Plastics molding requires plastics to be heated and cooled according to specific guidelines to ensure that the finished product has all the desired qualities. Controlling the temperatures of the molten polymer, in the mold, and the cooling water and its flow rate are critical in producing the highest quality product and maximizing output. Water and […]
August 28th, 2020
In the United States, three-phase power for manufacturing use is typically delivered at 240 volt or 480 volt, 60hz. Transformers are used to change the voltage to meet machinery requirements and protect your manufacturing facility from electrical issues. Step down transformers decrease the voltage while step up transformers increase voltage. A transformer changes electricity voltage […]
August 28th, 2020
The tool room is an essential part of every factory where the repair and maintenance of the equipment and molds takes place. Sometimes, even new molds are manufactured onsite in the plant’s tool room. To that end, certain equipment is required. Precision lathes, surface grinders, hole poppers, EDM machines, and machining centers all help plants […]
August 28th, 2020
All plastics manufacturing processes utilize front end components, screws and barrels, to melt plastic resin into a melt form. The melting process is primarily achieved through shear heat created by screw rotation inside the barrel. Injection molding requires the plastic melt to be injected into the mold by the screw moving forward under high pressure […]
August 28th, 2020
Use of extraction robots has several advantages. First, they can do jobs that are repetitive and time consuming for humans. Second, they can increase profitability by eliminating waste and damage to the product caused by human handling. And third, safety and productivity is increased by the robot\’s ability to operate around the clock with very […]
August 28th, 2020
A successful shop requires more than <strong>core production machines</strong>. The factory itself must have equipment to service its needs and the needs of the operators. General plant support equipment keeps the production line safe, clean, and comfortable. In order to function at peak capacity and maximize productivity, core machinery must be augmented with certain types […]
August 28th, 2020
ZAG Equipment Sales has been providing the plastics industry with quality used manufacturing equipment since 2004. They are the plastics industry’s most trusted buyer and seller of previously owned molding machines and auxiliary equipment, operating out of Atlanta, GA with satellite warehouses throughout the southeast. Most of ZAG’s entire inventory has been repaired, cleaned, and […]
August 28th, 2020
Material handling equipment is a broad category including bulk storage, resin conveying, resin receivers and vacuum systems. Bulk storage equipment ranges from large capacity silos to press side gaylord tilters. Resin conveying systems facilitate the movement of resin from storage through the various stages of processing. The engine for most resin conveying systems include vacuum […]
August 28th, 2020
there are several types of material dryers on the market. The kind of dryer chosen depends on the type of resin being used. Hot air dryers are the least expensive and oldest types of dryer in use. Used for non-hygroscopic resins that will not absorb moisture, they are comprised of a heater, a blower, and […]
August 28th, 2020
Magnetic platens are an affordable option for injection molding presses that are greater than 50 tons and in which the mold base temperature is below 250 degrees. The fact that the molds do not have to be modified in order to use them, makes magnets a very competitive option for retooling the production floor. […]
August 28th, 2020
Injection molding is a process for producing parts by melting plastic resin, flowing it into a mold, pressurizing the plastic melt and finally letting it cool into a solid shape. Injection molding machines are usually classified by the systems that drive them: all electric servo driven, hydraulic, or servo hydraulic. Selecting the appropriate size and […]
August 28th, 2020
A hot runner is a complex set of heated elements that are used in the injection molding process. Hot runner controllers are used to ensure that the system is properly heated and cooled and that the plastic flowing into the molds is kept at a uniform temperature. Analog controllers operate on a simplified on/off model. […]
August 28th, 2020
A granulator is a piece of high-speed equipment that uses a combination of rotary and stationary knives to take larger feed stock items and reduce them to sizes suitable for further processing. The product is ground until it is small enough to be passed through a screen to promote uniformity of size. This is what […]
August 28th, 2020
Extruders create objects with a uniform cross-sectional profile. Material is pushed through a die, which creates a continuous length of product. Most extrusion presses are hydraulically driven, using either a direct drive oil mechanism or gear reduction box to produce proper screw rpm and increase screw torque. The kinds of dies used vary according to […]
August 28th, 2020
Blow molding machines</strong> are used to create hollow plastic objects in large quantities such as bottles jars, and other containers. The process involves a hollow mass of plastic, called a parison, which is heated, inflated to fill a mold, then cooled and ejected. Variations on the blow molding process can be done by extrusion of […]
August 28th, 2020
A plastic resin blender consistently and accurately combines materials prior to processing in order to supply a uniformly blended mix of material according to a predetermined set of criteria or recipe. Volumetric blenders mix materials by volume. Gravimetric blenders mix by weight. Both types of blending equipment can be integrated with other equipment, such as […]
August 28th, 2020