The new Airtect Plastic Leak Detection System from PCS Co. is designed to provide 24/7 protection of injection molding machine nozzles and manifold systems, reducing downtime and costly repairs.

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.

The open design of the three-blade cutting rotor makes the G-Max XL ideal for grinding heat-sensitive materials that still retain heat from processing, according to Wittmann. Open spaces between the blades and rotor shaft ensure ventilation, and the knives can be easily changed. The rotating and fixed blades, which are angled in opposite directions, ensure a clean scissor cut.

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.

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 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.

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.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its 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 major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

Uniloy is revising its machinery lines across the board and strengthening after-sales services in tooling maintenance, spare parts and tech service.

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.

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

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.

No tools are required to access the cutting chamber or the screen fixture, which also facilitates cleaning and maintenance operations. Even material and color changes can be carried out very quickly, further increasing productivity.

The integrated pull-push mechanism moves dies on and off the press bed via the roller rails. A safety device ensures that loads can only be moved when the RWS die changing table is firmly attached to the press or storage space.

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.

A new rail-guided die changing table for transporting heavy dies and molds is available in three versions for loads up to 15, 25, or 40 tonnes per die. The electric RWS system from Roemheld is equipped with two different pull-push mechanisms for the safe, automatic transport of dies to set-up presses. It is compatible with most machines.

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.

Wittmann’s new beside-the-press blade granulator is suited for grinding large injection molded parts up to 500 x 200 mm (19.7 x 7.9 in.) in size.

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.

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

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

Because of its compact footprint, performance, and maximum material throughput of 100 kg per hour, the G-Max XL can be used as a beside-the-press granulator for inline recycling of sprues and reject parts during machine startup. It can also be used as a central granulator.

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

New T-Flow HRS control units from Oerlikon HRSflow increase the precision and reliability of temperature control in hot-runner injection molding. Modular in design, three models are configurable to multiples of six zones.

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.

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

A standardized base plate accepts dies of various sizes, and the integrated control system enables semi- and fully automatic die changes and precise positioning to within ±0.3 mm.

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.

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

Designed to fit into small, crowded cavity and core inserts, the pins are manufactured with hardened M-2 steel and are available in diameters from 0.060 to 0.320 in. and in 2.5- and 5.5- in. lengths. Cut-to-length and custom options are also available.

T-Flow HRS precisely controls the nozzle temperatures, allowing universal use, even in demanding high-performance applications with compact nozzles. Several heating options are available, and different recipes can be saved, stored, compared, and quickly called up.

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

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

The starter kit comes with a small controller, an air regulator, silicone tubing, stainless-steel tubing, and polyurethane tubing. Users can build onto the starter kit with additional accessories that make it possible to perform full hot-runner manifold leak detection.

The die changing table travels on floor-level round rails, with a rolling resistance so low that up to five-ton loads can be moved manually by one person. In addition, the rails are designed to facilitate precise carriage guidance and to prevent dirt deposits and tripping hazards in the floor.

Dry ice blasting technology supplier Cold Jet has successfully sold two systems on display at the show. Sheet extruder Spartech, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, purchased the PCS 60 system on display for extrusion die cleaning and The Mosack Group purchased the Microclean system for mold cleaning. All week during the show, Sodicak has been using its technology to clean a mold running in the Sodick Plustech booth. Source: Cold Jet

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.

The system sends tiny volumes of low-pressure air through robust stainless-steel sensor tubes to quickly detect most leaks thanks to a self-teaching algorithm, said PCS.

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

“The Airtect Plastic Leak Detection System is an essential tool that can be installed directly onto the injection molding machine nozzle or hot runner manifold system," said PCS VP of sales Derrick Jones. “It quickly alerts users of leaks in the form of an alarm and/or the suspension of production, enabling faster operator response and repair. The system can be adapted to any hot runner system, either new or retrofit.”

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

From nozzle leak-detection systems to precision-ground ejector pins, these recently introduced products promise to save injection molders time and money.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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

The combination of integrated touchscreen, clear text display, smart navigation, and guided operation results in a particularly user-friendly concept without the need for instruction or prior knowledge, according to Oerlikon HRSflow. Recipes and test reports can be installed and transferred quickly and efficiently via the integrated USB port. Data is exchanged with the injection molding machine via the OPC UA interface in accordance with the new Euromap 82.2 standard protocol for hot-runner controllers. The integrated VNC server also enables convenient operation via notebook, tablet, or smartphone.

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.

As more plastics manufacturers step into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, insights have emerged about how best to approach the digital transformation journey.

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

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).

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

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

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.

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 RWS system, for example, can help car manufacturers integrate numerous individual parts into increasingly large castings, which are processed with heavier dies in larger presses and punches.

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.

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.

Unlike stamping punches, which are sometimes used as core pins in molds, the heads of TI pins are precision ground to mold tolerances. Also, rather than beginning with a fractional-diameter core pin, step grinding can be eliminated with mold inserts fabricated to the molded part diameter via wire electrical discharge machining. The TI pins only need to be cut to the finished length.

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

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.