Most part-manufacturing processes today begin with a CAD model rather than a print. For subcontract mold shops, it may be the finished part model file that comes in from the customer’s design staff. […]
Collapsible cores have long been touted as a viable alternative for molding undercut details like internal threads as opposed to using traditional unscrewing mechanisms like racks and gears. […]
Polishing is simple. It’s more about how you apply it, standard process involves using general-purpose, middle-of-the-road hardness stones. Depending on surface roughness, he typically begins with a 400-grit stone, then a 600-grit, a 900-grit and sometimes a 1200-grit for the required finish. […]
Anyone in the plastics industry whose job includes active project participation and management is aware of the three distinct players involved in a plastic injection molding production launch. […]
The plastics industry has been incorrectly sizing waterlines for years. This is most prevalent in mold designs that use bubblers to deliver the cooling medium. […]
Every shop deals with two universal truths: People are part of the process and make mistakes, and sooner or later, all mechanical devices will either wear out or break. The consequences of both truths can range from merely expensive to catastrophic. […]
Each year Industry Intelligence sends a Capital Spending Survey to metalworking shops asking about their intended spending on equipment for the coming year. […]
Creating the most effective hot runner system design that includes manifolds, nozzles and full hot-halves demands a collaborative approach among the moldmaking supply chain: mold builders, molders, original equipment manufacturers and technology suppliers. […]
The injection molding industry generally perceives companies that use hot runner systems as more advanced than companies that use cold runner systems. Often, shops make the decision to use a hot runner without considering a cold runner’s possible cost and quality benefits, or management dictates the decision as part of a cost-savings initiative. [...]
In many cases, the cold runner system is a more viable option. In some applications, it may provide a mold and a process that is capable of producing higher-quality parts. […]