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.

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

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

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

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

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 price of crude oil, which is generally the major component of costs, has fallen, but plastics processors are reporting they’ve not yet seen the benefit, Devereux said. “Customers are certainly expecting to see resin price decreases,” he said.

Devereux credits increased automation with boosting not only sales for plastics products manufacturers but also their profitability. Manufacturers producing highly engineered products are especially benefiting, he said.

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.

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.

It may seem as though raising backpressure increases temperature because the short shots stop. The rationale here is that the higher temperature lower the viscosity, making the short shots disappear. But that’s not the case. Yes, the parts are full, but not because of an increase in melt temperature or lower viscosity, but because more plastic is packed (at higher density) into the same shot size (see illustration p. 36). If density is higher, there is more plastic in the same volume or shot size. It is not a temperature  effect but a density change that provides more plastic in the same shot volume. The shot size changes without any change of screw position.

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.

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 impact stemming from the labor disputes that caused huge bottlenecks at West Coast ports is something to watch for 2015, he added. “Although the disputes were tentatively settled in late February, the impact of the delays caused by the disputes will likely have an impact on many industries, including plastics. If you’re a plastics manufacturer, maybe you are reliant on molds that are manufactured in Asia and shipped to the U.S., if they are held up in the port – you can’t get the goods you need to continue manufacturing your product, which will ultimately impact growth and earnings. It’s unclear whether we saw some of the impact in the fourth quarter 2014 numbers, however it is very likely to have an impact when we look at results from first quarter 2015.”

Michael J. Devereux II, partner and director of accounting firm Mueller Prost’s Plastics Industry Services, said many of the firm’s middle-market, privately held clients are seeing stronger growth than shown in Sageworks’ numbers. Plastics manufacturing companies are benefiting from automotive industry demand and from customers’ desire to have shorter lead times. “That has driven both the plastics processing and the mold-building back from China to the U.S.,” Devereux said. “Customers don’t want their molds sitting on a boat for four weeks.”

Profitability has also strengthened as the industry benefits from a growing economy, increasing automation and “reshoring” trends.

To illustrate this effect, let us review a common issue on the shop floor: short shots. It is not unusual for a process to be running fine, and then when a new color or lot or some other change in the system occurs, the result is periodic short shots. As my November column noted, some processors may decide to raise the melt temperature to fix the shorts. To speed this along,

This overpressurizes the cavity, which in turn wears the parting line, which eventually results in flash. Now you have an even bigger problem. Bottom line: always think things through. Whenever you change a process parameter ask yourself four questions:

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.

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

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

Devereux said his firm works with many companies on the cutting edge of technology improvements. Indeed, over half of his work last year was helping plastics manufacturers utilize research and development tax credits as plastics companies invest in additional automation and technology.

Through its cooperative data model, Sageworks collects and aggregates financial statements for private companies from accounting firms, banks and credit unions. Net profit margin has been adjusted to exclude taxes and include owner compensation in excess of their market-rate salaries. These adjustments are commonly made to private company financials in order to provide a more accurate picture of the companies’ operational performance.

Five industry pros with more than 200 years of combined molding experience provide step-by-step best practices on mounting a mold in a horizontal injection molding machine.

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

Companies are experiencing shortages of skilled labor, he added. “The mold-builder companies are having a hard time finding people to design and build the molds, and those labor costs are going up,” he said.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Preliminary estimates from Sageworks’ analysis of statements filed in 2014 show that privately  held companies in the industry, on average, increased sales by about 4 percent, on top of roughly 8 percent growth in each of the previous two years. Plastics product manufacturers in 2011 and 2012 had experienced double-digit growth as manufacturing in general led the U.S. economy out of the recession.

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.

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

Performing fundamental maintenance inspections frequently assures press longevity and process stability. Here’s a checklist to help you stay on top of seven key systems.

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

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, 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.

“The U.S. exports a lot of plastic,” said Abbas. “While the U.S. economy is strong, concerns about the general global economy might provide insight into why our initial estimates indicate a slower rate of growth for plastic manufacturers,” Abbas said.

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

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.

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

Crusty (my fictitious grumpy old processor) adds a bit more backpressure to get the temperature to increase faster. That is, before he or she read my previous article, which provided data that proved backpressure does not increase melt temperature.

In a previous column discussing backpressure and its influence on temperature (Nov. ’17), I left out an important process change. A former student of mine, Seng Lo of Hellerman Tyton Americas, emailed me to point this out. Worse yet, it was not included in the list of “why we need backpressure” that was published in that issue.

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

It’s a classic confusion between cause and effect. Melt temperature rises when screw speed is increased. Check out this data.

A processor has vast trove of processing “handles” available on today’s injection molding machines. Often they seem simple enough, especially if you change one machine parameter at a time. The problem is that when you change one setting on the machine controller it often influences two or more different process conditions.

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.

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

U.S. plastics product manufacturers, key suppliers to auto and aerospace industries, construction and retailing, recently wrapped up their fifth year in a row of increased sales,  according to new data from Sageworks, a financial information company.

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

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.

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.

Abbas said that while gross margins may have declined slightly in 2014, plastics product makers’ net profit margins still increased. He noted that overhead expenses as a percentage of sales have decreased in recent years. “That could indicate the manufacturers did a good job of controlling some of the more variable costs,” he said. Continuing technological advances that streamline and automate processes also aid margin improvement.

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

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.

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.

Sageworks’ data show that plastics products manufacturing companies’ net profit margins, on average, improved to 6.2 percent in 2014 from 4.4 percent in 2010, based on preliminary estimates. Net profit margin in 2013 was 5.9 percent.

How does backpressure control shot size, and what does a change in backpressure change in your molding process? Processing is not just about understanding the machine; a good processor knows how plastics behave. In this case, they have to understand that molten plastic is compressible. For example, room-temperature or solid density for HDPE is 0.957 g/cc, while its melt density is 0.759 g/cc, or less than 80% of its solid density. This means the polymer molecules are farther apart from one another in the molten state, and at typical backpressures the molten HDPE can be compressed. Typical backpressures (plastic not hydraulic pressures) for most resins are in the range of 300 psi to about 1500 psi (20-103 bar). These pressures do compress the melt.

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

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.

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

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

“We are seeing so much R&D being spent on new process development, not necessarily on product manufacturing,” he said. “They’re using the automation to reduce the cost of the labor.”

Abbas said data on plastics manufacturers’ results in 2014 continue to flow into Sageworks’ database, so it’s too early to determine whether any slowdown in plastics product manufacturing sales was material. However, he noted growth rates for 2014 appear to be lower than rates for manufacturing in general, and he said that many industries with consecutive years of strong revenue growth have a tough time sustaining those elevated growth rates.

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

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

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.

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Bozzelli is the founder of Injection Molding Solutions (Scientific Molding) in Midland, Mich., a provider of training and consulting services to injection molders, including LIMS, and other specialties. Contact john@scientificmolding.com.

Dubious? Then check it out for yourself. The proper procedure for a change in backpressure is to take off second-stage pack and hold, change the backpressure, then note how full the cavity is. Most likely you will need to re-establish the same fill volume for the parts by hanging the cutoff position. This is critical if you want apples-to-apples comparisons for DOEs. Why? In the example above, you have what you wanted, full parts. The problem is that you changed the shot size and now that extra material put in during first-stage fill may be packing out the part in that first stage.