at a time - husky injection molding company

In an advanced design and manufacturing course, students learn that the ubiquitous plastic objects made by injection molding are deceptively hard to make.

In the design classes that students take before Making Multiples, they are free to make just about anything they want, exploring many media and a wide range of techniques. Making Multiples focuses on a single medium and technique while urging students to give their projects the utmost forethought in order to experience what it’s like to mass-produce an object they created from start to finish.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Given the prevalence of injection molding, knowledge about this process could give these students a clear advantage in a wide variety of design careers. But the most satisfying outcome of this class, for both students and instructors, is probably the hard-won success can be shared directly with classmates, friends and family.

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

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 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.

Each student devises a product that is interesting or useful enough to benefit from being highly reproducible. The results in winter quarter were diverse: an insulin vial protector, a screwdriver with interchangeable magnetic heads, a portable spring that makes it easier to use chopsticks, a necklace organizer and a shoe tag that a person can slide onto laces to add some flair to footwear.

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.

Said Domo’s India manager Tushar Parida, “Generally speaking, the mechanical properties of PAI are higher than those of PEEK-based parts, due to the different types of polymers the material contains. But it is more expensive too. However, through the careful formulation work of our Indian development team, we have been able to match the friction & wear performance and dry lubrication properties of PAI in a PEEK-based solution.”

Plastic objects made by injection molding are abundant and, for many of us, a constant presence in our everyday lives. Your phone case, toothbrush and the keys on your computer are all probably the result of mass production, which involves injecting molten plastic into molds.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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

“When my first parts came out, I said, ‘Man, this looks so simple!’ But so much work and thought went into the mold and it was quite complicated to make,” said Katya Stavisky, a master’s student in mechanical engineering who made the shoelace tags last quarter. “Now, looking around at things, like the tools we use, I think, ‘Wow, the tooling for this must have been really difficult.’”

Huynh’s own work tested the line between parts that could be copied a few times and those that could be duplicated in the dozens. His original plan was to make a fountain pen, decorated with intricate ribs. After designing the fragile and delicate mold components this piece would require, he realized making many wasn’t feasible. He changed course, instead creating a screwdriver with a design inspired by his original project.

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

A new cost-efficient PEEK compound that is positioned to replace higher cost and more complex to process PAI (polyamide-imides) is the latest addition to the Thermec range of enhanced polymers from German engineering thermoplastics compounder Domo Chemicals (U.S. office in Buford, Ga. Thermec K is blended with a solid polymeric lubricant and was developed at Domo’s Mumbai-based laboratory in India, a huge market for friction and wear resistant materials. This engineering compounds is suitable for numerous industrial applications, including bushings & bearings, aerospace parts, pump & valve components, medical instrument parts and food processing machinery components.

“In other classes at the Product Realization Lab, you only make one part and you could polish it for hours,” said Brian Huynh, a master’s student in mechanical engineering. “But in the real world you’re going to be making hundreds of thousands or millions. So there’s debugging that goes with making your mold, and then there’s the injection-molding process, which makes you realize, I have to make it look good enough – just good enough – where, if I make a hundred of them, most of them look great.”

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

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.

In addition,Thermec K can be processed using standard injection molding, making unnecessary the use of complex cold injection molding equipment followed by a lengthy steam curing process. Thermec K offers several material property benefits ranging from exceptional performance at elevated temperatures, chemical resistance, mechanical strength, strong wear and fatigue resistance, and dielectric strength.

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

PPO was a promising new high-performance thermoplastic, but it could be made useful only by mixing it with a humble commodity resin.

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

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.

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

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

“Having the chance to make more than one of something gives students experience that might be useful to them in their career but also is really incredible to create one of something – one mold – and then get to share your design with all of your friends,” Kohn said. “I think that’s a very empowering experience for students because they realize that they can make something that can be out in the world as a real object.”

While other classes tend to focus on the manufacturing process itself, this course is about designing to fit the manufacturing process, Huynh said. It’s a set of lessons fraught with complications that foster flexibility. The payoff, however, has more impact than the physical products suggest.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

Once students in ME325 have completed the design and manufacture of their molds, each individual part might take only 30 seconds to mold. This speed of production belies the challenges and amount of the time that went into designing the part and creating the tooling.

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.

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.

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).

“Having the chance to actually try it, to go beyond the theory and make something, is really critical to understanding what it takes to manufacture these parts,” said Marlo Kohn, lecturer in mechanical engineering and instructor for the course.

The Mumbai team has shown that Thermec K is suitable for numerous applications, especially when low wear, low coefficient of friction at temperatures of up to 200 C/392 F and resistance to high load-bearing conditions, is required. Furthermore, it grants a lower density of 1.32g/cm3, compared to a PAI solution of 1.42g/cm3.

In each case, students sketched prototypes, printed them with a 3-D printer, machined the aluminum molds and injected the molds with molten plastic of their chosen flexibility and color to create final products.

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

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

Those products are ubiquitous, but deceptively hard to make, students learn in the engineering class ME325: Making Multiples: Scaled Manufacturing Tooling. In it, students design and make molds for their own mass-produced parts.

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.

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.

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.

Price relief is expected to continue through the fourth quarter for nine major commodity and engineering resins, driven by widespread supply/demand imbalances.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

“In the real world, I’m not going to be designing my own mold and I’m not going to be cutting my own mold. But I am going to be designing my own parts, and if I don’t know what constraints there are around it, I’m not going to end up designing a very good part,” Stavisky said.

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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.

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

Domo’s Thermec K, blended with a solid polymeric lubricant, is targeted for uses ranging from bushings & bearings to food processing machinery components.