PTFE, also known as polytetrafluoroethylene or more popularly, Teflon, has become well known for both its high performance, but also for the unfortunate results of sloppy manufacturing. PTFE is a popular type of material with excellent physical characteristics, best among them its extremely high chemical resistance and slippery surface. However, the chemical category of Pressure […]
Amorphous thermoplastics are the more popular of the two major types of injection molding thermoplastics used today. The other type, crystalline materials, typically have higher performance capabilities and are used more often in metal replacement applications. Like crystalline materials, amorphous materials cover a gamut of options and applications in the injection molding arena. Amorphous Thermoplastics […]
We are looking at crystalline materials, among crystalline resins, common materials considered for working components in industrial applications include, Acetals, Nylons, PBTs, and a new one POK. Non-common materials, considered specialty resins are PPS, PEEK, and PI. There are others, and even cost-effective talc filled PP gets used from time to time when demands are […]
The solid model is complete, the quotes are in, the tooling order has been placed. What is there left to do? Fine tuning those minor details that won’t get addressed until tooling is being designed. Why wait until now to do this? No one wants to invest time in these technical issues until they know […]
The very first experience I had with robotics was back in the mid-1980s when I purchased a used Sadamel vertical press from Switzerland. It was a high-precision press designed for watchmakers. Its pneumatic picker removed parts and runners from a vertical clamp at high speed. It made vertical presses relevant again for high-speed molding. Molded-in […]
.50 cardboard carton is much more expensive than one hundred in a disposable gaylord. Can quarterly purchase orders with monthly releases work? Has this existing customer, or will this new customer provide adequate lead times, or will every order be an emergency? How much inventory will I need to maintain to meet lead times? How […]
Firsthand Advice from a Injection Molding Expert How do molders go about determining the appropriate price for an application? When a molder receives a print or a solid model and production quantity, the conservative first pass or ballpark pricing will always reflect the unknowns that can–and often do–surface later down the line. The more upfront […]
One size does not fit all. A customer in a highly regulated environment will need a similar injection molding vendor familiar with, and able to comply with the various certifications. There are developing requirements in some industries to “go green” which is a challenge in general for some plastics processors, but not impossible. After these […]
Since 2005 Recto has initiated a practical “green” culture. Not to be confused with the current push for green at any cost, our perspective is that green can have many tints, and the one that seems the most practical is one that is simple and has appropriate payback. Not to say that we might take […]