machines and robotic integration - injection mold manufacturing companies

Perhaps the most striking part, as you’ll see in images above and below: these tiny symbols are stacked on top of each other, jutting out in three dimensions. They’re not a single, evenly spaced layer at all, like the tiny dots you might remember on Sony’s DualShock 4 from 2013. They look random, almost organic — which might be because the entire design was sketched out by hand.

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

Figuring out the proper heights of the symbols was a lot of work all by itself, as you can see in some of Sony’s behind-the-scenes photos. In the end, they settled on two layers — one roughly 15 microns tall and another 30 microns tall, according to measurements we made with a Nikon LV100 microscope.

Hold speed or hold velocity? How many machines today have it and what does it do to your process? The machine controller input of hold velocity started to become more and more prevalent with the onset of electrically driven molding machines. The setting tells the machine how fast to move the screw during second stage. But, and this is a big but, second stage is a pressure-limited portion of our process. You can’t have velocity control on a pressure-limited portion of a process. So how effective is the speed setting, then?

If you are like most molders who are scheduling a mold in several different molding machines, it will be important to understand how each of those machines reacts to the second-stage speed setting. Just because 30 cm3/s works on machine #4 doesn’t mean that you will get the same response on machine #12. This could be due to different machine makes and models, ages of the machines, hydraulic vs. electric drive, you name it. There are too many things to list that could contribute to the difference.

Sony hasn’t previously spoken about how it did this, how many there are, or how large the symbols actually get, but we have those answers today — including behind-the-scenes photos and details from Sony’s Yujin Morisawa and Takeshi Igarashi, the chief designers behind the PS5 and the DualSense, respectively. (We even borrowed a fancy industrial microscope so you can see how the symbols look up close.)

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.

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.

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.

Sony’s PlayStation controller has arguably defined decades of gamepads, so it was no surprise when, for instance, Google’s Stadia Controller came with the same kind of stippled texture that Sony introduced with the DualShock 4 in 2013. But this time around, Sony’s microtexture isn’t just for your hands; the barely-there PlayStation symbols are part of the PS5 experience wherever you’d think to look. You’ll find them on both of the PS5 console’s side panels, on the inner lip. They adorn the grips of the PS5’s optional media remote, the DualSense charging station, the PS5 camera, and Sony’s Pulse 3D wireless headset, too.

About the Author: Shane Vandekerkhof joined RJG in 2003 as a member of the Customer Support team. He was soon qualified to conduct on-site training for RJG customers in the use of RJG’s software and equipment. After two years, Shane took on the role of business development for Europe where he was responsible for creating new accounts, supporting existing accounts, and working with sales representatives. Shane became one of RJG’s trainer/consultants in 2007, teaching RJG Systematic Molding and Master Molder courses. In 2018, Shane became the global education & training integrator, responsible for maintaining and implementing standard training and consulting practices across the globe.

In the PS3 era, Sony often felt arrogant, a little too sure fans would lap up whatever it had to offer — $599 consoles featuring giant enemy crabs, proprietary discs and memory sticks for its ambitious portables, a Smash Bros. competitor without enough beloved video game franchises to back it up — but PlayStation has not only earned loads of goodwill since then, it’s become more self-aware. If the company can stay that way throughout the PS5’s life cycle (and, you know, let people actually buy one), I have little doubt it’ll be a winner.

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

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

Ultimately, we are trying to produce the most repeatable parts in the fastest, most repeatable time, and the second-stage speed setting is an often-overlooked influence on the process. Knowing how your machines respond to this input is one more step toward being better than the next molder.

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

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

The trick is having the right equipment to make that mold to start. To create such precise shapes across an entire three-dimensional curved surface, meant to fit into your palms, lasers came in handy. Specifically, a high-end, multi-axis laser engraving machine that Igarashi says is “hard to come by.” The upshot? Because it’s part of the mold, the texture you’ll feel on the PS5’s controller is the same exact one every other owner will feel.

Another part: the 40,000 tiny PlayStation symbols you’ll feel when you pick up the PS5’s new gamepad. As an Easter egg for its fans, the company decided to apply a microtexture to the DualSense controller’s entire lower shell that makes it Sony’s most grippable gamepad yet because of the thousands upon thousands of tiny squares, triangles, circles, and crosses literally at your fingertips.

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).

You may also have machines that don’t have an input for second-stage velocity—many machines out there don’t. In this case, the molding machine will typically use the last fill-speed input on the machine controller. If that setting is slow, then the second-stage velocity will also be slow.

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.

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.

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

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.

Besides the second-stage speed setting, the size of the fill-only part can also contribute to the droop, or slow response. If the fill-only part is 60% full at transfer instead of 98%, then it will take more time for the cavity to fill out and pressurize. When conducting this type of study, we want to make sure that the parts are 98% full at transfer to eliminate that as a potential cause in the response. We want to make sure that we are measuring only the influence of the second-stage speed on the process.

Actually applying the symbols to the DualSense gamepad was the easy part — because they’re not applied at all. Each and every one of those 40,000 symbols is part of the controller’s shell, created when beads of molten ABS plastic are squeezed into tiny laser-cut crevices during the standard injection-molding process. The design is optimized to keep the symbols intact as they're popped out of the mold.

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

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

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

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.

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.

While designers could easily place the digital version of the texture wherever they wanted in Sony’s CAD programs, Morisawa says that physically comparing and testing different prototypes was key: “While it takes a considerable amount of time to create a prototype, the ‘go/no-go’ judgment of a product is determined the moment you see it and touch it,” he told us by email.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Below you will find a couple of graphs that represent the injection-pressure profile and the part weight correlated with seven different second-stage velocities, starting at 5 cm3/sec up to 35 cm3/sec moving in 5 cm3/sec increments. Setting speeds in volumetric units rather than linear units of mm/sec or in./sec has been available on machines sold in the last 10-15 years, and it has become more popular with molders because it translates speed profiles directly between machines with different screw sizes, etc.

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

By Sean Hollister, a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.

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.

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.

In Fig. 1, you will see that the slowest speed is represented in orange. It shows a large droop in the injection-pressure profile after transfer has been reached. The reason this occurs is that the cavity is short at transfer, and it takes time before the cavity completely fills and starts to pressurize. The resistance in the cavity is now pushing back on the screw, and the second-stage pressure setting is reached and stabilized. As the second-stage velocity, or “hold flow,” is increased, you will notice that the droop gets smaller and smaller, and the time it takes to reach the second-stage pressure setpoint gets shorter and shorter.

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

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.

And not just one sketch. Morisawa, the senior art director of Sony’s Design Center product design group, explains that a variety of designs were handcrafted, digitized, mocked up, applied to actual prototype gamepads, and tested over and over again until the teams found the balance they wanted: good-looking, textured enough to be comfortable and non-slip, but not so sandpaper-rough that it’d hurt your hands over a lengthy gaming session.

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.

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

A collaboration between show organizer PLASTICS, recycler CPR and size reduction experts WEIMA and Conair recovered and recycled all production scrap at NPE2024.

Determining the source of streaking or contamination in your molded parts is a critical step in perfecting your purging procedures ultimately saving you time and money.

In Fig. 2, part weight is plotted against the second-stage speed setting. You will notice that the part weight continues to rise until 30 cm3/sec is reached. You will also notice that at this time any additional second-stage speed has no influence on the part weight. This is the sweet spot for where the second-stage speed should be set—at a point where the final part weight is no longer influenced by the second-stage speed.

They even appear inside at least one game: Astro’s Playroom, the must-play PS5 pack-in, prominently uses the texture on a number of floors and walls. It makes sense. Not only is Astro a celebration of the company’s history in gaming, it’s chock-full of PlayStation Easter eggs, including a few that poke good-natured fun at Sony itself.

The molding machine will use the speed that is input into the machine controller only until the set second-stage pressure has been reached. Once your second-stage pressure is reached, you will notice that the screw slows down and may even eventually stop. We look at this velocity input as a matter of response time. The setting is telling the machine controller how fast you want to get to the second-stage pressure setting.

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

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

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

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

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.

Modifications to the common core pin can be a simple solution, but don’t expect all resins to behave the same. Gas assist is also worth a try.

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.

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.

When my colleague Andrew Webster reviewed the PlayStation 5, he explained how Sony’s next generation of video games is something you can’t see — you have to touch. Part of that is how the amazing DualSense controller’s clever motorized triggers and intensely precise vibrations can re-create the crunching sensation of strutting across a sandy beach or the pitter-patter of rain.

Addressing hot-runner benefits, improvements, and everyday issues from the perspective of decades of experience with probably every brand on the market. Part 1 of 2.

Implementing a production monitoring system as the foundation of a ‘smart factory’ is about integrating people with new technology as much as it is about integrating machines and computers. Here are tips from a company that has gone through the process.

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.

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.

Remember to think about what is happening to the plastic and to your parts during this time. This is one of the most influential phases of your process for setting the part dimensions. The slower the speed and response are, the slower you are packing out the parts, and therefore allowing the material to cool and solidify.

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

As an injection molder, you’re familiar with first-stage fill-speed profiles and second-stage pressure settings, but have you considered the function of second-stage speed, or “hold flow”? Here’s what it does and how it affects your molded part.

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.

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.