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

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.

As the polymer cools in the mold, the reverse process takes place. The molten material entering the mold begins to build modulus rapidly as it cools through this temperature interval. The layers of flowing material that are in direct contact with the mold will undergo this change at the most rapid rate. Interior layers will cool more slowly, due to their distance from the cavity and core surfaces and the fact that polymers are relatively poor conductors of heat. The temperature of the mold surface will influence the rate of heat transfer, and this will be most noticeable on the part surface. But it is a given that the temperature of the mold must be set below the glass-transition temperature of an amorphous polymer to ensure that the material “sets up.”

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mike Sepe is an independent, global materials and processing consultant whose company, Michael P. Sepe, LLC, is based in Sedona, Ariz. He has more than 40 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

This graph shows the PVT relationship between pressure, temperature, and volumetric change in the polymer. Notice that as the pressure applied to the polymer increases, the glass-transition temperature also increases.

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.

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

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

As we illustrated in last month’s column, amorphous polymers and semi-crystalline polymers exhibit differences in temperature-dependent behavior. The big event in the thermal history of an amorphous polymer is the glass transition. If the temperature of an amorphous polymer is increased from room temperature, eventually enough energy is imparted to the material to create independent motion along significant lengths of the individual polymer chains that make up the material. When this occurs, the elastic modulus of the polymer declines rapidly. The plot for PC provided in Fig. 1 shows this event occurring between approximately 140 and 160 C (284 and 320 F). Over this relatively narrow temperature range, the modulus of the material declines by approximately 99%.

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).

To provide for a useful treatment of this topic, the wall thickness of the part must be considered, since this will influence factors such as the rate of heat transfer through the part from the center to exterior surface and from the exterior surface to the mold wall. This, in turn, will influence the actual temperature of the polymer that is supposed to be captured in the term for the ejection temperature (TE). The focus of this article is to obtain an understanding of the how the modulus of a polymer increases as it cools in the mold.

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

Amorphous polymers and semi-crystalline polymers exhibit differences in temperature-dependent behavior. Here, the elastic modulus of PC, an amorphous material, declines between approximately 140 and 160 C.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

What temperature must the polymer reach so the part can be ejected from the mold? Here, more than for any other variable, ‘rules of thumb’ unfortunately prevail.

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

Understanding cooling—how a given material develops modulus as it solidifies—requires access to data that provides some insight into the relationship between modulus and temperature. Dynamic mechanical analysis is a helpful tool.

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.

In the last two columns (June and August), we have been discussing the general rules used to calculate cycle times for injection molded parts, with a particular emphasis on how we determine the temperature of the polymer that will allow for ejection of the part without deformation during demolding or subsequent distortion of the part as it cools to room temperature. Many tools reference either the deflection temperature under load (DTUL) or some percentage of that value. A wider survey of literature on the topic even uncovered a reference to the Vicat softening temperature when molding amor- phous polymers, a value that is somewhat higher than the DTUL.

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

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

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

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 other factor that is not considered in the discussion about cycle time is the effect of pressure on the relationship between volume and temperature. Figure 2 shows a PVT diagram for an amorphous polymer. This shows the relationship between pressure, temperature, and the volumetric change in the polymer. The sudden change in the slope of the specific-volume plots represents the glass transition. Notice that as the pressure applied to the polymer increases, the glass-transition temperature also increases. So, the pressures used during the pack-and-hold phase of the injection process can actually influence the temperature at which this very important transition occurs. Higher pressures should result in a higher glass-transition temperature and therefore an earlier attainment of an ejectable modulus.

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

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.

To return for a moment to the point that all sciences treat temperature using an absolute scale, if this 80% value were calculated properly, the value of 135 C would first be converted to 408 K. Taking 80% of this value would give us 326.4 K or a little over 53 C (127 F). This puts us at a somewhat different point on the scale. However, for PC it makes little difference in terms of the modulus of the polymer. This is part of the problem we have as an industry when we espouse these imprecise rules. We are looking at the wrong axis. The vertical axis that plots modulus is the one we need to pay attention to, not the temperature scale. The effect of temperature on mechanical properties is not linear.

An aspect of the heat-removal equation that is often neglected is the amount of energy we impart to the material in the barrel.

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

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.

Another aspect of the heat-removal equation that is often neglected is the amount of energy we impart to the material in the barrel. The person running the cold mold was running a melt temperature of 321 C (610 F). I opted for a much lower melt temperature of 260 C (500 F) and took advantage of a frozen layer that developed much more slowly at the higher mold temperature, allowing the mold to fill with the cooler melt. Two years after the molding date, the parts produced in the cold mold with the hot melt began to spontaneously develop stress cracks that continued to grow larger and more numerous, while the parts produced with the opposite set of conditions continued to perform well.

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.

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.

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.

The benchmark temperatures that we have been talking about—the Vicat softening temperature and the HDT (or DTUL)—at the two most commonly used stresses of 66 and 264 psi are shown on the modulus curve for the PC. It should be obvious that at the Vicat softening temperature there is little chance that the material will achieve an ejectable modulus. But by the time we reach the HDT values the modulus of the material is approximately 75-80% of what it will be when the material cools to room temperature. Assuming that the innermost layers of the part have reached this temperature, the part has nearly all of the properties it will have when it has cooled completely. One has to wonder then about the previously cited “rule” that the material should be at a temperature that is 80% of its HDT. If we use 135 C (275 F) as our HDT, which is the midpoint between the two values that appear in the graph, and then calculate this 80% value (ignoring for a moment the proper protocol of doing so on the absolute or Kelvin scale, discussed last month), we obtain a value of 108 C (226 F). Over the interval between 135 C and 108 C the modulus has barely changed. So, what is it that we are waiting for?

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

Learn everything there is to know about desktop injection molding for plastics and which machine will best suit your needs.

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.

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.

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 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

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 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

An examination of Fig. 1 should make it quite evident that the rules for semi-crystalline polymers are different. In our next installment, we will examine these materials.

To properly calculate cycle time, you need to understand how the modulus of a polymer increases as it cools in the mold.

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.

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.

A general lack of understanding of the relationship between modulus and temperature leads to some poor practices when process conditions are established.

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

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.

This general lack of understanding of the relationship between modulus and temperature leads to some poor practices when process conditions are established. The recommended mold-temperature range for this polycarbonate is 70-95 C. But it is evident from examining the curve that higher mold temperatures are possible and can be used without any significant penalty in cycle time as long as the wall thickness of the part is accounted for. I have run PC parts with 0.5-in.-thick nominal walls at mold temperatures of 105 C (221 F), and produced parts at the same cycle time as when those parts were run in a mold set at 15 C (59 F). The parts molded at the higher mold temperature looked better, were more dimensionally stable, and contained a lower level of internal stress. This last factor makes the parts more impact resistant and less susceptible to one of the biggest killers of PC parts, environmental stress cracking. When I turned the mold temperature up to 105 C, I was told the material would “never set up.” But a quick look at the modulus plot in Fig. 1 shows that it cannot help but do so.

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