Processable - melting and molding plastic

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

With Mirel it is also necessary to monitor the quality of the regrind being used. Up to 20% Mirel regrind can be used in injection molding. Typically, regrind is comprised of startup scrap and runners. Since the molds for the Paper Mate Biodegradable pens and mechanical pencils were designed with hot runners and thermal sprues, the amount of runner regrind is kept to a minimum. The regrind must still be monitored in order to ensure that it is still good material and has not been degraded. It also must be properly dried to below 0.1% moisture. (That usually takes 2 to 4 hr at 176 F in a dessicant dryer with -40 F dewpoint. Parts that contain bubbles or stick to the mold may indicate excessive moisture in the material.) The amount of regrind should be kept constant as large fluctuation in the amount or quality of regrind will affect the injection molding cycle. (Detailed processing information can be found at mirelplastics.com.)

The Moldflow analysis showed the best locations for gates and where end of fill would be. To reduce the amount of regrind and scrap, hot runners and thermal sprues with small cold runners were used for the different mold designs. The combination of thermal sprues with a small hot runner allows for a sub-gate design. This was necessary due to the size of the parts being molded. Smaller parts make it difficult to use full hot-runner systems due to the amount of space required for the hot runner. Using a full hot runner would make the overall dimensions of the mold too large to fit in the small injection molding machines being used for the project.

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.

“Our strategic and ambitious expansion plans in the medical field start in Singapore, with future plans to extend our reach into the greater Asean region. We have plants located in Singapore, Malaysia and China, and are actively exploring opportunities in emerging markets like Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to meet the growing demand for manufacturing in those regions,” Seow said.

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.

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

The best designed and built molds will not run well if the processing is not right. Some key parameters for injection molding Mirel P1003 include the barrel temperature profile, mold temperature, screw speed, screw backpressure, and injection speed. By balancing these parameters it is possible to injection mold Mirel efficiently and economically.

Over the years many tools have been developed to help understand, model, and optimize both the design and processing of plastics parts. Since Mirel behaves differently from conventional plastics, it is only natural to question the applicability of these tools, developed for other plastics, with Mirel. Software such as Moldflow (moldflow.com) for analyzing part and mold design and the injection molding process can be a very powerful tool to accelerate the design and development process for parts produced from Mirel. Such tools also aid in making a robustly designed part, mold, and process.

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

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.

Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd. (husky.ca) designed the hot runners and thermal sprues to work with Mirel. After an in-house performance test with Mirel, Husky was able to recommend what style of hot runner and thermal sprue would work best with Mirel. The molders then designed each injection mold using the recommendations from Husky, the results of the Moldflow analysis, and the recommendations from the Mirel technical services team.

As part of the commercialization process for Mirel PHA bioplastics, it became necessary to validate the injection molding process for a high-profile consumer products launch. Since Mirel is a new polymer with different properties and processing characteristics, it is only natural to question the ability to use conventional tools to develop molded parts from Mirel. By partnering with a major consumer product manufacturer, we were able to explore the limits of what can be done. A new line of consumer products was designed and developed using Mirel PHA as the primary material. The process included using Autodesk Moldflow software to analyze the part filling and design of multi-cavity, hot-runner production tools. Through this process we were able to demonstrate that Mirel bioplastics can be molded similar to petroleum-based plastics.

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

Bret Marschand, senior development manager for Newell Rubbermaid Office Products conducted a thorough evaluation of various biobased materials for use in the company’s products. he selected Mirel for its unique combination of performance and biodegradability.

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

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

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

Mirel PHA is very sensitive to mold-filling imbalances. Moldflow analysis of this proposed family mold for Paper Mate Biodegradables components shows severe imbalance that would cause flash and short shots.

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.

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).

Beyond Plastic and partners have created a certified biodegradable PHA compound that can be injection molded into 38-mm closures in a sub 6-second cycle from a multicavity hot runner tool.

The analysis of the designs proved invaluable in accurately predicting troublespots in the design. These potential issues were identified based on the knowledge of how Mirel behaves in a mold. A principal example is the sensitivity that Mirel has to mold-filling imbalance. As with most plastics, a mold for Mirel must be designed with proper filling balance so that portions of a mold do not fill before others. In the case of Mirel, a small imbalance will lead to significant flash and/or short shots. This greatly increases scrap rates and forces a less than ideal injection molding cycle.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

One of the most pressing questions was whether hot runners could be used with Mirel, because of its thermal sensitivity. Newell Rubbermaid’s Paper Mate div. (newellrubbermaid.com) had decided to produce a line of pens and mechanical pencils called Biodegradables from Mirel bioplastics. The product line was designed to have 60% biodegradable content from Mirel P1003 injection molding grade. This meant that the barrel, nosecone, and clip would have to be made from Mirel. Once Paper Mate had designed the components it was time to apply traditional engineering tools to analyze the processing of the individual components and to design commercial tools to make the components.

As part of the commercialization process for Mirel PHA bioplastics, it became necessary to validate the injection molding process for a high-profile consumer products launch.

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.

Mirel is supplied by Telles (mirelplastics.com), a joint venture of Metabolix, Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Co. The first commercial Mirel polymer plant came on stream late last year with a design capacity of 110 million lb/yr. Mirel is available for film and sheet extrusion and thermoforming, as well as injection and blow molding. Certain grades recently received FDA clearance for food-contact applications.

Thomas J. Pitzi is manager of technical service and application development for Telles in Lowell, Mass. He has over 15 years’ experience in plastics as a technical service and application development engineer at firms such as Arkema and DSM Thermoplastic Elastomers. Pitzi can be reached at (978) 513-1865 or tpitzi@mirelplastics.com.

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.

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.

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

The other critical process parameter for Mirel is the mold temperature. It should be controlled at 140 F. This is very important for Mirel because its fastest rate of crystallization occurs at 140 F. A small deviation from this will have a significant impact on the cooling time needed to eject parts from the mold. Cooling the mold below 140 F does not speed the crystallization rate and will increase the cooling time. As little as a 20° F deviation will double the cooling time needed.

In order to design the molds for optimum processing and reduce the tooling development time, it was decided to perform Moldflow analysis of the designs before building the molds. The pen and mechanical pencil components were to be made from Mirel P1003, an improved injection grade introduced last year with enhanced stiffness and melt flow. In order to perform a Moldflow analysis, the material to be molded must have appropriate data in the Moldflow database. In order to simulate the injection molding process, Moldflow needs data on melt viscosity under different conditions of shear and temperature, melt density, melt thermal conductivity and heat capacity, and PVT data. Since Mirel P1003 is a new material, no such data existed yet. We would have to have this material analyzed by Moldflow. Analysis of Mirel P1003 was carried out by the Moldflow Plastics Lab in Ithaca, N.Y. A Moldflow database file for Mirel was created and subsequently used to perform the analysis of the proposed mold designs before the molds were built.

Offerings range from recycled, biobased, biodegradable  and monomaterial structures that enhance recyclability to additives that are more efficient, sustainable and safer to use.

The molders have been operating the injection molds for the Paper Mate Biodegradable pens and mechanical pencils for several months with minimal issues. Efficiency continues to be improved in the overall molding process, and reduced cycle times have been achieved relative to traditional plastics. The molds are all running with minimal scrap—approximately 4%. We have been able to process several different lots of Mirel P1003 with minimal adjustment to the molding process. This, combined with the lower processing temperatures, results in significantly lower energy consumption to produce the Paper Mate Biodegradable pens and mechanical pencils from Mirel P1003 relative to conventional plastics. Measurements show a 20% reduction in electrical consumption in molding the mechanical pencils as compared with ABS or polycarbonate. Modeling indicates a similar reduction in energy for the pens.

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.

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

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

All Mirel bioplastics are thermally sensitive and must be dried to a low moisture content (0.1%). Their thermal sensitivity is a primary factor distinguishing proper molding technique for Mirel from that for other thermoplastics.

Mirel must be molded using a reverse temperature profile. This means using a higher temperature in the rear barrel sections under the hopper than at the nozzle. A typical process profile would be 360, 350, 330, and 330 F from rear barrel zone to nozzle. The goal is to achieve a melt temperature of 330 to 340 F. The reason for the reverse profile is to control melting of the polymer and limit the amount of molecular-weight loss.

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

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.

This program required multiple molds with four or eight cavities apiece. For the volume of parts to be molded, it was not economical to use single-cavity tools. The second reason for multicavity molds was to optimize shot size. With Mirel, it is important to maintain a short residence time in the barrel while molding. Too much time at elevated temperatures causes significant loss of molecular weight, which will ultimately lead to loss of mechanical properties. Mirel processes best when the barrel-capacity to shot-size ratio is between 2:1 and 4:1. This was another argument for multicavity molds.

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.

Implementing a production monitoring system as the foundation of a ‘smart factory’ is about integrating people with new technology as much as it is about integrating machines and computers. Here are tips from a company that has gone through the process.

With a presence in Singapore, China and Malaysia, Fu Yu’s comprehensive services cater to various industries, manufacturing precision plastic components for sectors such as medical, automotive, printing, industrial and consumer goods. Its subsidiary, Fu Yu Biomedical, aims to innovate and manufacture medical diagnostics equipment, envisioning a future where simple medical tasks, like blood tests, can be conveniently conducted at home. Fu Yu also offers product design services, rapid prototyping, and full product assembly to meet the ever-evolving needs of the medical sector.

It is important that molds are designed with proper vents and gates. Mirel does not mold well with large vents or very small gates. Due to the viscosity profile of Mirel, large vents cause flash. It is recommended that vents for Mirel be 0.0005 in. deep. Small gates cause too much shear when molding, which tends to lengthen the overall injection molding cycle. In addition, the heat generation from gate shear causes shear thinning of Mirel resin, increasing the potential for flash. Since these molds were being designed and built specifically for Mirel, we were able to make sure that the proper design recommendations were incorporated into the design. (Complete injection mold design recommendations can be found at mirelplastics.com.)

“Mirel molds very well, processes in conventional injection molding equipment, and is durable in use,” said Marschand. “Add these characteristics to its biodegradability profile, and we have found a remarkable material that fits into our global corporate sustainability goals.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fu Yu is looking to form alliances with complementary service providers in the electronics, batteries, metals, coating, and sterilisation sectors, enabling it to offer an all-in-one solution suite to its customers.

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

Mirel has a slow crystallization rate. This allows for a longer injection time and better filling of complex geometries. The slow injection speed does not have a negative impact on the overall molding cycle as this time would normally be taken up with pack and hold, which can be shorter with slow injection.

The analysis in the accompanying Moldflow screen shot shows an example of a family mold with poor balance between cavities. This was the original proposal from the molder. Making family molds for Mirel is not a good option. The flow imbalance that results from the different cavity sizes causes significant scrap. A mold built with this design would result in almost 50% scrap due to either flash or short shots. This issue was avoided by redesigning the mold to be more geometrically balanced with multiple cavities of the same size. This meant moving the location of the thermal sprue between the cavities. It also meant using more thermal sprues than originally planned.

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.

Paper Mate Biodegradable pens have barrels, nosecones, and clips injection molded of Mirel PHA in four- and eight-cavity hot-runner molds.

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

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.

From automated robot doctors to water filters, performance drills to medical endoscopes, the engineering and manufacturing of these items involve the inception of ideas, rigorous testing and the relentless pursuit of engineering perfection. Singapore-based company Fu Yu embodies this philosophy through its cutting-edge, one-stop-shop services, which include design and tool fabrication, precision injection moulding, metal injection moulding, product assembly and secondary processes.

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.

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.

“We are focused on scaling up and upgrading our capabilities, transitioning from traditional case parts manufacturing to a niche specialisation in high-precision products,” said David Seow, group CEO and board member of Fu Yu. “Our exceptional capabilities in precision tooling and precision moulding and unique ability to engage with our customers at the early product development stage are what truly set us apart.”

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

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

Mirel also responds best to a slow injection speed. This is, again, partly in order to minimize gate shear and shear heating. A short, reverse-taper nozzle is recommended.

Mirel is a family of bioplastic materials with physical properties comparable to petroleum-based resins. Mirel is both biobased and biodegradable in natural soil and water environments and in home and industrial composting systems. Mirel is a type of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate)— specifically, a proprietary blend of PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate) copolymers, additives, and mineral fillers. It is a type of semicrystalline thermoplastic polyester that is derived from microbial fermentation of corn sugar. The rate and extent of Mirel’s biodegradability will depend on the size and shape of the articles made from it. However, like nearly all bioplastics and organic matter, Mirel is not designed to biodegrade in conventional landfills.

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

For the same reason, the screw speed and backpressure are limited as well. Screw speed and backpressure can contribute significantly to the amount of energy put into the polymer during melting. Typical screw speed for Mirel is 100 rpm and backpressure is typically 50 to 100 psi. A low-shear, general-purpose screw is recommended. It should have a short L/D and compression ratio of 2.2:1 to 2.6:1.