between 16.98 and 17.01 seconds. This represents a significant cycle time reduction of 22%.

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.

The Intense Eye UAS family is a 750-mm class 4 rotor Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) UAS for dual-use in commercial and military operations. The system’s software and avionics apply BlueHalo’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, giving the craft heightened autonomy and communications, as well as swarm logic capabilities, allowing multiple Intense Eye’s to fly in synchronization with each other.

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.