Blog and guides
Practical, hands-on articles: process setting, calculation, materials, mold design and technology.
Causes of warpage and how to prevent it
If a part bends or twists after coming out of the mold, the usual places to look are wall thickness, cooling balance and material type. Causes and a practical solution order.
Mold designMold venting: a little-discussed but highly effective setting
If the air in the cavity can't escape, you'll see burn marks, short shots or inconsistent filling. Vent location, size and the "increase speed/pressure first" trap.
TechnologyConformal cooling: the least-discussed way to shorten cycle time
What do cooling channels that follow the part surface do, when are they worth it, and what should you watch out for?
TechnologyGas-assisted and foam injection: process options that solve sinking in thick parts
When gas-assisted (GIM) and physical foam (MuCell, etc.) injection are worth it, and their advantages and limitations.
Mold designHot runner or cold runner? A decision guide
A comparison of the two systems in terms of cost, cycle time, waste and material, and which one fits which situation.
CalculationHow is clamping force calculated? Step by step, with an example
Finding the required clamping force from projected area and cavity pressure, safety margin and common mistakes.
TechnologyHydraulic, servo-hydraulic and all-electric injection machines: which one, when?
A comparison of machine types in terms of energy, precision, speed and maintenance, and the criteria for choosing one.
TechnologyIn-mold (cavity) pressure sensors: why measuring cavity pressure changes process control
The pressure on the machine screen is not the same thing as the actual pressure in the cavity. What a sensor gives you and how to get started.
Mold designNew mold trial (T1) checklist: before mounting, on the machine, and afterward
A practical checklist, from preparation to reporting, that reduces time and material loss during a mold trial.
MaterialRaw material drying guide: which material, why and how to dry it
Moisture in PA, PC, PET and ABS; from silver streaks to loss of strength. Representative drying values and things to watch.
MaterialRegrind and recycled-material management: how much should be blended in?
Quality risks, control points and record-keeping when reusing runners and scrap parts.
TroubleshootingShort shot: causes and the fastest solution order
If the cavity isn't filling completely, where should you look first? A field-tested check order, from no-cost to expensive.
TroubleshootingSink marks and voids: thick regions, ribs and holding
Two faces of the same problem: a dent on the surface or a void inside. Clues to tell them apart and the lasting design fix.
Process settingV/P changeover and holding setup: which values to start the machine with?
The path to getting injection speed, speed profile, V/P changeover, holding pressure and holding time right from the start; the "gate freeze" study.
Process settingViscosity curve test: choose injection speed by measurement, not guesswork
A method to find the most stable injection speed by measuring how fill time and pressure change as speed changes.
TroubleshootingWeld lines and air traps: where they form, how to reduce them
The line formed where melt fronts meet, and burning caused by trapped air: both are related to flow balance and venting.
Process settingWhat is scientific molding? Moving the setup from "feel" to data
The core steps of an approach that takes the process out of the operator's hands and makes it measurable, repeatable and transferable to another machine.
CalculationWhy does cooling time increase with the square of wall thickness?
Cooling is the biggest share of cycle time. Why halving wall thickness cuts the time to a quarter, and the real role of water flow rate.
TroubleshootingWhy does flash occur? A checklist from clamping force to mold wear
Plastic flowing out from the parting line is often not simply a matter of "not enough tonnage." How to tell the causes apart.