Plastics & Injection Molding Webinars

2009

Title: Micro Molding with Resorbable Materials Presenter: Donna Bibber, Micro Engineering Solutions LLC Synopsis: As implantable and resorbable molded parts approach micro or nano in size, even a toothpick-sized runner is still too large and too costly. Resorbable raw material costs are between $3,000–$22,000/lb. This webinar explores design for manufacturing solutions for micromolding with resorbable polymers and creating net zero material losses in runner and sprue scrap. In addition, it will explore polymer property changes induced by shear stress through near micron-sized gates, humidity control for extremely small shot sizes and integrating macro to microtechnologies to produce near-micron level geometry in precision, micromold components.

Title: Micro Molding: Differences Beyond Size to Traditional Molding Presenter: Carol M.F. Barry, University of Massachusetts Lowell Synopsis: Micromolding involves more than making things smaller. This webinar will provide an overview of existing micromolding technologies including injection molding, insert molding and two-shot molding. With application for both microparts, and micro and nano features, discussion will focus on process parameters and materials, including effects of wall thickness, improving filling, shot size, processing temperatures and other processing conditions.

Title: Scientific Molding High Cavity Hot Runner Systems Presenter: Terry Schwenk, Process & Design Technologies LLC Synopsis: In recent years, higher and higher cavity tools have been constructed, and more demand for better-quality parts produced from these tools has a high emphasis on mold balancing. Because the majority of these tools incorporate hot runners, the perception has focused on the hot runner as the direct cause for the in-balanced fill of cavities; hot runner suppliers were therefore scrambling to come up with a better hot runner solution. Fueled by industry awareness that inside corner shear effects cause different melt viscosity in cold runner systems and are direct contributors to in-balance fill has resulted in the conclusion that the hot runner is the root cause of all the balancing issues associated with cavity fill. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Although this phenomenon does exist in cold runner tooling and to some degree in hot runners, it is grossly over exaggerated and is only one of many factors that effect balance fill.

Title: Better Heating, Better Cooling, Lower Costs, Less Energy and Better Parts via Infrared Presenter: John C. Lafeber, PE, North Coast Industrial Imaging Synopsis: Plastic is a heat-it-up, cool-it-down business. Generally, we overheat and overcool, which wastes energy and makes less than optimum product. Worse yet, we do not heat or cool consistently or uniformly. If we monitor process temperatures and steer the process toward optimum, we save energy and make the best product. This webinar will take a good look at an IR gun (a.k.a. monopixel camera)as it is the key to understanding all IR cameras. It will also look at how infrared can help all different types of plastic processes, including thermoforming, extrusion and blow molding. There will be an emphasis on injection molding and welding.

Title: Using Reconfigurable Pin Tooling for Plastics & Composites Manufacturing Presenter: Daniel F. Walczyk, PhD, PE, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Synopsis: The idea of using a bed-of-pins, similar to the popular 3D Pin Art toy, as a completely reconfigurable discrete tool surface, referred to as a reconfigurable pin tool, to form or mold mechanical components with has been around for nearly 150 years. Walczyk's presentation will begin by defining what a reconfigurable pin tool is and the ideal characteristics for such a tool from a manufacturing perspective.

Title: Cutting Costs & Gaining Efficiencies with an MCA Presenter: Randy Winton, ToolingDocs Inc. Synopsis: This webinar discusses ways to optimize injection-mold performance and profitability by utilizing a system called the MCA (or maintenance capability assessment). An MCA entails a thorough examination of the processes currently in place within a factory and provides crucial information regarding the company's capability to maintain proprietary and custom molds for production readiness, reliability and performance. An MCA also rates the shop's degree of proficiency compared to industry-standard best practices. Winton will walk attendees through the process and illustrate, through the use of case studies, how an MCA helps molding companies become "best-in-class" operations, while also finding ways to cut costs and maximize efficiencies.

Title: How to Save a Half Million Seconds Presenter: Bill Tobin, WJT Associates Synopsis: This presentation starts with a challenge for engineers and techs: "On and annualized basis, find a half million seconds for every mold in the shop." This is partly done to keep the engineers and techs interested. More importantly, it allows money to be generated as both extra profits for the company and money available to give out raises for a successful completion of this challenge. The presentation starts looking at a typical part. Then reviews what would happen if segments of the process were improved: reduced scrap, reduced cycle time, regrind usage enhancement, weight reduction and reduced setup times. While the cumulative effect of all of these improvements is not completely additive, it shows how this goal can be achieved.

Title: How to Optimize Hot Tip Gates Presenter: Terry Schwenk, Process & Design Technologies LLC Synopsis: Hot-tip gating is the most common of all the hot runner gating methods. The principle behind fix-tip probe gating is simple. The hot runner nozzle provides heat as close to the gate as possible without preventing solidification from taking placing. The nozzle itself must provide not only heat to the gate area but also act as a sealing interface from the hot runner to the mold base. In doing so, the mold base becomes a heat sink for the nozzle. The nozzle must be thermally isolated from the mold base or cavity steel to maintain control over the solidification of material in the gate area. One of the advancements in this area is the use of multiple materials in the hot runner tip itself. The seal can be made of a low thermal conductive material such as titanium. The tip is usually constructed of a high-thermal conductive material such as BeCU. Selection of tip material and cavity steel to be compatible with the resin being processed are vital to optimizing hot-tip gates.

Title: Design Flexibility and Increased Profits Using Collapsing Cores and Expandable Cavities Presenter: Al Hickok, Progressive Components Synopsis: Today, there are cost-effective solutions to traditional tooling methods, such as unscrewing molds or slides. Mold builders will see the benefit of simplified mold designs and smaller mold bases. Molders are provided increased design flexibility and improved efficiency. Through the use of side-by-side comparisons and case studies, these benefits, as well as cleaner, less-complicated maintenance, will be illustrated.

2008

Title: Survival Techniques for Small Manufacturers Presenter: Bill Tobin, WJT Associates Synopsis: Small shop owners whether mold builders or molders have their expertise in manufacturing. As a sideline, they quote and negotiate for new work. Unfortunately, negotiations are usually something they are not skilled in. Professional buyers on the other hand, get degrees and regularly attend seminars to acquire the latest techniques and skills to keep costs low, regardless of the effect on their supplier base. This webinar will show the options every person in a negotiation has, and how best to choose an appropriate one for the best interest of your company. In today's highly competitive marketplace you cannot afford anything less.

Title: The Challenges and Solutions of Systemizing Tooling Maintenance Presenter: Steve Johnson, Tooling Docs Synopsis: This webinar outlines the many difficulties of systemizing any maintenance program, the reasons why the typical work order and ERP systems do not work, what type of mold performance and repair data needs to be collected and how to use it, how MoldTrax was designed and the difference between MT and everyone else, and the unique design features of MoldTrax that answer the challenges. MoldTrax will be opened up and demonstrated during the second half of the webinar. An actual database with six years worth of mold runs and repairs will be examined to show the top unscheduled mold stop reasons and costs, part defects and frequencies, actual tooling and corrective action costs.

Title: Creativity with NX Mold Wizard Presenter: Jim Davis, SIEMENS PLM Software Synopsis: This webinar discusses how to meet tooling industry challenges, such as reducing cost, reducing time and maintaining/improving quality. Learn about NX Mold Wizard with injection molding, blow molding, casting, rubber molds, custom molding and more. PDF • Audio

2007

Title: The Economic Case for Purging Compounds in Plastics Processing Presenter: Frank Van Haste, NOVACHEM Synopsis: To optimize the economics of thermoplastic parts production, managers must minimize costs associated with color or material transitions and those associated with control of material degradation or contamination. Historically, this has involved purging with large amounts of production material or physical teardown with mechanical cleaning. PDF • Audio (mp3 36 MB)