What Goes Around Comes Around
I don ’t want to sound Pollyanna-ish about the hard hits that North American molders and moldmakers have taken from overseas competition lately, but the good news about this globalization thing ...
Global Materials Database Offers More Data, More Functionality
The Plastics Technology online materials database has a new name, a new look, and lots of new capabilities to help find the right material for a particular job. Renamed Plaspec Global, the enhanced da...
Five Misunderstandings of Using ERP in Mould Enterprises
Famous expert Michael Burns in Canada industry has generated 5 misunderstandings of using ERP in mould enterprises to help people fully utilise the system in management. 1. ERP is especially used by F...
Mould Design and Making: Choose the Right Mould Base and Insert
Generally speaking, standard mould base and standard parts can reduce making time and cost. Commonly used mould bases in China include FUTABA, LKM, Minglee, and Skylucky. FUTABA is for medium and smal...
Jakarta Machine Fair to Host German Pavilion
Active exporters of machine tools and other manufacturing technology have been invited to join an official German pavilion of exhibiting companies that will participate in the Machine Tool and Manufac...
Fette GmbH Celebrates 100th Anniversary
The precision tool and machine manufacturer Fette GmbH celebrated its 100th anniversary in June with a varied programme of events. The motto for the anniversary programme was “Progress through P...
Easymetal Launches New Website
Easymetal Prozesstechnik GmbH, the Austrian specialist in the treatment of process water for erosion technology, has recently extended its product range. And, to furnish information about all the new ...
SolidCAM Establishes Japanese Subsidiary
The confirmed fastest-growing supplier of integrated CAM software solutions for the manufacturing industry, SolidCAM GmbH, has established a Japanese subsidiary. SolidCAM Japan K.K. is based in Tokyo ...
EOS, Partners Form Research Centre
The US aerospace giant Boeing, German industrial group Evonik Industries, German aircraft and automotive supplier MCP HEK Tooling, and German laser-sintering system manufacturer EOS GmbH have joined w...
NPE 2009 to Feature Plastics Design Contest
The first International Plastics Design Competition (IPDC) will be featured at NPE 2009 in Chicago next June. The awards contest will provide an opportunity for designers and manufacturers of componen...
Strack Norma Focuses on Customer Service
Dieter Umhang is now coordinating internal distribution for Strack Norma GmbH & Co. KG, the specialist manufacturer of standard parts for injection moulding and die-casting tools and punching and ...
New Presses, Robots And Low-Pressure Process
At its annual Technology Days conference and exhibition in Lossburg, Germany, Arburg GmbH + Co. KG introduced its largest all-electric injection machine yet, available with optional hydraulic accumula...
Disk Pump Helps Compound Long-Fiber Thermoplastics
Already a familiar sight on European store shelves, the eye-catching appeal of "IML" is gaining traction among North American injection molders. The latest tooling and automation designs can...
Stop ‘Runaway’ Resin In Blown Film
Do you have runaway resin? This is valuable plastic that “escapes” your system of production controls. It accomplishes this insidiously through small overages in film thickness and width. ...
Defect Position Analysis: What It Is, Why You Need It
There are so many new technological options in mold design, moldmaking, and molding today that it boggles the mind: We can simulate melt flows to anticipate difficulties. Then we can pre-empt problems...
Textile Recycler Saved by Carpets
This is a tale of globalization with a happy ending. One of the world’s two largest carpet recyclers got into the business by accident—or necessity—when its fiber reclaim business fe...
Appliance Markets Sluggish in The Near Term
The U.S. appliance industry remains stuck in the throes of a two-year downturn that has seen domestic production fall 15% from its peak in 2006. But the good news is that the decline is decelerating, ...
Feedstocks Push Resin Prices
Despite lackluster domestic demand, relentless increases in feedstock costs are forcing suppliers to push for higher resin prices. PVC demand is slack enough to put hikes in doubt. PE PRICES UP Polyet...
Clear Road Ahead for TPOs, TPVs
Olefinic TPEs originally comprised only two classes of rubber-modified polypropylene, known as TPO and TPV. More recently, these have been supplemented by new types of olefinic elastomers that can be ...
TPEs Move Up the Performance Scale
This first of two articles on directions in TPE development focuses on styrenic, copolyester, polyamide, and TP urethane elastomers. The following article covers olefinics—TPOs, TPVs, and POEs. ...