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Stop Shopping for a 'Jack of All Trades' Extruder | Plastics Technology

A 360-degree look at resin conveying systems: types, operation, economics, design, installation, components and controls.

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of resin moisture and the drying process, including information on the best drying practices for your manufacturing facility. Wire Extruder Machine

Stop Shopping for a 'Jack of All Trades' Extruder | Plastics Technology

Everything you need to know about plastics compounding technology—from feeding solutions to application profiles and expert advice.

Combat the skilled labor shortage using this comprehensive resource to train your own plastics processing experts.

Deep dive into the basics of blending versus dosing, controls, maintenance, process integration and more.

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

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.

Flat-to-downward trajectory for at least this month.

A mixed bag, though prices likely to be down if not flat for all this month.

Trajectory is generally flat-to-down for all commodity resins.

Flat-to-down trajectory underway for fourth quarter for commodity resins.  

Generally, a bottoming-out appears to be the projected pricing trajectory.

PS prices to see significant drop, with some potential for a modest downward path for others. 

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.

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.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

In this collection, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

The global plastics industry has been navigating through what is arguably the most volatile period in decades. Unprecedented amounts of new production capacity are scheduled to start in North America, Europe, and China in the near term and compete for demand during a period of economic challenges. How will trade flows shift? Will this lead to regional cost disparities and rationalization? Energy transition and sustainability targets continue transforming the plastics market and increasing the competitive landscape. As the market evolves, what impact will new technology, policy, regulation, the growing role of chemicals versus fuel and other factors have on industry restructuring and business models? At GPS 2024, leading global experts will come together to discuss pivotal impacts and initiatives shaping the plastics industry. Join us and participants from across the globe to gain the latest insight and deep analysis as you connect with your peers and industry professionals. This year’s conference will explore the theme Disruptive Global Dynamics Reshaping Plastics and include a full day workshop focused on the Global Plastics Business and Plastics Transition to Circularity, 1.5 days of expert content and numerous networking functions.

Every three years, leaders from almost every major industry gather at NPE to advance their businesses through innovations in plastics. The largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE offers six technology zones, keynote speakers, workshops and opportunities to build partnerships. 

The 3D Printing Workshop @ NPE2024 – The Plastics Show, is an immersive, half-day workshop focused on the emerging possibilities for part production via 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Presented by Additive Manufacturing Media, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology, the 3D Printing Workshop will build upon a successful model first introduced at IMTS 2014. Attendees will benefit from a program focused on practical applications of 3D technologies related to plastics processing. This event will conclude with a 3D Printing Industry Reception sponsored by Additive Manufacturing Media.

The Society Plastics Engineers (SPE) Extrusion Division and the SPE Eastern New England Section will co-host the Screw Design Conference-Topcon on June 19-20, 2024 @ UMass Lowell in Lowell, MA.  This highly technical program will focus upon screw design principles for single and twin screw extruders with wide ranging topics relating to screw designs for feeding, melting, mixing, venting and pumping plastics products and parts.   Areas of focus will include screw designs for melt temperature and gel management, gel minimization, bioplastics, recycled materials and foaming.   In addition to the technical sessions, a tour of the UMass Lowel Plastics Processing Laboratories will be integrated into Day 2 of the event.    This program is not just for screw designers, but to help anyone responsible for any type of extrusion operation to evaluate existing extrusion equipment; and also to prepare for future projects. Price to attend:  Less than $1000!  Registrations will be accepted in early 2024. Call for papers – To be considered to give a presentation, please submit a talk title and abstract on or before December 15 to:   Technical Chair: Eldridge M. Mount III, e-mail emmount@msn.com Corporate sponsorships - A limited # of corporate sponsorships (15) are available on a 1st come basis.  Included is a 6’ tabletop display (must fit on table), denotation in all promotional activities, and 1 no charge registration.  To become a sponsor contact: Charlie Martin, Leistritz Extrusion, e-mail cmartin@leistritz-extrusion.com, cell 973-650 3137 General information:   A reception on Day 1 and a tabletop display area will allow the attendees to meet and discuss state-of-the-art screw technologies with industry experts.  The SPE Extrusion Division will issue a “Screw Design Certificate” to all participants who have attended the program.  Students are encouraged to attend and will receive a discounted rate.   For additional information contact:  Program Chair:  Karen Xiao, Macro Engineering, KXiao@macroeng.com

Debuting in 2010, the Parts Cleaning Conference is the leading and most trusted manufacturing and industrial parts cleaning forum focused solely on delivering quality technical information in the specialized field of machined parts cleansing. Providing guidance and training to understand the recognized sets of standards for industrial cleaning, every year the Conference showcases industry experts who present educational sessions on the latest and most pressing topics affecting manufacturing facilities today.  Discover all that the 2022 Parts Cleaning Conference has to offer!

Presented by Additive Manufacturing Media, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology, the 3D Printing Workshop at IMTS 2024 is a chance for job shops to learn the emerging possibilities for part production via 3D printing and additive manufacturing. First introduced at IMTS 2014, this workshop has helped hundreds of manufacturing professionals expand their additive capabilities.  

In today's manufacturing environment, robust processes that meet strict industry and regulatory standards are essential. With the advent of servo-driven ultrasonic welding technology, enhancing product quality and maintaining consistency has become remarkably effortless. Discover the fundamentals of ultrasonic welding, delve into vital components within these systems, explore how servo-driven ultrasonic welding enhances weld quality via advanced control features and gain insights into optimizing your assemblies for welding in these high-performing machines. Join Dukane to unlock the potential of ultrasonic welding in modern manufacturing for plastic devices and components. Agenda: Fundamentals of ultrasonic welding Key components in an ultrasonic welding system Using servo-driven ultrasonic systems to control your welding process Designing your parts and components for servo-controlled ultrasonic welding

This webinar will help you make informed decisions to confirm the equipment access stairs in your facility are OSHA compliant and meet the highest standards of safety and ergonomics. Agenda:  Identifying opportunities to increase safety in the work place Utilizing space saving stairways Ensuring code compliance for equipment access

4.0, EUROMAP, OPC, OLE, QC, DSN, SQL, VNC, MES, ERP, FTP, CMS, SPI — are you confused by all buzzwords being tossed around in the plastics industry? Not convinced the data collection is necessary? Or are you unsure of how it could be implemented and improve your molding processes? Wittmann has been on the cutting edge of the data collection push for nearly 20 years. In this webinar, take a step back from the idea of the manufacturing facility of the future and discuss what you can do today to improve your process. Using readily-available technology, Wittmann can help reduce downtime, limit scrap and wasted material, and predict required maintenance. Let the experts at Wittmann help you understand: what data can be collected, what that data can be used for, what systems are used, and how to implement them. Agenda: Demystifying the terminology Tracking the material flow and lot information through the material handling system The data available from various auxiliary equipment, such as: dryers, blenders, mold temperature controls and robots Automating the process through changes in the data collected at the machines during production Adding visualization to increase productivity

Learn how targeted, modular, dosing and blending solutions — covering powders, granules, regrinds and liquids — provide plastics processors of all kinds with best-in-class accurate dosing while delivering significant raw material savings and ensuring highest quality.  Agenda:  Introduction to Movacolor Blending in plastics applications Movacolor feeding and dosing technology Hybrid blending to combine high material throughput and dosing accuracy

This presentation will explore the in-situ polyurethane (PU) overmolding of injection-molded and composite parts, allowing for direct out-of-mold class "A" surfaces. KraussMaffei will review the process and equipment required. It will also discuss tooling types currently available for PU systems for this process. KraussMaffei will compare the pros and cons of this technology over currently-available coating and painting systems. Agenda: Introduction and evolution of the ColorForm technology Overview of the ColorForm process Equipment required Tooling and PU systems Benefits of the system compared to typical spray-applied coatings Pros and cons of the technology

Consistent quality is paramount within the production of pipe and tubing applications. Additionally, significant material savings can be obtained by tightly controlling product dimensions with the correct process equipment. In this webinar, Conair will cover gravimetric control of an extruder and production line speed to ensure optimal quality and cost savings are achieved in your product run. A detailed discussion of the upstream material handling system includes: blending resins upstream of the feed throat, detection of the extruder rate at the throat, control of the extruder rpm and control of the product itself in feet per min — all accomplished with a simple recipe configuration which includes product weight per length desired and production line speed.

Medical-component specialist LightningCath has carved a niche meeting the needs of small to medium-sized entrepreneurs with complex catheter designs … quickly.

Fast Track service from BPM can repair every brand of rotor in two weeks or fewer.  

Adds 52,000 square feet to Lebanon plant.

Nextpoint announced a $2 million investment, part of a $7.7 million raise for PlantSwitch, which uses agricultural waste to manufacture plastic.

Life cycle analysis of production at four plants in Mexico and Germany was conducted by C7-consult.

Tahara’s new eight-head, double-sided coex machine has many new mechanical and electronic features.

Topping five other entries in voting by fellow molders, the Ultradent team talks about their Hot Shots sweep.

Serendipitous Learning Opportunities at PTXPO Underscore the Value of Being Present.

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.

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

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.

Shibaura discusses the upcoming Plastics Technology Expo (PTXPO) March 28-30

Ahead of the first NPE since 2018, PLASTICS announced that its triennial show will stay in Orlando and early May for ’27, ’30 and ’33.

New features of NPE2024 aim to “bring the whole plastics ecosystem together to innovate, collaborate and share findings.”  

Hundreds of tons of demonstration products will be created at NPE2024 next spring. Commercial Plastics Recycling strives to recycle all of it.

After what will be a 6-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, registration is open for the triennial show, which will take place May 6-10, 2023, in Orlando, Florida.

The Plastics Industry Association has hired from within, elevating Matt Seaholm to CEO and Glenn Anderson to COO.

Long-time leaders hailing from the U.S., Japan, Germany and Austria and across the entire supply chain, from machinery and materials to training and moldmaking, will be inducted.

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. 

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.

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

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

As self-imposed and government-issued sustainability mandates approach, injection molders reimagine their operations.

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.

Get your clicking finger in shape and sign up for all that we have in store for you in 2023.  

Molding 2023 to take place Aug. 29-30 in Minnesota; Extrusion 2023 slated for Oct. 10-12 in Indiana.

Key technologies — such as multicolor molding, film molding and PUR overmolding for both exterior and interior applications — are at the forefront of this transformation. Join this webinar to explore the vast potential of eMobility in molding large components — including those with fiber reinforcements — thereby driving the need for large injection molding cells with a clamping force of up to 11,000 tons. You will also gain insight into Engel's innovative two-stage process, a solution for future recycling processes. This webinar will provide an in-depth overview of challenging applications, production concepts and best practices, including:       BMW iX front panel production cell Smart rear panels concept based on IMD and 2C molding Sustainability concepts based on two-stage process Large tonnage equipment for battery moldings

In today's manufacturing environment, robust processes that meet strict industry and regulatory standards are essential. With the advent of servo-driven ultrasonic welding technology, enhancing product quality and maintaining consistency has become remarkably effortless. Discover the fundamentals of ultrasonic welding, delve into vital components within these systems, explore how servo-driven ultrasonic welding enhances weld quality via advanced control features and gain insights into optimizing your assemblies for welding in these high-performing machines. Join Dukane to unlock the potential of ultrasonic welding in modern manufacturing for plastic devices and components. Agenda: Fundamentals of ultrasonic welding Key components in an ultrasonic welding system Using servo-driven ultrasonic systems to control your welding process Designing your parts and components for servo-controlled ultrasonic welding

This webinar will help you make informed decisions to confirm the equipment access stairs in your facility are OSHA compliant and meet the highest standards of safety and ergonomics. Agenda:  Identifying opportunities to increase safety in the work place Utilizing space saving stairways Ensuring code compliance for equipment access

4.0, EUROMAP, OPC, OLE, QC, DSN, SQL, VNC, MES, ERP, FTP, CMS, SPI — are you confused by all buzzwords being tossed around in the plastics industry? Not convinced the data collection is necessary? Or are you unsure of how it could be implemented and improve your molding processes? Wittmann has been on the cutting edge of the data collection push for nearly 20 years. In this webinar, take a step back from the idea of the manufacturing facility of the future and discuss what you can do today to improve your process. Using readily-available technology, Wittmann can help reduce downtime, limit scrap and wasted material, and predict required maintenance. Let the experts at Wittmann help you understand: what data can be collected, what that data can be used for, what systems are used, and how to implement them. Agenda: Demystifying the terminology Tracking the material flow and lot information through the material handling system The data available from various auxiliary equipment, such as: dryers, blenders, mold temperature controls and robots Automating the process through changes in the data collected at the machines during production Adding visualization to increase productivity

Learn how targeted, modular, dosing and blending solutions — covering powders, granules, regrinds and liquids — provide plastics processors of all kinds with best-in-class accurate dosing while delivering significant raw material savings and ensuring highest quality.  Agenda:  Introduction to Movacolor Blending in plastics applications Movacolor feeding and dosing technology Hybrid blending to combine high material throughput and dosing accuracy

This presentation will explore the in-situ polyurethane (PU) overmolding of injection-molded and composite parts, allowing for direct out-of-mold class "A" surfaces. KraussMaffei will review the process and equipment required. It will also discuss tooling types currently available for PU systems for this process. KraussMaffei will compare the pros and cons of this technology over currently-available coating and painting systems. Agenda: Introduction and evolution of the ColorForm technology Overview of the ColorForm process Equipment required Tooling and PU systems Benefits of the system compared to typical spray-applied coatings Pros and cons of the technology

Fast facts SPE International Polyolefins Conference 2024: The Preeminent Polymer Conference in the World dedicated to Polyolefins since 1975 The conference will in-person and virtual The powerful software platform for the conference will allow access to all papers on-demand, even several months after the conference, access to the program, access to virtual exhibitor/sponsor booths, and easy communication with speakers and other participants In-person participants can download a mobile or web app for the conference to access all the features of the software platform for the conference We anticipate over 900 people from around the globe to participate in-person or virtually The improved layout of the exhibit floor offers easy access and flow for the 60+ companies that we anticipate to exhibit Over 20 sponsors expected 150+ Technical papers, Sunday afternoon Tutorial Student Poster Competition 2 Networking Socials Meeting rooms available for rent to meet with customers and suppliers Exhibits from Monday through Wednesday until noon The Conference is organized by the SPE South Texas Section, the SPE Polymer Modifiers and Additives Division, the Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division, the Engineering Properties and Structures Division, the Building and Infrastructure Division, and the Flexible Packaging Division.

The global plastics industry has been navigating through what is arguably the most volatile period in decades. Unprecedented amounts of new production capacity are scheduled to start in North America, Europe, and China in the near term and compete for demand during a period of economic challenges. How will trade flows shift? Will this lead to regional cost disparities and rationalization? Energy transition and sustainability targets continue transforming the plastics market and increasing the competitive landscape. As the market evolves, what impact will new technology, policy, regulation, the growing role of chemicals versus fuel and other factors have on industry restructuring and business models? At GPS 2024, leading global experts will come together to discuss pivotal impacts and initiatives shaping the plastics industry. Join us and participants from across the globe to gain the latest insight and deep analysis as you connect with your peers and industry professionals. This year’s conference will explore the theme Disruptive Global Dynamics Reshaping Plastics and include a full day workshop focused on the Global Plastics Business and Plastics Transition to Circularity, 1.5 days of expert content and numerous networking functions.

Every three years, leaders from almost every major industry gather at NPE to advance their businesses through innovations in plastics. The largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE offers six technology zones, keynote speakers, workshops and opportunities to build partnerships. 

The 3D Printing Workshop @ NPE2024 – The Plastics Show, is an immersive, half-day workshop focused on the emerging possibilities for part production via 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Presented by Additive Manufacturing Media, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology, the 3D Printing Workshop will build upon a successful model first introduced at IMTS 2014. Attendees will benefit from a program focused on practical applications of 3D technologies related to plastics processing. This event will conclude with a 3D Printing Industry Reception sponsored by Additive Manufacturing Media.

The Society Plastics Engineers (SPE) Extrusion Division and the SPE Eastern New England Section will co-host the Screw Design Conference-Topcon on June 19-20, 2024 @ UMass Lowell in Lowell, MA.  This highly technical program will focus upon screw design principles for single and twin screw extruders with wide ranging topics relating to screw designs for feeding, melting, mixing, venting and pumping plastics products and parts.   Areas of focus will include screw designs for melt temperature and gel management, gel minimization, bioplastics, recycled materials and foaming.   In addition to the technical sessions, a tour of the UMass Lowel Plastics Processing Laboratories will be integrated into Day 2 of the event.    This program is not just for screw designers, but to help anyone responsible for any type of extrusion operation to evaluate existing extrusion equipment; and also to prepare for future projects. Price to attend:  Less than $1000!  Registrations will be accepted in early 2024. Call for papers – To be considered to give a presentation, please submit a talk title and abstract on or before December 15 to:   Technical Chair: Eldridge M. Mount III, e-mail emmount@msn.com Corporate sponsorships - A limited # of corporate sponsorships (15) are available on a 1st come basis.  Included is a 6’ tabletop display (must fit on table), denotation in all promotional activities, and 1 no charge registration.  To become a sponsor contact: Charlie Martin, Leistritz Extrusion, e-mail cmartin@leistritz-extrusion.com, cell 973-650 3137 General information:   A reception on Day 1 and a tabletop display area will allow the attendees to meet and discuss state-of-the-art screw technologies with industry experts.  The SPE Extrusion Division will issue a “Screw Design Certificate” to all participants who have attended the program.  Students are encouraged to attend and will receive a discounted rate.   For additional information contact:  Program Chair:  Karen Xiao, Macro Engineering, KXiao@macroeng.com

Debuting in 2010, the Parts Cleaning Conference is the leading and most trusted manufacturing and industrial parts cleaning forum focused solely on delivering quality technical information in the specialized field of machined parts cleansing. Providing guidance and training to understand the recognized sets of standards for industrial cleaning, every year the Conference showcases industry experts who present educational sessions on the latest and most pressing topics affecting manufacturing facilities today.  Discover all that the 2022 Parts Cleaning Conference has to offer!

Some processors try to find “fits all” extruders to cover all processing possibilities. But you’d have to grossly overpower it to achieve this, and that’s expensive up front and will result in inefficiencies over time.  

Selecting the right extrusion equipment for the job is important for ease of operation and profitability. Yet there remains an industry tendency to try to get a “fits all” extruder to cover every current and future contingency.

For example, I recently consulted for a processor that bought a used extruder with a 38:1 L/D and a vented barrel. The machine had originally been used for processing HIPS. The new owner was running a low melt flow HDPE recyclate and had replaced the vented barrel with a non-vented barrel. The extruder did not have enough torque capacity to reach the previous HIPS output with HDPE. I found it was impossible to design a screw that could meet the planned output without operating at excessive melt temperatures.

Converting to a non-vented barrel resulted in an additional 5-8 turns of the screw in the shallower channels in the vent area, thereby further increasing the overall shear stress and melt temperature. The exact choice of extruder features is a pretty complicated task, unless you are very knowledgeable in extruder design and polymer properties. In this case, it was assumed the longer L/D would be advantageous in processing of recycled HDPE because of the improved mixing.

Polymers that take more energy to reach melt conditions — such as low melt flow HDPE — require more drive torque. So, you need to know your desired output and calculate the required amount of horsepower and screw speed. It’s also necessary to have that horsepower at the precise screw speed in order to develop that output from the screw. So, horsepower, maximum screw speed and estimated output per screw revolution are required.

Always keep in mind that many polymers are processed preheated which greatly reduces their power requirement. As a sample, I compared the energy requirement per pound for HDPE and HIPS to reach its normal processing temperature with no preheating:

Combining these physical properties shows that it takes approximately 1.66 times more energy to raise the temperature of HDPE to its average processing temperature than HIPS. Heat of fusion for HDPE and differences in thermal conductivity are being ignored here for simplicity, but they make the ratio even worse.

Polymers that take more energy to reach melt conditions require more drive torque.

Based on this analysis, the extruder should be capable of processing more than 1,800 lb/hr of HDPE versus the previous 3,000 lb/hr of HIPS (3000 ÷ 1.66=1807 lb/hr). However, because of the long L/D the output had to be further reduced to control the melt temperature. That was because of it being redundantly overheated in the long L/D it actually had to be reduced to reach the desired melt temperature and it produced only a little over 1,250 lb/hr of usable output.

Based on this example it’s obvious that one of the most important considerations in choosing an extruder is to analyze the specific polymers and desired outputs to be processed compared to the drive power. There are a number of other important considerations, but this is likely the most critical.

Determining the best L/D requires some very specialized screw design calculations and polymer knowledge. A venting requirement adds 4-7 additional L/D, except in special cases. Without venting, a 30:1 L/D is usually appropriate for most applications, so any longer barrels usually have some special processing requirements.

The point is that an extruder is a more specific piece of equipment than most processors believe and has a definite range of application unless you are prepared to grossly overpower it to cover all possibilities. Not only is this initially expensive at the purchase but the efficiency declines as the speed and load decreases due to increasing percentage of mechanical loss, thereby making for a long-term economic loss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jim Frankland is a mechanical engineer who has been involved in all types of extrusion processing for more than 50 years. He is now president of Frankland Plastics Consulting LLC. Contact  jim.frankland@comcast.net or 724-651-9196.

First find out if they are the result of trapped gas or a vacuum void. Then follow these steps to get rid of them.

Flashing of a part can occur for several reasons—from variations in the process or material to tooling trouble.

The rate of loading for a plastic material is a key component of how we perceive its performance. 

Start by picking a target melt temperature, and double-check data sheets for the resin supplier’s recommendations. Now for the rest...

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.

Consumer-product brand owners increasingly see advanced chemical recycling as a necessary complement to mechanical recycling if they are to meet ambitious goals for a circular economy in the next decade. Dozens of technology providers are developing new technologies to overcome the limitations of existing pyrolysis methods and to commercialize various alternative approaches to chemical recycling of plastics.

Stop Shopping for a 'Jack of All Trades' Extruder | Plastics Technology

Extruder Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. Learn More