That app, called Scientific Molding, is available for Android and iOS systems. It features the ability to generate the six scientific molding graphs (viscosity study, cavity balance study, pressure drop study, cosmetic process window, gate seal study, and cooling study), and it can also perform molding calculations, including tonnage, estimated shot size, residence time, percent shot size used, hopper dryer sizes, water flow tables and calculations of process parameters on a new machine.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

CHECK, PLEASE is an Inverse series that uses biology, chemistry, and physics to debunk the biggest food myths and assumptions.

Eventually those deeper understandings and additions to the core guidelines became a full-fledged desktop software for Scientific Molding and Design of Experiments called Nautilus, as Kulkarni founded FIMMTECH (Frontier Injection Molding and Materials Technologies, San Diego, Calif.) in 2004. FIMMTECH’s stated goal: to help develop and standardize validation procedures, provide training and help processors improve the overall efficiency of their molding operations (the company recently opened a new training center replete with a molding machine and the company will be in Orlando for NPE2015).

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

Mold has all the hallmarks of a cute microorganism: it’s small, colorful, and fuzzy. But when you open your bag of sandwich bread to find that small splotches of the stuff have preemptively colonized your lunch, it’s anything but endearing.

Scientific Injection Molding gets the Android and iOS app treatment from an industry consultant who already created desktop software for the molding process.

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

“[Mold] growth is usually encouraged by warm and humid conditions,” says Feng. These mold spores “float through the air and they find suitable conditions — which food is very suitable with a lot of nutrients — where they can start and start their growth circle.”

Mold spots on food can sometimes be so small that it may seem easier to just cut them off and carry on eating the food than to discard an otherwise perfectly good treat.

Feng and Farber also say carefully inspecting your produce or bakery goods at the grocery store can go a long way toward not introducing new mold sources into your kitchen.

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.

“You couldn't tell unless you actually isolated that mold on a plate and then did a number of techniques to determine what that mycotoxin may be,” explains Farber.

Five industry pros with more than 200 years of combined molding experience provide step-by-step best practices on mounting a mold in a horizontal injection molding machine.

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

That said, not every mold is toxic or bad for you to eat — take the mold growing on blue cheese for example. But Feng warns that even if you don’t get sick from a mold, you may still have an allergic reaction to the spores — especially if you try to give it a good whiff.

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.

When it comes to passed-down wisdom on whether or not it’s safe to go full-steam ahead with your sandwich construction or fumigate your entire kitchen, there’s much confusion around how to safely eat — or discard — moldy food.

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.

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.

These microscopic fungi are not only figuratively stomach-turning — they can also be literally dangerous if consumed. But where do you draw the line? Is it really that bad to cut off the mold and eat the rest?

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.

“Having these tools on a mobile device, such as a phone, is invaluable since now molders do not need to carry their laptops or have sheets of papers,” Kulkarni says. “They can perform their studies, or look up information, on a device that they typically always have in their pockets – their phones.”

“If bread has mold growing on it I’d say discard it — the whole piece,” advises Feng. She even says that throwing out the entire bag of bread (which may have become a mold spore breeding ground) isn’t necessarily a bad choice either.

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.

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.

Jeffrey Farber is an adjunct professor of food science at the University of Guelph and has a Ph.D. in food microbiology. He tells Inverse emerging evidence suggests components of food like salt, sugar, and protein can be attractive building blocks for young mold spores looking to settle down. However, more research is needed to confirm exactly what the molds’ relationship is to these tasty chemicals, Faber says.

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

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

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

Performing fundamental maintenance inspections frequently assures press longevity and process stability. Here’s a checklist to help you stay on top of seven key systems.

These mold-grown toxins are called mycotoxins and encompass a family of toxins called aflatoxins that have been linked to liver cancer. Feng says that you can think of mycotoxins in comparison to poisonous snake venom, except its effects tend to have a longer timeline than most deadly venoms.

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.

“Once I started implementing the techniques,” Kulkarni says, “I realized their value. I also realized that there was a lot which was not understood about those techniques and so I started to come up with additions to what I had learned.”

However, you may be able to get away with this amputation-like approach with comparatively harder foods says Farber, like hard cheese or carrots. For these types of products, the USDA recommends, “Cut[ing] off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot.”

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.

Physically, you can think of the mold as having similar characteristics to a dandelion, Feng says. This means nearly invisible roots, a visible stalk that rises above the surface, and spores floating through the air; spreading their DNA.

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.

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.

Mold comes in many forms, ranging from the dangerous black mold that might haunt the damp corners of your house to small fuzzy patches of periwinkle blue that bloom on slices of bread. But at its core mold is part of the same biological kingdom as mushrooms, says Betty Feng, an associate professor of food science at Purdue University.

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.

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.

And while not all molds have mycotoxins, Farber says that’s it’s impossible to tell with the naked eye which do and which don’t.

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.

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.

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

It's tempting to simply cut the mold of your sandwich bread, but food microbiologists say that this isn't always safe and could lead to eating toxins.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

In 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

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 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.

Kulkarni says the initial feedback for the app has been “overwhelming and very positive.” The Android version was released first, followed soon after by an iOS edition for Apple users. Kulkarni says there will be updates as features are added, with a “final goal” of integrating the data from the desktop version to the mobile platform.

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.

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 negative effects of mycotoxins don’t occur through a single ingestion. Instead, those ill effects build up in the body over time, Bhunia says. So even if you feel fine after eating a moldy piece of food, the mycotoxins may still be building up in your body.

On the same day in 1995 that he started a new job, Suhas Kulkarni was formally introduced to the concept of Scientific Molding at a seminar hosted by Hewlett Packard and the former GE Plastics (now SABIC). A 1992 graduate of UMass Lowell’s plastics engineering program who began work as an injection molding process engineer in 1993, Kulkarni remembers reading about the concept prior to the seminar but not practicing it. That would soon change.

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.

Being surrounded by invisible mold spores at all times might sound daunting, but Feng, Bhunia, and Farber all agree that there are some simple and useful ways to mitigate this risk at home. These include:

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

“Molds are microscopic fungi,” Feng tells Inverse. “They are small but they can be found in virtually every environment. It can be detected both indoors and outdoors, year-round.”

Inverse spoke with three food scientists and microbiologists — Betty Feng, Arun Bhunia, and Jeffrey Farber — to get to the bottom of this moldy mystery.

When it comes to soft or wet foods — like sandwich bread, fruit, or cream cheese — Feng says that simply cutting off the moldy spot isn’t enough to prevent accidentally ingesting the mold. This is due in part to the fact that the mold’s invisible body may be burrowing its way through these types of foods.

We often only see the colorful, fuzzy part of a mold, but in reality, there’s an invisible root system burrowing in our food.

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

The main thing to be concerned about when it comes to ingesting mold is the potential toxins that may be hidden inside, explains Arun Bhunia, a professor of food microbiology at Purdue University

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

Mold spores are too small to see with the naked eye. But nonetheless, these spores are always floating through the air, Feng says.

Feng also says that moisture and humidity are prime conditions for mold growth, making our home kitchens a potential breeding ground.

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

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

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.

As desktop computers increasingly give way to tablets and mobile phones and traditional software transitions to apps, the continued evolution of Kulkarni’s original program was inevitable. “As users have started moving to mobile platforms, it was only a matter of time and a logical next step to build the app,” Kulkarni says.