Stratasys Ltd., a manufacturer of 3D printers and materials for personal use, prototyping and production, today announced that Robert Seuffer, GmbH & Co. KG (Seuffer), a German supplier of parts for household appliances  and commercial vehicles, has incorporated Stratasys 3D printing in its manufacturing process to significantly reduce the time and cost of producing injection molded sample parts.

Within the last two years, Singapore’s Tobe Packaging aimed to develop an all-PE multilayer film structure for food packaging that would not fall short in offering the same kind of protective barrier of multimaterial food packaging, and would be much easier to recycle.

Tobe Packaging is initially using Ecolefin for frozen food, chilled food and vacuum packaging, but is aiming to “tweak the material’s formula” to better suite different products such as easy-to-open snack packaging.

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.

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

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

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

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.

"Companies worldwide are looking to introduce significant efficiencies to their manufacturing processes when introducing new products, and are discovering the many benefits of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing,"  said  Andy Middleton, General Manager, Stratasys EMEA at Stratasys. "More and more manufacturers are adopting 3D printed tools as a complimentary injection molding solution - not only to cost-effectively test products before mass production, but also to produce customized parts."

Plastics processors are finding applications for 3D printing around the plant and across the supply chain. Here are 8 examples to look for at NPE2024.

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

Tobe, which has now expanded its products and services beyond Southern Asia to places like Sri Lanka, currently has blown film extruders, printing machines, lamination machines, slitting and bag making machines. Before the end of 2023, the company will be installing two new machines: a printing machine which can operate using water-based ink (as it is more environmentally friendly) and a new coating machine.

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.

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.

Using Stratasys 3D printing technology, Seuffer also produces 3D printed molds for its hot melt process. These molds, which are used to overmold low melting point polyamide over electronic circuit boards, are created with Stratasys' rigid, opaque Vero materials.

You can better visualize the melting process by “flipping” the observation point so the barrel appears to be turning clockwise around a stationary screw.

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

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.

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

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.

Compression ratios have been pretty much standardized over the years, based on what has typically worked before. But there are quite a few variables that must be considered in order to get the optimum performance from your screw.

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

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.

Says Lim, “Exceed S is a major part in the Ecolefin solution, which provides balanced stiffness and toughness of full PE-laminated structure. Aside from Exceed S, we also utilize the Exceed series mLLDPE  to enhance the film sealing performance and the Enable series mLLDPE to improve the film stiffness.”

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

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.

Exceed S mLLDPE is a major part of the Ecolefin all-PE structure as is Aegis’s OX2 barrier coating. Photo Credit: ExxonMobil Chemical and Tobe Packaging

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

"Working with the automotive industry, sample parts need to be tested in the environment of moving mechanical parts as well as in high temperature environments," explained Andreas Buchholz, Head of Research and Development at Seuffer. "With Stratasys 3D printing, we can design first drafts of the injection mold within a few days and 3D print them in less than 24 hours for part evaluation. Traditionally, it would take eight weeks to manufacture the tool in metal using the conventional CNC process.  And while the conventional tool costs us about 40,000 euros, the 3D printed tool is less than 1000 euros, a saving of 97%."

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.

Tobe Packaging’s breakthrough was to create its Ecolefin PE multilayer film that could be applied with a specialized barrier coating.

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

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).

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.

The blown film sector now benefits from a tailored solution developed by Chem-Trend to preserve integrity of the bubble.

Tobe is also aiming to design other packaging options, including stand-up pouches, and to “tweak the material’s formula” to better suit different products, such as snack packaging that is easier to open. As it moves ahead with Ecolefin, the company is exploring how to further its sustainability efforts and bottom line, including the recycling of food packaging into products such as trash bags, by working with supermarkets and third-party collectors.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ecolefin is said to be well suited for frozen food, chilled food and rice packaging. Ecolefin is used to replace the incumbent multilayer laminated structure, particularly nylon and PE laminated film — more specifically, nylon 6 used as a barrier and LDPE used as sealant. The O2X barrier coating developed by Aegis is applied on the film, and Tobe has invested in its own specialized coating machine which will be commissioned by fourth quarter 2023.

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.

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.

Founded in 1987 as a manufacturer of custom PE and PP bags, Tobe branched into flexible packaging in the late ’90s adding more variety of packaging pouches and multilayer packaging for food (including pet food) as well as nonfood packaging such as medical, semiconductor and hygiene products.

The injection molding process is used by manufacturers all over the world to produce parts in a variety of materials, most commonly thermoplastics. Prototype parts are required to evaluate the part design for performance and fit before mass production. The ability to dramatically streamline the tool creation process for producing these prototype parts is another concrete example of how Stratasys 3D printing is revolutionizing manufacturing.

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.

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

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

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.

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 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

The film processor’s breakthrough was an all-PE structure to which a specialized barrier coating can be applied. In August 2022, the company’s Ecolefin was certified as 97% recyclable by Germany-based Institute cyclos-HTP, one of Europe’s leading and recognized organizations for recyclability testing and certification. A month later, when Tobe launched Ecolefin at the international FHA-Food & Beverage Exhibition, interest was sparked from multinational food companies from the United States, South Korea, Switzerland, Spain and Australia.

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.

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

Ecolefin’s oxygen barrier is about eight times better than that of the previous film structures. This translates to longer shelf life for food packaged in Ecolefin. Tobe is currently using a third party laboratory to conduct tests to determine how long the material can prolong the shelf life of different food products.

Companies worldwide are looking to introduce significant efficiencies to their manufacturing processes when introducing new products, and are discovering the many benefits of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.

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.

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.

Driven by brand owner demands and new worldwide legislation, the entire supply chain is working toward the shift to circularity, with some evidence the circular economy has already begun.

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.

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

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

According to Lim, Ecolefin is 10% to 15% higher in cost than nylon 6/LDPE alternative. However, considering the sustainability advantage it offers, Ecolefin presents the opportunity to achieve multiple benefits. With its ability to be sealed at lower temperature, customers can save on electricity consumption and contribute to reducing their carbon footprint. In addition, its monomaterial composition facilitates convenient recycling, further enhancing its eco-friendly attributes.

All this is thanks to its close collaborations with ExxonMobil Chemical, and its specialized PE film resins, most notably its new Exceed S mLLDPE, and Singapore’s Aegis Packaging, which developed and supplied a specialized O2X barrier coating. The development was headed by Tobe packaging director Lim Zie Hui, whose father established packaging business Lension in 1976, and acquired Tobe in 2019.

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.

Systems include affordable desktop 3D printers for idea development, a range of systems for prototyping, and large production systems for direct digital manufacturing. The company’s range of over 130 3D printing materials is the widest in the industry and includes over 120 proprietary inkjet-based photopolymer materials and 10 proprietary FDM-based thermoplastic materials.

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.

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

Stratasys Ltd. is the corporate entity formed in 2012 by the merger of 3D printing companies Stratasys Inc. and Objet Ltd., based in Minneapolis, Minn. and Rehovot, Israel. The company manufactures 3D printers and materials for prototyping and production. Prior to merging, the two companies’ revenues totaled $277 million for 2011. Its patented FDM® and Objet inkjet-based processes produce prototypes or manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content.

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