Many years ago, Stereolithography (SLA) was the established rapid prototyping solution for additive manufacturing, then along came laser sintering (SLS). So, what happened and are people missing out? Plunkett Associates investigate…
Have you compared the cost of reprocessing your own material vs the rebates and service offered by dedicated plastic recycling firms? Or are you assuming that, by granulating yourself, you will see more benefits? Vanden Recycling explains more…
Pure PP film, in all forms, is fully recyclable and does not produce any toxic or harmful by-products when reprocessed. But it’s often not being recycled, which is a huge concern when you consider the volume in which it is produced and used. Vanden Recycling explains more…
Current culture has led to a belief that plastics do not biodegrade. This is, in fact, incorrect. All plastics are organic and have been proven to biodegrade by microorganisms. This blog entry explains more…
It’s a common enough issue. Your current overseas manufacturing partner very helpfully helped to design your components and manufactured your tooling, but now you’re stuck with them!
This informative case study from LVS Quality Measurement Services demonstrates how they worked around this common issue.
Established for 40 years, KLEENOIL wants you to achieve ultimate production from your injection moulding machine.
The weak pound is causing misery for those holidaying abroad but is also creating frustrations for the UK polymer industry, as the weakness of Sterling is causing upward pressure on UK polymer prices.
Injection moulding is a complex system of machinery, fluid dynamics, and thermal conductivity. Let’s break the mould down into two simple parts, the heat exchanger and the pressure vessel, and review how they can impact overall part quality and dimensions.
Falling weight impact tests can yield much more relevant information than single-point impact testing; however, they come with their own challenges.
Cracking of plastics components under impact was a major blow to the plastics industry in the early days. Today it is still a challenge for designers to select thermoplastics that will stand up to impact under service conditions.
Injection moulding is one of the most commonly used methods of producing identical plastic products in high volumes. However, as with every process, it is important to understand the specific design restrictions that must be adhered to in order to facilitate the obvious benefits of successfully producing cost-effective, high-quality parts.
From 3D Printing to CNC Machining, Vacuum Casting to Injection Moulding, the process options for plastic parts are limitless. Transitioning from prototyping to production can be a challenge, and it may be worth considering the long term requirements first.
Low-cost identification of plastics is certainly desirable, but identifying an unknown plastic material can be an expensive exercise if you submit it for full chemical analysis.
Moldflow software allows the flow of plastic inside a mould tool during the injection moulding process to be analysed. The 3D CAD data generated during the design process can be used directly to determine the manufacturability of the part.
3D CAD data is the gateway to exciting and transformative technologies such as simulation, 3d printing and CNC machining.
Brexit has shaken up businesses across the country, and many companies are using this as an opportunity to re-evaluate the way they are conducting their manufacturing.
