Category Archives

A plant manager asked me this question the other day… John What is the key to good troubleshooting? My Response The most important aspect to successful troubleshooting is good documentation. This starts with the documentation of the process outputs when the mold is creating good parts. With this as a baseline, the troubleshooter can use this documentation to investigate and determine […]

I was asked this question the other day… Bob What is the difference between a hydraulic machine with a variable-drive pump motor vs. a hydraulic machine with a servo-motor-drive pump motor? Variable Drive A variable-drive pump motor adjusts the motor speed to compensate for the demands of the process. These systems typically consume only 70% of the energy consumed […]

I just received another screw-design related follow-up question… JP My supplier is pushing a screw tip with spiral channels cut into it. These are supposed to ‘promote better output’ and ‘improve forward flow’. Is this true? My Response Although I have not seen any studies, I have used these myself with no problems and I know many colleagues who believe they […]

I received this question as a follow-up question from a related blog entry… GK If an amorphous polymer requires approximately 8-10 diameters to melt the polymer, how much is needed for semi-crystalline polymers? My Response Generally speaking, amorphous polymers require a long transition zone to properly soften and melt the polymer. This provides a more consistent and homogeneous melt. […]

I was asked this question during a classroom training session… Student What does TPO stand for? My Response Although there is no true standard of nomenclature for blended polymers, TPO typically stands for a category of polymers known as Thermoplastic Polyolefins. Polyolefins are a group of polymers comprised of mainly hydrogen and carbon, mainly polyethylene […]