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Secondary Injection Unit Provides Primary Benefits for Molder - plastic injectio

Author：gly Date: 2024-09-30

To give everyone the benefit of the doubt, we can select the low end of the published range — 100oC for the nylon 66 and 90oC for the nylon 12. Additional caution can be employed by assuming the warehouse temperature (in Nebraska) averaged 30oC (86oF) year-round. This assumption also makes the math simpler. Now, consider that for the nylon 12, a difference of 60oC (140oF) between 90oC and 30oC would slow down the rate of oxidation by a factor of 26 (64).

He adds, “We are also using simulation for troubleshooting on the shop floor. One of our very skilled but skeptical technicians initially resisted it, but now has asked for help from our design team to apply simulation to solve a processing challenge. That’s an encouraging sign. We’re still a long way from using simulation to its full potential. But the results we have achieved so far outweigh the costs.”

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

AIP’s most adventurous exploration of new technology—since its initial decision to dive into multi-layer coextrusion—is its involvement with computer-aided blow molding simulation. Analogous to the flow-analysis software that has revolutionized injection molding, blow molding simulation is at an earlier point in development and little known to the vast majority of blow molders.

To these three, Mick Stielow, AIP’s director of sales and marketing, would add a fourth essential element: “What makes us competitive? It’s our people, from the design and engineering staff to our machine setup and processing technicians, and their legacy of understanding all about blow molding. A significant number of our employees have 25 to 30 years’ experience.”

TAKING A LEAP INTO COEXTRUSION AIP operates out of a 340,000-ft2 plant, expanded in 2015 by 105,000-ft2. The firm has 195 employees, making it one of the biggest employers in a community of 9500. The plant houses 20 accumulator-head blow molders from 5 to 100 lb shot capacity, two of them in the 70-100 lb range. But about half of the company’s revenue—in the $40-50 million ballpark—is generated by six continuous-coextrusion machines for multi-layer fuel tanks. A seventh coex machine is on order and due to arrive this summer.

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.

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.

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

“We’ve developed a reputation for taking on difficult projects that other custom molders have not been able to support—larger parts with complex shapes and parting lines.” AIP’s machines can make parts weighing over 80 lb and measuring up 44 in. wide x 120 in. long. “And our design knowledge is a big edge because blow molding is still unfamiliar to many industrial designers out there.”

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.

AIP makes considerable use of robotics, in applications both inside the molding machine—for parison transfer, insert loading, and demolding—and outside the machine in the finishing/assembly area for trimming and hot-plate welding. Several presses use simple linear robots to transfer parts out of the mold area, which can be high up and/or difficult to access on some machines. The multi-layer coex machines use six-axis articulated robots to grab the parison and transfer it from the extrusion die head to the mold clamp. It’s more efficient than a shuttling press, Ward explains.

Other six-axis robots are used for automated trimming, drilling, and welding. These units are mounted on a base with a part-fixturing platform, and can be moved to different machines with a forklift.

In fact, most of AIP’s machines come from Kautex, except for a few older units that were bought used at the launch of the business in 1978.

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

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

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.

BlowView models the thickness of the parison during extrusion and the finished part after blowing. It takes into consideration parison sag and swell. “It gives us a warning—or confirms our intuition—that there is going to be a thin corner,” says Ward. “It helps quantify potential issues—we know it’s going to be thin, but how thin? Through repeated iterations, we can determine how thick we have to be over here in order to meet minimum thickness requirements over there.” “It really helps us communicate with designers,” adds Stielow. “It helps validate our recommendations when the customer resists making changes. We now can demonstrate how shifting a parting line or increasing a localized radius can improve overall wall-thickness distribution—and increase the usable liquid capacity of the tank.”

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

A few weeks ago, a longtime colleague emailed me with a question about the shelf life of two nylon materials. One was a 30% carbon fiber-reinforced nylon 66, while the other was a 20% glass fiber-reinforced nylon 12. My colleague’s company had inherited these materials along with the associated molds and their customer had no need for additional molded parts until two years after the jobs had been transferred.

Multiplying this factor by the reference time of 20,000 hours would give an expected lifetime for the material at room temperature of 1,280,000 hours (a little over 146 years). Even if we dial back the acceleration factor to a level lower than anything we have ever observed, 1.5 for example (to account for what are called cage effects), we still end up with a projected room-temperature lifetime of 26 years. Because the lowest projected continuous use temperature for the nylon 66 is 10oC higher, all these projections would increase by 1.5 to two times, to yield a result of approximately 40-50 years.

AIP tried using a laminar blend of HDPE with DuPont Performance Materials Selar PA amorphous nylon additive but wasn’t satisfied with the results. AIP also considered fluorination and sulfonation before settling on coextrusion as the most promising solution. It was an expensive way to go. Each coex machine costs $3-5 million. “A publicly traded company couldn’t have made the business case for such an investment,” says Ward. “We ordered the first coex machine in 2004. The lead time was long—it arrived in 2006 and went into production in 2007. So it was three years before that machine made a dime.”

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

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).

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

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.

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.

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

This is an exponential relationship, so a rise of 20oC will increase the reaction rate by a factor of 4 (22), a 30oC increase quickens the process by a factor of 8 (23) and so on. We know from studies that the base acceleration rate per 10oC increase is not always exactly 2. It has been observed to be as low as 1.8 and as high as 2.5, but using the generic value of 2 enables a reasonable estimate of how a material will survive exposure to elevated temperatures.

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

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.

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

The customer was now expressing concern that the raw materials, which were still in their original packaging and had been stored in an indoor warehouse during this time, had expired and that their properties would have been compromised. An appeal to the material supplier brought only a statement saying they would stand behind the material if it was less than a year old.

HDPE accounts for 90% of AIP’s material consumption, though it also molds a few parts in PP, ABS, PC, nylon, and Eastman Chemical Co.'s Tritan copolyester. The firm does “quite a bit” of insert molding, Ward notes, including metal fasteners and injection molded components such as fuel-tank fill necks, vent barbs, and mounting tabs. “A few OEMs were initially skeptical about whether overmolding inserts would work with multi-layer blow molding, but we proved this out from the very beginning.” In some cases, plastic components are hot-plate welded onto the tanks instead of overmolded.

Ward notes that AIP engineers can enter parameters into the software and get good correlation with real-world results. “The ideal state would be where the software can tell us what machine parameters to use in production—that could save us a lot of time in setup.” How good are the software’s predictions? AIP measured the actual thickness at 22 locations on a particularly complex-shaped fuel tank that ranged in nominal thickness from 2 to 6 mm. Comparison of the predicted and actual thicknesses ranged from ±0.0 to ±0.6 mm. Sixteen of the 22 measurements were within ±0.2 mm, which was both the mean and median of the differences between predicted and actual thicknesses. “That’s close enough,” Ward allows. “We can get that much in shot-to-shot variations.”

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 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

AIP uses six-axis robots for transferring parisons from die head to mold clamp and for automated trimming, hole drilling, and hot-plate welding.

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

Coverage of single-use plastics can be both misleading and demoralizing. Here are 10 tips for changing the perception of the plastics industry at your company and in your community.

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.

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

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

For the last three years, AIP has been a member of a consortium, the Special Interest Group in Blow Molding (SIGBLOW), formed by the National Research Council Canada (NRC), Ottawa, Ont. Members of SIGBLOW have access to proprietary blow molding simulation software, called BlowView, which is not available on the commercial market. There are currently 14 members of the consortium, which puts this small custom molder in company with the likes of Ford Motor Co., TI Automotive, Plastic Omnium, IAC Group North America, ABC Group-Saflex Polymers Ltd., Kautex North America, Graham Packaging Co., Amcor PET Packaging, and The Coca-Cola Company.

The BlowView consortium is continuing to research and refine the software in several directions. One is shrink/warp prediction. “I’m very excited by this,” enthuses Ward. “Variable wall thickness is inevitable in blow molding, and with that comes warpage. We’ve seen parts that met all key dimensions but didn’t fit in the final assembly due to warpage. If you can predict even the right direction of warpage, that’s half the battle. It can save a lot in geometry and tooling revision costs.” The software has not been developed for cooling analysis yet, but Ward says some in the consortium would like to see R&D in that direction.

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

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

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

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

Coverage of single-use plastics can be both misleading and demoralizing. Here are 10 tips for changing the perception of the plastics industry at your company and in your community.

Of course, these questions can be readily answered by performing tests on the “old” material and a newly minted lot. Molecular weight determinations can be a good place to begin, and as a follow-up, specimens can be molded from the two lots and the mechanical properties can be compared. But, based on the logic we have gone through above, it would be expected that the material that has been sitting on the warehouse shelf for two years will be perfectly serviceable.

Geoff Ward with one of the new IQMS data-entry stations at every press, which record variables like cycle time and scrap rate in real time. “We’re learning a new way to run the business,” Ward says.

COMPETING WITH TECHNOLOGY “Fuel tanks are a big growth niche for us, due to our blow molding expertise and because owenrship has been willing to invest,” says Stielow. And invest they did. All six of AIP’s coex machines, and the one on order, are supplied by Kautex Machines, Inc., North Branch, N.J. “These are state-of-the- art machines,” Stielow notes. “There are lower-cost multi-layer machines available, but none of them come close to matching Kautex machines for process control, consistency, and reliability.”

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.

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.

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.

“We were the first custom molder to order a coex machine for nonautomotive fuel-tank production,” says Ward. “We never envisioned what it would become today.”

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.

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.

Another new addition at AIP is an ERP system from IQMS, Paso Robles, Calif. AIP went live with the system in December 2016. “There are growing pains with any new ERP system,” admits Ward, “but the amount of data we can generate now is remarkable. We’re learning a different way to run the business.” A data-entry terminal is now located at every molding press. “It allows us to monitor what’s happening in real time— production efficiencies, cycle times, and scrap rates.”

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.

AIP’s evolution to become the leading producer of nonautomotive fuel tanks started in 2004, when the U.S. EPA first issued fuel-vapor emission standards affecting the power-sports industry. At the time, AIP made monolayer HDPE tanks. “We asked ourselves how we were going to meet the new requirements. We talked with our customers about their plans to meet the evolving standards. Either we would stay in fuel tanks and figure out a solution, or get out,” recalls Ward.

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.

What enables a relatively small, family-owned custom molder to dominate industry heavy- weights like Kautex Textron, ABC Group Fuel Systems (now YAPP USA Automotive Systems), and Walbro in the specialty niche of nonautomotive barrier fuel tanks? A look at the history of Agri-Industrial Plastics Co. (AIP) in Fairfield, Iowa, suggests three key ingredients of success:

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.

Is there a way to establish an expected shelf life for a material based on published data? In the case of these two materials sitting in my colleague’s warehouse, the answer was yes. The data sheets for both materials published something referred to as a continuous use temperature. This can be a rather loosely defined metric, but it does provide a point of reference for creating an expectation of longevity.

There is a myth in our industry that nylon exposed to the air becomes “saturated” and will never dry. But saturation comes from immersion in water and results in moisture content levels of 8.5-9% in nylon 6 and 66. Studies have shown that nylon 66 exposed to typical ambient conditions absorbs approximately 2.2-2.5% moisture by weight of polymer and with some patience and time that moisture is removable. Nevertheless, it is true that once out of the original package, nylon can become more challenging to process.

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.

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

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.

Stielow says AIP has fewer than half a dozen direct competitors in coex fuel tanks, plus a handful of firms using fluorination or barrier additives such as nanoclays. “We’re unique in offering both multi-layer coextrusion and monolayer non-tank production capacity,” says Stielow. “That works for us because our OEM fuel-tank customers also need monolayer coolant tanks, air ducts, ORV doors, tailgates, etc.”

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.

So here is the question for material suppliers: If their own published data suggests that parts molded from these materials could last for a quarter to half a century at room temperature, what is it that makes the pellets from which we will produce these parts so fragile that their integrity would be called into question after 12 months? There is an obvious problem in logic here. A cynical person might conclude that this discussion about shelf life, at least in this case, is a disingenuous playing of a “get out of jail free” card.

For the nylon 66, the continuous use temperature, as determined by ISO 2578, was given as 100-120oC (212-248oF). For the nylon 12, the published range was 90-120oC (194-248oF). The question then becomes, what time period is referred to by the term “continuous?” Often this refers to a period of 5,000 hours. But, in discussing this property with the material supplier, they offered that continuous in this case referred to 20,000 hours.

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.

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

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

Operating within guidelines from material suppliers can produce levels of polymer degradation. Get around it with better control over either the temperature of the melt or the barrel residence time.

Adds Geoffrey Ward, director of engineering, “We have setup technicians that I would put up against any in the industry. Our guys like to prove that they’re the ones who can make a difficult part work. The automotive guys can’t believe the tanks we’re doing. Some of the crazy shapes we’ve validated appear to violate every rule of blow molding.

Baystar's Borstar technology is helping customers deliver better, more reliable production methods to greenhouse agriculture.

This family-owned custom molder stands out in its use of advanced computer and automation tools to claim a niche in large, complex, and multi-layer parts.

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

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.

But moisture absorption and removal is a reversible process. Ostensibly, shelf-life concerns would pertain to nonreversible mechanisms. Among these would be loss of volatile constituents such as plasticizers. The principal concern, however, is oxidation. All polymers are susceptible to oxidation to some degree. This will depend upon the chemistry of the polymer and the level of stabilization provided against the mechanism. We understand that the rate of oxidation increases with rising temperature, and a useful rule of thumb that governs this relationship between time and temperature states that with every increase of 10oC the reaction rate doubles, thus reducing the expected life of the material by 50%.

While the issue of shelf life appears to have no merit in this particular case, there are instances where it can be a concern. This is a combination of the material in question and some questionable practices in storing the materials. We will address these in our next segment.

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

AIP can mold larger parts than most custom molders, like this HDPE playground slide, which weighs 50-60 lb and measures 10 x 2 ft.

AIP is using simulation more and more, on about half of its new jobs, mainly the more complex parts. “We can see where the parison will touch the mold first,” says Ward. “That helps us troubleshoot needle location on very large parts, and optimize that location if we have flexibility.”

New system automatically cleans mold-cooling lines—including conformal channels—removing rust and calcium, among other deposits, while simultaneously testing for leaks, measuring flow rate and applying rust inhibitor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael Sepe is an independent materials and processing consultant based in Sedona, Arizona, with clients throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has more than 45 years of experience in the plastics industry and assists clients with material selection, designing for manufacturability, process optimization, troubleshooting and failure analysis. Contact: 928-203-0408 • mike@thematerialanalyst.com

In addition, AIP installed early this year its first “collaborative” robot, a UR10 model from Universal Robots USA, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., designed to work safely alongside humans without needing to be caged in with guarding. “We use it for insert loading in high-volume applications,” Ward notes. One advantage of this type of robot (or “cobot”) is that it uses lead-through teach programming to make setup for new jobs faster and simpler.

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.

Fuel tanks became half of AIP’s business and will grow to 55-60% this year. Ward estimates that 80% of the tanks it molds are multi- layer and 20% are monolayer diesel-fuel tanks, which require no barrier. AIP also molds a couple of monolayer HDPE tanks that are sent to an outside vendor for fluorination treatment. Ward thinks fluorination could have a limited future as a barrier solution in fuel tanks. He explains, “California is talking about making big changes in regulations—tightening requirements for certification, which will require greater consistency of barrier performance. Our data show fluorination is much less consistent than a coextruded barrier. California’s changes— including possible lower emission limits later on—could squeeze out fluorination.”

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.

“Like most new technologies, there is a learning curve to get everyone comfortable using and programming it,” Ward reports. “It works well in select applications. We’re still evaluating applying this option where it makes sense.”

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 company was started in 1978 with one used machine and four employees. The founder, Richard “Dick” Smith, had been in blow molding since the 1960s. He’s company chairman today, and still actively involved. His daughter, Lori Schaefer-Weaton, took over the reins as president in 2015. She had worked part-time in the plant during her high-school years, went on to earn a finance degree, and worked in the Chicago area before returning to Fairfield in 2004 to learn the ropes in the family business.

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

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.

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

Is a two-year-old hygroscopic resin kept in its original packaging still useful? Let’s try to answer that question and clear up some misconceptions.

AIP’s two biggest markets for tanks and other blow molded products are outdoor power equipment (~40%) and power sports (~30%). The latter includes ATVs, UTVs, snow-mobiles, golf carts, and marine applications. The remaining 30% or so is made up of other sporting goods, heavy trucks, agricultural and construction equipment, traffic safety, defense, furniture, medical, and industrial.

AIP specializes in nonautomotive coex barrier fuel tanks with complex shapes, like these two examples for riding lawnmowers.

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.

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

Baystar's Borstar technology is helping customers deliver better, more reliable production methods to greenhouse agriculture.

As an injection molder, Windmill Plastics sought an economical production monitoring system that could help it keep tabs on its shop floor. It’s now selling the “very focused” digital supervisor it created, automating many formerly manual tasks.

AIP has six (soon to be seven) Kautex coex machines for barrier gas tanks, plus 18 Kautex monolayer machines for other products.

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 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

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.

AIP has nine CAD seats for part and mold design, and one seat for BlowView simulation. In addition, it has a small 3D printer to enable customers to visualize particular features of large parts at the design or prototype stage. AIP’s quality lab has a laser scanner, which Ward says is a lot faster than a touch-probe CMM to get a full 3D profile of a molded part.

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

This raises a common conversation in the industry regarding the longevity of raw materials if they are kept in storage for an extended period of time, and there are multiple factors that need to be considered. First, is the material in its original packaging and has that packaging been breached in any way? Has it been been punctured with a forklift, or have stacked gaylords collapsed into one another? This will introduce at least the possibility of contamination. In this case, the potential problems are more significant because these are nylons, which are very hygroscopic materials that can absorb significant amounts of moisture from the atmosphere over time.

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.

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.

AIP director of sales & marketing Mick Stielow (right) and director of engineering Geoff Ward show off one of their large, multi-layer gas tanks and the computer simulation software that helps make such challenging parts possible.

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