Plastics Business - Fall 2012

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Plastics Business

Strategies for Today’s Plastics Processors

Contents fall 2012

profile

8

focus

trends

30

38

features profile Indiana Rotomolding Capitalizes on Multiple Locations ........................8 management Waste Eradication Culture Starts with a Toilet Seat: A Conversation with Paul Akers .......................................................... 14

departments director’s letter ..................6

production The View from 30 Feet: Pereles Brothers Joins Manufacturing Network ...................................................................... 16

product ............................22

solutions Moving Beyond Traditional Mold Cleaning Methods ........................... 17

advertisers .......................46

association .......................26

focus Plastikos Journeys Through ISO 14001 Certification ............................ 30 strategies DOE Brings Benefits to Process Design ............................................... 32 trends Why Plastic Flows Better in Aluminum Injection Molds ....................... 38 marketing Barriers to Sustainability in Plastics-related Industries........................ 45

4 | plastics business • fall 2012

MAPP Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference ......................36

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director’s letter

When You Least Expect It… Today, I left the MAPP office in search of something. I left behind the numerous tasks that all were waiting with strict deadlines, and I did this on purpose. I left the noise and the stress for no reason and no purpose other than to gain a clearer perspective on the journey ahead. During the time away, as I allowed my mind to wander, a really amazing thing happened…

Have you ever lost an item or personal possession and worked feverishly to find it with no success? I recently lost my cell phone. I went into panic mode, scrambling through my office while looking under papers, under my desk and in the trash can, only to discover that my right hand was not helping in the search because it contained the lost item! I know it sounds crazy, but many have told stories of their intensive search for items, only to find the item when the pressure of “the find” was relieved. It’s the ol’ “not seeing the forest through the trees” effect of being so laser-focused on getting a job done that great opportunities are missed.

The moral of my two seemingly mismatched paragraphs is this: When you are aggressively searching for something, oftentimes you will not find what you are looking for.

When you are not searching for something, it’s amazing what will actually find you!

Taking time for reflection and self-introspection is such an easy concept to understand– and scientifically proven to positively impact performance – yet it is one of the most difficult behavior-based tactics for today’s business leaders and managers to employ. The reason most don’t take the time to reflect is both humorous and ironic; we all believe that we are just too busy and too overwhelmed to take periods of our lives to listen to that creative voice inside of us, when in fact, a period of reflection may be exactly what is needed to reduce stress and find solutions to the issues causing that stress. “The quiet voice speaks loudly – when you listen,” is a phrase used by Kathleen Gage, an awardwinning professional speaker, writer and entrepreneur. Commenting on her recent course works derived from a book entitled The Power of Decisions, Gage studied evidence of the benefits of making decisions based on intuitive thoughts and the power of taking the time to listen creatively.

At no other time of the year could it be more appropriate to deliver such a simple, yet powerful, message. Taking the time to remove one’s self from the “trenches of business” to explore, to listen and to give permission for creative thinking can lead to game changing tactics, strategies and personal rejuvenation.

I would like to invite you to take the time to reflect at MAPP’s Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference on October 11th and 12th in Indianapolis, IN. During this twoday, no-nonsense business engagement, hundreds of plastics manufacturing business professionals will make the decision to withdraw from the trenches in order to take the time to reflect on their businesses. During this reflection, each will have opportunities to benchmark, discover best practices and meet world-class resources. Each will have the opportunity to hear the spectacular and creative voices of others, while they take the time to listen to their own. And many will ultimately discover life-changing things they never knew they were looking for!

Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors, Inc. (MAPP) 7321 Shadeland Station Way, Suite 285 Indianapolis, IN 46256 phone 317.913.2440 • fax 317.913.2445 www.mappinc.com MAPP Board of Directors President Kelly Goodsel, Viking Plastics Tom Boyd, Blow Molded Specialties Dan Cunningham, Parish Manufacturing Tom Duffey, Plastics Components, Inc. Lindsey Hahn, Metro Plastics Technologies Matt Hlavin, Thogus Products Companies Laurie Harbour, Harbour Results, Inc. Ben Harp, Polymer Conversions, Inc. Bob Holbrook, Viking Plastics Tom Houdeshell, Atek Plastics Stu Kaplan, Makuta Technics John Passanisi, PRD, Inc. Jeff Randa, PolyOne Distribution Alan Rothenbuecher, ICE Miller LLP Scott Titzer, Infinity CleanRoom Solutions Mike Walter, MET Plastics, Inc. Rick Walters, DeKalb Molded Plastics Roger Williams, Royer Corp.

Wendy Wloszek, Industrial Mold & Machine

Plastics Business

Strategies for Today’s Plastics Processors

Published by:

Peterson Publications, Inc. 2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, KS 66614 phone 785.271.5801 www.plasticsbusinessmag.com Editor in Chief Jeff Peterson

Advertising/Sales Janet Dunnichay

Managing Editor Dianna Brodine

Contributing Editor Jen Clark Melissa DeDonder

See you in Indianapolis!

Troy Nix

Art Director Eric Carter

P.S. I plan to share the amazing thing that happened on the day I left the office with conference attendees!

Additional Graphic Design Becky Arensdorf

6 | plastics business • fall 2012

Circulation Manager Brenda Schell

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it possible.

Indiana Rotomolding Capitalizes on Multiple Locations

by Dianna Brodine The history of Indiana Rotomolding is similar to a complicated math equation, with plant locations added and subtracted as the ownership changed. Founded in 1988 as Elkhart Plastics, the company grew to four locations, primarily serving the recreational vehicle tank market in Northern Indiana, before it was sold to Promens hf, an Icelandic holding company, in April 2006. Promens had seven other locations in North America, and the former Elkhart Plastics companies were rolled into one large group with 11 total facilities. Five years later, Promens sold its US operations to a private equity firm. Shortly thereafter, US-based ownership group Indiana Rotomolding, Inc. (IRI) approached the private equity firm with a plan to purchase the three Indiana plants, as well as custom molding plants in Littleton, CO and Ridgefield, WA. The common denominator? Jack Welter. Welter joined Elkhart Plastics as an accountant, remained as an executive

8 | plastics business • fall 2012

during the years when the company was owned by Promens and was a key figure in assembling the ownership group that formed Indiana Rotomolding in 2011. Welter currently is the president and CEO of the 500-employee custom rotomolding operation.

National Footprint, Diversified Markets Today, the five facilities that make up Indiana Rotomolding produce a variety of custom molded products related to the recreational vehicle, commercial vehicle, marine and agricultural industries. These include RV tanks and storage liners, marine furniture, agricultural diesel and DEF tanks, hoppers for salt used in ice removal from roads, cases for mining drill bits and highway safety products. One item not on the ‘typical molded product’ list is produced at the Littleton, CO facility – roping steers used for rodeo training.

profile

Indiana Rotomolding produces volumes from several hundred pieces up to 30,000 per year, depending on the product. Since many of the molded items are very large (one rotomolded dumpster produced by IRI measures 8’x8’x8’), transportation costs would be prohibitive if the products need to be shipped across the country for delivery to an OEM. The location and number of IRI plants has proved an advantage.

“Our national footprint is unique in our industry,” Welter said, “and it allows us to serve customers that need product across the US.” Each plant has its own product lines, with its own production schedules. The exception is the occasional request by a customer to move a mold closer to an OEM, which happens periodically with products like the large dumpster product line. “We can move tooling as necessary, but our plants typically run as stand-alone businesses,” he explained.

Facilities range in size from Littleton’s 45,000-square-feet to Middlebury’s 200,000-square-feet. Forty-one carousel rotomolding machines are divided among the group’s five plants. In addition to rotomolding, IRI offers mold fabricating, assembly, part design and packaging. Three of the facilities also are ISO 9001:2008 registered.

“In almost all cases, our product goes directly to the OEM,” explained Welter. “We do not ship anything from our facilities that needs additional work performed, so we’ll do whatever assembly is asked of us, within reason.” Examples include attaching metal framework or wheels to a product, trimming (whether hand trimming or CNC trimming) or special packaging. “With our process,” said Welter, “Half of our page 10 u

Welter, located at the 70-employee headquarters facility in South Bend, IN, has general oversight of all five facilities.

While the operations staff of the outlying plants report to him, Welter relies on his managers to make daily operational decisions. “It comes down to having good, quality people running those operations,” he said. “I can’t possibly be involved in the day-to-day operations of all five facilities, nor do I want to be. We can only be successful if we have the right people in the right spots.”

Indiana Rotmolding has diversified significantly over the past five years, realizing that the company’s roots in the recreational vehicle market, while still important, also are highly recession-sensitive. “While the recreational business still is a large part of our company, we already have significant market share in that area” said Welter. “We’ve made a focused effort to branch out. After analyzing the markets that make sense for rotomolding, but that we weren’t participating in, the agricultural and commercial vehicle markets made sense for us. We knew it could be significant for our progress.” IRI focused its efforts on pursuing business in those markets and has been successful, primarily with diesel and DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) tanks.

Heavy-duty Requirements While many of the companies profiled in Plastics Business have focused on small, easily repeatable injection molded parts, Indiana Rotomolding often molds products containing in excess of 400 pounds of plastic. Parts of that size have heavy-duty requirements, both in terms of space and personnel.

An IRI employee attaches a mold to a rotational molding machine.

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 9

profile t page 9 people are running machinery, and the other half are in some stage of the assembly, trim or packaging process.”

Across the company, 10 employees are dedicated to mold fabrication. These mold builders are highly skilled aluminum fabricators and welders. “They’re taking plate aluminum and forming molds out of it,” Welter explained. “It’s a very manually intensive process that requires a high degree of skill.”

Welter continued, “In almost all cases, we bring in someone with aluminum welding experience, and we train them to build the tooling we run. It’s all in-house, on-the-job training.

We try to hold on to those people, because it’s a unique skill set.”

With employees spread across five facilities, it’s difficult to have a training program for all employees that is consistent since needs vary. The operations managers at each location are responsible for identifying what training is necessary and then administering that training, whether internally or by bringing in outside resources. “Unfortunately, we have

A diesel fuel tank is checked for leaks during a pressurized dunk test.

a portion of our workforce that is constantly turning,” said Welter. “For production positions, we use temporary agencies and then hire those employees into a full-time position once they pass a 90-day probationary period and have completed training.”

Rotomolding is a demanding job, and Indiana summers can have temperatures climbing and employees sweltering. “The machine operators have the most physical job,” explained Welter. “The oven is roughly 12’x12’x12’. It runs at 600 degrees and the doors open every 20 minutes, so in the summertime it’s warm.” It’s important to Welter that the employees feel valued for the effort and ‘sweat’ they are putting into the company. “We have a casual atmosphere that focuses on satisfying our customers’ demands,” said Welter.

“I do not want to over-manage. I believe in getting the right people in the right jobs and allowing them to get the job done.”

Pursuing Opportunity Indiana Rotomolding has not only seen the industry consolidation of the past few years, it has lived it. The company is determined to take advantage of its position as a major player and parlay it into greater opportunity. In the near future, IRI looks to add onto its South Bend facility and will be acquiring two new rotomolding machines to serve new customer demands. “We have seen modest growth in some of our long-term core markets,” Welter said, “and we have pursued other markets and been successful. Now, our

10 | plastics business • fall 2012

PRLTD_AD_3.75x4.875_062810.indd 1

6/28/10 12:50 PM

plan is to look for conversion opportunities and to expand our footprint in the US.” IRI actively is looking for products that are currently made out of fiberglass, but would lend themselves to the rotomolding process. “That’s a perfect opportunity for us,” Welter said.

“We recently converted a pontoon boat helm from fiberglass to plastic, and our Colorado plant converted a fiberglass enclosure for a water testing station into plastic.”

With seven engineers on staff, conversions from fiberglass or metal can range from a concept that needs to be tweaked to run effectively with the rotomolding process to incorporating new features into a part that it didn’t have. “Rotomolding allows a lot of design flexibility,” he continued. “The molds are relatively inexpensive, compared to other plastics processes, and rotomolding can make virtually any shape imaginable.

That allows us a tremendous amount of flexibility.”

IRI has seen a number of conversion examples, and historically, it has been an area of growth for the company.

A molded part is loaded into a fixture on a 5-axis CNC machine for detailed trimming.

“We do not grow our business by lowering our prices to take business from a competitor,” he added. “That’s not a healthy way to expand.”

Expansion, for IRI, means more than simply expanding product lines. As mentioned previously, the large hollow parts produced via rotomolding can be a concern when it comes time for shipping to the OEM. “That’s one advantage to the footprint of our plants,” said Welter. “However, we do not have great coverage in the Southeast, and we’d like to remedy that.” That expansion will be dependent on finding page 12 u

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profile t page 11

Products molded at IRI include large hoppers for salt used to remove ice from roads and molded pontoon boat seat structures.

the right piece of business, since IRI prefers to develop a partner relationship, rather than building from the ground up.

In the meantime, the five facilities of IRI will continue to focus on the footprint and financial strength that allow it to serve both small and large companies better than its competitors.

“Our level of service, professionalism and expertise are

what makes us different,” Welter explained. “We certainly go out of our way to do whatever it takes. Each plant has at least one customer service representative on site, our sales staff is actively involved in the day-to-day business of their customers and our engineering staff is top-notch. I think that helps differentiate us.” n

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management

Waste Eradication Culture Starts with a Toilet Seat: A Conversation with Paul Akers

by Dianna Brodine

When Paul Akers steps to the podium as a keynote speaker at MAPP’s Annual Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference on October 11th, attendees will be prepared to begin a conversation about waste eradication and lean manufacturing.

They might not expect the conversation to start with a bathroom – after six years of writing and editing Plastics Business, that’s certainly not what I anticipated. But Akers isn’t what you might expect, and that’s what gives his message impact.

To conduct our interview for this article, Akers and I video conferenced via Skype from his hotel in Phoenix, where he was presenting to one of the largest construction companies in the world. The emails we exchanged prior to the interview often contained a voice file, rather than a typed message. A quick internet search revealed a multitude of videos, including one posted in early August that listed eight ‘deadly sins of waste’ found at a food vendor’s stand while Akers was attending an Oshkosh, WI Air Show. Akers wants to connect with people in a tangible way, whether a oneon-one interview or via a YouTube video – he wants to share his message of waste eradication in a way that is relatable.

Most of all, he wants to teach others how to see waste in everyday activities, just as he does.

A

kers claims he came out of the womb wanting to make his living in manufacturing. At an early age, he had a lawn mowing business, and he believes he was the most productive, organized and thoughtful nine-year-old lawn mower on the block. As a teen, he worked with Bob Taylor to build more than 2,000 world-class guitars. From there, he began restoring beautiful historic homes, building furniture and designing custom cabinetry.

“I had a pretty rich background in manufacturing,” Akers explained. “I was good at what I did, respected for what I did, sought after for what I did. In other words, I knew what I was doing! Then I started FastCap and began to apply those skills to developing workworking equipment.” Soon after opening the company, Akers hired a consultant. Imagine the surprise when the consultant told Akers he was doing it all wrong. That’s when Akers’ lean journey began.

Applying the Toyota Production System at FastCap FastCap is a 50-employee product development company that specializes in equipment for the woodworking industry. A wide variety of machinery is on hand to meet production needs, including rapid prototyping, CNC, injection molding, printing, diecutting, aluminum fabrication, welding and a full cabinet shop. Many of the employees are cross-trained, with skills in up to ten different areas.

While the company prides itself on its waste eradication culture now, the early years were eerily similar to what many MAPP

14 | plastics business • fall 2012

Members have experienced: inefficiencies in the manufacturing process were holding the company back.

“The biggest thing was batch work,” said Akers. “A customer would order 10,000 FastCaps a day, and we would make 100,000 pieces because it was easier. Then when the order came in, we would bill it out. In the meantime, we had all of this inventory and no one to sell it to.” When challenged as to the reason for the excessive production, the answer was another common manufacturing concern – laborious and time-consuming changeover for dies and molds. The consultant stepped in and a process that was taking 45 minutes was suddenly taking five minutes. The light bulb turned on for Akers. “I realized there were faster ways to do everything,” he explained. “They taught me how to see waste, and the problem is that most people don’t see it. It’s about changing your mind to see things differently.”

Akers now can see waste in even everyday situations, as evidenced by the video explanation of waste at the food vendor stand. Seeing waste, however, is only the first step. “We are filled with waste,” Akers explained, waving his hands for emphasis. “I am filled with waste. I’m the expert, and I am a waste monger.”

He said, “Yesterday, I was with Turner Construction. I woke up at 4:30 a.m., worked out and got to a meeting around 6:30 or 6:45. I spoke at that meeting, I walked around the plant and I gave the company ideas of how to eliminate waste. Look at that day! I told them, ‘If we’re lucky, the value-added aspect was maybe an hour and a half.’” Akers explained, “At that point, I

had been up for eight hours and I had delivered an hour and a half of value-added time. And I travel around the world teaching this!”

Akers and the team began by asking key questions, such as: Is it organized? Is there clear process control? Is it a sparkling place, and is it highly functional? Is it efficient?

Building a Waste Eradication Culture So, if the expert admits that he has a problem acting on his own waste eradication principles, what must be involved in building an entire manufacturing culture around them? Akers believes that the responsibility begins at the top and involves an investment of both time and money. “I only have one job as the CEO of my company: to teach and train my people to continuously improve.

The priority of my company is that my people understand lean, can see waste and are implementing improvements on a daily basis before they ever start work. They can’t do that if I don’t invest the money and the time required to teach them well,” he explained. To ensure that training is consistent, FastCap employees attend a one-hour FastCap University each morning before production begins. “If lean is important, we do it before we work,” said Akers. “We are training people to function effectively.”

“It took a month and a half to roll out our bathroom,” said Akers.

The team took everything out of the bathroom and decided which cleaning supplies were truly needed. Then a standard was creating for how to clean the bathroom, with all supplies and storage areas labeled. Kanbans were created for everything. “The bathroom is the one area of our company that everyone visits at least once a day. If we can’t be lean in the bathroom, I can’t expect the rest of the company to be lean,” he explained. And the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Akers.

“Everyone agreed that this was really cool! We have $500 toilet seats – the best there are! We want our employees to have the best of everything. And if they have the best of everything in the bathroom, and the space is highly organized and efficient, then they know we expect the same standards everywhere.”

At the heart of FastCap’s waste eradication culture is one concept that Akers pirated from a very close friend. The friend was able to boil waste eradication down to one statement: Fix what bugs you. “Every day, our employees are required to make one improvement – one thing that improves the job environment or the production process. If they’re having a hard time making an improvement for the day, I say, ‘What bugs you?’ It’s part of teaching them to reason and think. It’s teaching them to find the things that bug them and eliminate the waste.”

He continued, “Lean is so amazing – such a critical piece to how we do business. The problem is nobody wants to do it! If people would do it, they would say, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is easy!’”

Making what was obviously a rookie mistake, I asked Akers how he gets his employees to buy into the waste reduction philosophy if no one wants to take on the responsibility.

Akers laughed and shook his head. “No! No! You’re asking the wrong question!,” he said. “It’s not about getting them to buy in.

Waste reduction is their job. It is mandatory. It is not something I ‘want’ – it’s their job. That is the purpose of our company. That is the key difference in what we do at FastCap.” Making a Toilet Seat the Center of Lean At FastCap, Akers believes that improving quality and eliminating waste only can happen once a culture has been established in which employees understand how to see waste in every situation. “If you’re not eliminating waste, you’re not doing lean,” he explained. “That is the tenant of lean. The question is how do you eliminate waste? That’s where the disconnect happens.”

So Akers started with the obvious choice. “There’s only one place to start the lean journey,” he exclaimed, “and it’s the bathroom!”

I asked Akers about the impact of the waste eradication culture at FastCap, expecting a quantifiable number, a benchmark or a ‘before and after’. Akers delights in confounding expectations.

“The only thing that really matters to me is that my people are happy,” he said. “We make great money, everyone raves about us, we’re revered in the industry and we haven’t raised our prices in six years. It’s nice, but none of it matters. The only thing that matters is that I’m happy to see my people, and they’re happy to see me.”

Fixing the things that bug the people who work at FastCap has made for a positive, productive working environment, which led to successful manufacturing years despite a struggling national economy. “The way you improve quality is through the elimination of waste,” said Akers. “And the way you do those two things – improve quality and eliminate waste – is to develop a culture where people can see waste.”

In the end, Akers reminded me, “You don’t become lean. It’s a lifetime journey.” n Paul Akers will discuss the lifetime journey to lean at the MAPP Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference in Indianapolis, IN, October 11-12. Follow the QR code to see Akers’ two-minute video on the 8 Deadly Sins of Waste encountered at a recent air show, or visit www.paulakers.com to see more of Akers’ videos.

Scan this QR code to discover Akers’ 8 deadly sins of waste at the air show.

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 15

production

The View from 30 Feet: Pereles Brothers Joins Manufacturing Network

by Jen Clark

Business gurus often talk about the view from 30,000 feet – the big picture that provides a look at overall operations. Perhaps, however, the focus should be on the view from 30 feet – a close-up of specific processes and procedures that make an impact now.

Building a collaborative relationship with other manufacturing partners often is the key to gaining new customers or retaining long-time customers with new production needs. Pereles Brothers, a Milwaukee, WI-based injection molding company, has joined an innovative business network that unites members in the manufacturing community from Chicago to Milwaukee.

Pereles Brothers has served the medical, food service, automotive aftermarket, electrical and other industries with a customerfocused approach to the design and development of specialized products since 1925. The company recently joined the Chirch Global Manufacturing Network, a group of 14 companies that serve as a one-stop-shop for clients looking for customized work to bring a project to fruition.

Pereles’ introduction to the Network was happenstance. Jeremy Hahn, a representative of Chirch Global Manufacturing, visited the custom injection molding facility in May to speak with Purchasing Manager Dan Baneck about pricing for a project. When their conversation turned to the network, Baneck asked Ted Muccio, president of Pereles, to join the discussion. “I was intrigued by the concept,” Muccio said.

By the next week, Network founder Anthony L. Chirchirillo was in Milwaukee to tour the Pereles facility. “He basically did an audit of our company,” Muccio said. “He met with all of our people. We talked about our business plan and where the company is going. Everything happened very quickly – within a few weeks.”

The Chirch Global Manufacturing Network was created by Chirchirillo in 2011. It is a collaborative business model of bestin-class manufacturers creating added value for customers. It

16 | plastics business • fall 2012

consists of small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies that combine tool-and-die, metal stamping, fabrication and other capabilities and resources to offer a high-quality, one-stop resource. The network includes more than 1,400 employees, more than 1,000,000 sq. ft. of factory/warehouse space and aggregate annual revenue of more than $225 million.

While Pereles Brothers has only been involved for a short time, Muccio said the benefits of joining are clear. “I’ve been able to meet a number of other sources in the Network that we will be able to utilize for projects such as metal stamping,” he said, adding Pereles recently received four requests for quotes from within the Network. “It allows me to have more boots on the ground, so to speak. We can use members involved in the Network to produce part of a job and that gives us more selling power.”

The companies within the Chirch Global Network are located in Illinois and Wisconsin. The addition of Pereles Brothers “adds a new dimension to our collaborative manufacturing business model,” Chirchirillo said in a news release. “Including Pereles Brothers in the Chirch Global Manufacturing Network achieves an unprecedented level of cooperation among manufacturers in the Chicago to Milwaukee corridor for the benefit of our customers.” n

solutions

Moving Beyond Traditional Mold Cleaning Methods

by Steve Johnson, ToolingDocs LLC

In the majority of molding plants around the globe, more labor hours are spent cleaning mold plates and tooling (see chart) than any other repair stage. There are two reasons for this: (1) clean plates and tooling are critical to maximizing mold life and the quality of the product; and (2) the vast majority of molds still are being cleaned primarily by hand.

New (and old) technologies in cleaning equipment that could drastically cut cleaning hours and reduce tooling damage are slow to catch on. The obvious reason for this is the ROI quandary… is there really a more efficient way to clean molds other than by hand? How does one cost-justify new cleaning equipment when hand cleaning has been the norm for years? A two-part article

series will address cleaning methods, myths and how to costjustify new cleaning equipment.

The Cleaning Culture – Different Strokes Mold cleaning is a stage of repair during which maintenance slows to a crawl while repair techs remove, clean and reinstall hundreds of pieces of tooling, usually by hand, using techniques passed down through on-the-job training. Plants do exist where molds line hallways and toolrooms, taking up valuable bench space while waiting to be cleaned.

Other times, in order to meet production demands, molds get reset while still dirty or the cleaning process is rushed, which page 18 u

Corrective Action Report from a 20-press medical molder that targeted, and made great strides in, reducing total defects.

When defect frequency drops, so do corrective actions, but percentage of cleaning time stays the same.

Time Frame

Year 1

Total C/A Count

C/A Type Performed

Total Corrective Actions performed (rework, polish, replace, cleaning, etc...)

All Corrective Actions (rework, polish, replace, stone, etc...) compared to “cleaning” tasks

1124

“Cleaning” All Corrective Actions

Total Repair Hours

Labor Costs

Cleaning %

Related Repair Hours

Cleaning Costs (labor only) almost doubles the costs spent repairing

Notice the “Cleaning” hours percentage remains consistent

224

1378.2

$74,215.00

68%

900

690.15

$34,257.50

Total of CA Types

$108,472.50 Year 2

1010

“Cleaning”

262

2550.14

$127,407.00

All Corrective Actions

748

1412.44

$70,622.00 $198,029.00

Year 3

887

“Cleaning”

215

2058.75

$102,887.50

All Corrective Actions

672

1042.05

$51,952.50 $154,840.00

64%

66%

This chart shows that “Cleaning” costs almost double “Repair” costs over three years (See Column titled “Labor Costs.”).

Also, the percentage of time spent cleaning remains fairly consistent over the three years---also typical.

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 17

solutions t page 17 means tooling is subjected to more damage through hurried handling. The questions are asked, “Can we run it the way it is?

Does it really need to be cleaned?”

In companies where firefighting is the accepted culture, the mold will be reset and started. If all the parts come out clean – hurrah!

– it runs! Once this happens a few times, a culture is fostered, and it is assumed that molds only need to be cleaned when the residue level is bad enough to migrate onto the part or when the mold locks (galls) up. As one repair technician told me, “We run them until they squeak, leak or break.”

Other maintenance strategies enlist non-skilled employees or toolroom apprentices to wash tooling and plates as fast as the repair technician can get the mold apart. This also is a bad plan because washing all track marks from the tooling and plates before evaluation makes accurate troubleshooting and mold condition assessments extremely difficult.

Over-cleaning, while not an industry epidemic, is accomplished primarily through too frequent cleanings using abrasive, hands-on methods like coarse scrubbing pads, emery cloth or sandpaper, stones and many kinds of machine-mounted brushes

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equipped with bristles made of assorted compositions, such as brass and steel.

For some companies, short production runs are the norm. In those cases, a mold might be in the press only a few hours or days versus weeks and months. In order to be more proactive, molds are torn down and cleaned when it is not necessary, opening the door for wear and damage through overscrubbing, component handling and mixed-up tooling.

Attitudes and Skills Cleaning is not the popular stage of repair for employees who more enjoy the challenge of troubleshooting or machining. Hand cleaning typically is messy, monotonous and a potential health risk. In addition, there is a presumed lack of talent required to accomplish the task.

On the flip side, mold cleaning also can be the part of the job where typical tools consist of a soft chair, a cup of coffee, a good supply of cookies and a radio. Components and plates then are hand scrubbed with a variety of brushes, sandpaper and abrasive pads while critical edges and shut-offs slowly are worn away.

The cleaning stage of a PM usually does not require the skills of a top-shelf toolmaker. But, it also is not cost-effective to place this responsibility in the hands of a technician who is unfamiliar with the mold’s specific defects, its function or the critical seal areas of the tooling, or one who has “rough” tool-handling skills. Doing so will create continuous and difficult root cause discoveries of mold performance issues while inflating the tooling budget through the addition of dings, burrs, scuffs (there is a difference) and rounded-over edges, along with premature plating or steel wear. These types of issues start many of the fires that are present in a reactive system that does not continuously track and count defects and corrective actions.

Cleaning Schedules and a Cleaning Checklist The idea of systemizing mold maintenance is structured around establishing consistency in repairs required (mold performance) and repairs performed (maintenance) based on cycle counts (see Maintenance by Numbers, Plastics Business Fall 2011).

Freelancing techniques on a “clean after it needs it” schedule greatly affect mold reliability, part quality and the tooling budget. To be cost effective, mold cleaning must be performed • At specified cycle frequencies (within an accurate range).

• Using specific instructions for varying levels/depths (in-press, wipe down, general, major) needed at specific frequencies to get consistent results.

• After troubleshooting mold and part defects (sequence is everything).

• After corrective actions have been made. page 20 u

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solutions t page 18 •

After new tooling has been engraved with position number and installed.

Determining an accurate cleaning schedule is a critical part of the RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) strategy that many shops are using. Scheduling factors include the following: • Type of product (volumes, quality requirements) • Type of resin (processing requirements, fouling characteristics) • Type of mold (close tolerance, high cavitation, wear characteristics)

For molds to be reliable, it also is critical to know the internal grease level and condition of gear racks, seals and o-rings, internal pins and bushings, sliding cam blocks and other moving components, along with water line and bubbler contamination, hot manifold weepage, rust and corrosion from water leaks or condensation. All long-running molds should have in-press servicing procedures, frequencies and maximum cycle counts that are adhered to as much as possible. There are many areas of a mold where excess grime can cause problems that won’t be first flagged by residue or water leaching out onto the product/ part.

Cleaning instructions and frequencies should be determined by Many molds have self-cleaning vent passages, meaning – in visual and physical (measuring) inspections after a known number toolmaker terms – that they are highly polished. Cleaning and of cycles. At that point, technicians should look for residue build- then polishing vents to a SPI #A3 finish or better prevents the up in vented and non-vented areas of tooling and plates, steel/ residue from adhering to the rougher surface that milling or plating wear and track marks (minor scoring of moving tooling) grinding leaves, allowing the residue to be blown into the larger and water lines. It is important to learn how many cycles molds vent dump area. This keeps the vents cleaner longer and also safely can run and to document observations concerning residual allows potential cycle increases between cleanings. The amount accumulation and wear. Doing so underscores the significance of residue present in the vents and dumped at a particular cycle of accurate observations. If not, mold cleanings will be taken for count will be a huge factor in determining cleaning schedules. granted FR-NPE-PlasticsAd-3-75x4-875-PostShow-outlines.pdf as a non-critical function, and expensive mold tooling 1 4/5/12 4:04 PM Not checking the contamination level of water lines on a gets treated like rusted garden tools. scheduled frequency is an industry epidemic that needs to be a focus before problems such as a decrease in cycle time, flash, dimensional issues and others are first flagged by quality assurance or production. All it takes is .030 (basically a 1/16 reduction of the ID) per side of rust or calcium to form on the ID of a waterline to reduce cooling efficiency by 60 percent!

How Clean Is Clean Enough?

The type of fouling (chemical make-up and physical characteristics) or residue the molding process leaves behind on your tooling will help determine your cleaning requirements.

Many resins contain stabilizers, fillers or release agents that leave residue in the form of grease, light oil, yellow waxy film, rust or white-colored dust. Some resins, such as PVC, will create hydrogen chloride gasses and are corrosive to many types of mold steels. Other resins with flame-retardants, which contain antioxidants, will plate-out and attack steel over time.

Some types of color pigments stain steels, leaving a build-up that can be very difficult to remove. Even plain water will do harm if left on untreated mold surfaces too long.

In true RCM mode, molds only are cleaned as much as is necessary to carry them through a predetermined number of cycles at an acceptable level of quality without causing unnecessary damage to plates and components. Scrubbing or sandblasting all oxidation stains and discoloration off even non-critical tooling and plates not only is a waste of time, but also opens pores that allow rust to form. That rust will slowly

20 | plastics business • fall 2012

erode the surface and edges, requiring replacement long before it should be necessary.

is a primary reason molds experience quick residue build-up, excess wear, premature tooling failure and flash defects.

Unfortunately, it only takes minutes of run time to acquire initial staining on unplated, untreated and non-stainless surfaces. This easily is seen in molds that are thoroughly cleaned, run for a couple of hours and then pulled for a changeover. What is important here is to get the surface relatively clean. The plates don’t need to “shine” to do their job. An adequately cleaned plate with the proper rust protection is the key to longevity.

Always use a rust preventative so corrosion and residue gassing do not take root in the steel. These can easily be removed with non-abrasive techniques that will be discussed in the second part of this article, to appear in the Winter issue of Plastics Business.

Proper scheduling and the use of the right cleaning equipment for your molds and processes, combined with documented methods and frequencies, can reduce cleaning hours by as much as 50 percent and considerably reduces tooling wear. This makes the ROI on cleaning equipment less than 60 days, in many cases.

Also used to abrade the surface of molds are high-pressure blasting units using a variety of media, such as glass beads, walnut shells, lead and aluminum. If used frequently or in an unregulated maintenance environment, these abrasive methods slowly pound the surface of steel like microscopic chisels, causing residue to adhere to the now super-porous surface. This

Typically, the best method will involve two or three different technologies designed to clean specific types of residue. These technologies will be addressed in the next issue of Plastics Business, along with their cost justification. n Steve Johnson is the operations manager for ToolingDocs, a provider of mold maintenance training and consultation based in Ashland, OH. He designed and developed MoldTrax™, a documentation software system for tracking mold performance and maintenance. To learn more, call 800.257.8369 or visit www.toolingdocs.com.

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 21

product

Conair Develops Liquid Dosing Unit, Filter Drawer

Processors using liquid colors and additives now can benefit from the accuracy and simplicity of gravimetric (lossin-weight) metering technology with the new TrueFeed™ LQ liquid feeder from the Conair Group, Cranberry Township, PA. The liquid feeders eliminate the need for time-consuming color calibration and adjust automatically for changes in material and processing conditions. This results in easier set-up and greater processing up-time for increased productivity.

An optional wheeled trolley base can be added to support the liquid additive canister, weigh scale, pump and TrueFeed control, creating a compact, portable metering system. Another innovation, a filter-drawer feature, eliminates the need to remove the receiver lid on DuraLoad vacuum receivers to perform routine screen inspection and maintenance. The slim module can be fitted between the lid and body of the receiver and features a slide-out drawer containing the filter-screen disc. The filter drawer adds only 3.5" to the installed height of the receiver and is available in all Conair DuraLoad diameters in stainless steel. A special high-temperature version also is available. For more information, call 724.584.5500 or visit www.conairgroup.com.

Dynamic Conveyor Improves Parts Separator

The DynaConÂŽ parts separator from Dynamic Industries, Muskegon, MI, has been redesigned and offers several new benefits, including a lower price. Solid one-piece rings have been designed to replace the previous ring construction, which included 12 segments joined together to create one sturdy ring. The solid one-piece construction provides a very smooth rotation of the drum cage. The drum cage offers quiet operation while rotating separates usable plastic parts from the scrap runners that result from the injection molding process. The time needed to manufacture one-piece rings vs. 12-piece segment rings is greatly reduced, allowing shorter delivery times for the DynaCon tumbler separators, which equates to lower costs. For more information, call 800.640.6850 or visit www.dynamicconveyor.com.

22 | plastics business • fall 2012

PolyOne, Stratasys, rp+m to Collaborate on Project

A three-year collaboration between university and industry experts will develop advanced materials and production parts using three-dimensional printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing.

PolyOne Corporation, Cleveland, OH, will work alongside researchers at Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, OH, and other companies on the project, which was made possible through an Ohio Third Frontier grant of nearly $3 million. The group will develop and produce polymer formulations that will be used in specialty applications for the aerospace and automotive industries. Other project participants include GE Aviation, West Chester, OH; Rapid Prototype and Manufacturing Inc. (rp+m), Avon Lake, OH; and Stratasys, Eden Prairie, MN. For more information, visit www.polyone.com.

Milacron Develops Servo-Driven Rotary Platen

Milacron LLC, Batavia, OH, has introduced a rotary platen for multi-component, high-volume injection molding. The Varian Turntable can be flush mounted on the moving platen as a modular component of the system. The servo-driven turntables come in seven sizes, designed to fit injection presses with clamping force from 3303,300 tons, and include a remote operator pendant.

For more information, call 513.536.2000 or visit www. milacron.com. n

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for attendees and numerous opportunities to learn from each other, exhibitors and sponsors. A key sponsor for this year’s event is RJG, a company that provides plastics industry professionals with training both on location and online.

RJG has been the industry’s leader in scientific molding implementation for over 30 years, and its goal is to make RJG’s customers the most sought after molders in the world.

RJG is the only company that provides cutting-edge digital sensor technology, a comprehensive and robust process control system, plant-tested implementation strategies and indepth consulting and training under one brand. The company provides key benefits to MAPP members with discounted training opportunities and more.

Benchmarking Conference Approaches MAPP’s Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference is merely weeks away as plastics manufacturing executives prepare to head to Indianapolis, IN on October 11-12.

Known annually for being the gathering place of plastics manufacturing executives, MAPP’s conference is headed toward a record-breaking crowd as early registration numbers put the organization on track to attract nearly 375 polymer processing leaders.

Attendees to this year’s event will be treated to a fresh approach that will showcase this no-nonsense business exchange, designed to provide profit-impacting information to senior executives in the manufacturing industry. During the day and a half event, attendees will hear from Paul Akers, president of FastCap; Tom Connellan, author of 1% Solution; Pedro Moya, Google and most importantly, from plastics manufacturing professionals who will share their stories of how they have improved their businesses over the last year with innovation and technology.

New at this year’s conference will be the MAPP signature Ignite Session. It’s a learning format that’s fast, extremely informative, fun and focused! Presenters during the Ignite Session will convey strategies and tactics that have invigorated their companies. During this quick-hitting session, multiple presentations will be made in short 5-minute bursts, keeping attendees on the edge of their seats.

This conference is unlike any other and will provide attendees with tools, benchmarks and resources to enhance their operations.

This year’s “Road to Excellence” theme will encompass networking opportunities

26 | plastics business • fall 2012

MAPP Webinar Series: “The Impact of Virtual Mold and Process Development” MAPP began working with Corporate Partner SIGMA this year to provide members with increased mold flow analysis opportunities. On Wednesday, November 7, at 11 a.m. EST, MAPP and SIGMA will host an initial webinar on the impact of virtual mold and process development on the injection molding business. Injection molding production facilities can benefit from recently introduced virtual mold and process development software throughout their entire business.

Molders not only can have first-shot success on new parts, but also can optimize productivity, material, energy and labor utilization on current production. This advanced technology can be used to improve the communication process between molders and designers, essentially supporting marketing and sales efforts, but also easing communication within production facilities and supporting process documentation.

The capability of process simulation software to accurately consider the entire mold and injection molding process changes the way injection molders manage their operations and grow their businesses. Using business cases, this webinar will show how the use of SIGMASOFT® impacts nearly every aspect of injection molding operations.

This webinar will cover productivity, profitability, communication, ramp up of new production, material and energy consumption, sales and marketing and process documentation. To register for the webinar, go to MAPP’s website: www.mappinc.com.

page 28 u

American Manufacturers Celebrating 15 Years of Membership MAPP is celebrating a major milestone in its members who have been involved in the working with plastic processors and the supported the association: Aucilla, Inc., Decatur Plastic Products, Inc., Drug Plastics Holzmeyer Die & Mold Manufacturing, Molding and Assembly, Makuta Technics, PRD, Inc., Precision Plastics, Inc.,

history, as 2012 marks the anniversary of a group of organization for 15 years. In 1997, MAPP began following companies have consistently Bo-Witt Products, Inc., Bullard, Closures, Grote, GTR Enterprises, Indiana Roto Molding, Infinity Metro Plastics Technologies, and Tasus Corporation.

association t page 26 MAPP Launches New Shipping Program for Members MAPP is pleased to announce a new member benefit – a new shipping program. MAPP has established an agreement with PartnerShip®. PartnerShip is a well-established organization working with more than 100 association groups, over 17,000 businesses and many of the best carriers in the industry. This new program will provide members with the opportunity to save substantial dollars on every shipment – inbound, outbound, small, large and tradeshow.

Enroll in the MAPP Shipping Program and MAPP members will save on select FedEx® services for all express packages, ground packages and small-package residential delivery services.  Save up to 29 percent on select FedEx Express® services Save up to 20 percent on select FedEx Ground®  services  Save up to 10 percent on select FedEx Home Delivery® services Members also save at least 70 percent on less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipments arranged through PartnerShip with leading national and regional freight carriers, plus receive special pricing on tradeshow shipments.

If a MAPP member already uses FedEx, the existing FedEx account will automatically be linked to the new discount program. All MAPP members also can benefit from the PartnerShip Inbound Shipping Management tools, which help members save on every shipment received from suppliers.

Inbound or outbound, small or large shipments – members save with the MAPP Shipping Program. For information on how to sign up for this new program, please log into the MAPP

28 | plastics business • fall 2012

website, www.mappinc.com, and go to “Cost Reduction Programs” under the members only section.

Get GHS Compliant with MAPP and SiteHawk SiteHawk can help MAPP member companies streamline and improve their chemical data management program and meet the new HazCom Standard requirements. Members of MAPP are able to take advantage of SiteHawk’s innovative cloudbased MSDS and GHS solutions, offering a complete approach to MSDS management, chemical inventory tracking and product sustainability initiatives.

SiteHawk is a leading innovator in cloud-based MSDS and chemical data management solutions. Organizations in virtually every industry utilize SiteHawk solutions to manage their hazard communication programs, meet regulatory and environmental compliance initiatives, manage chemical inventories and chemical data, publish material safety data sheets and keep workers safe throughout the organization. With customers spanning the globe, SiteHawk continues to lead the environmental health and safety industry in customer satisfaction with a greater than 99 percent customer retention rate.

SiteHawk is offering MAPP members a 25-percent discount off all standard services, plus GHS transition assistance and a dedicated customer manager to help with becoming GHS-compliant and meeting each company’s chemical management goals. The benefit of working with SiteHawk is its ability to streamline the implementation process so there are minimal company resources needed to become OSHAcompliant. For more information, visit the Cost Reduction Programs tab under the Members only section of the MAPP website. n

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www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 29

focus

Plastikos Journeys Through ISO 14001 Certification

by Melissa DeDonder

I

ssues concerning worker health and safety have been thrust into the national spotlight recently, following the audit of one of Apple’s key suppliers, the Foxconn manufacturing facility in China. “Because Apple is a leader in the marketplace, many other manufacturers are taking note,” said Philip Katen, president and general manager of Plastikos, Inc. “We’ve seen an increase in surveys from our current customers and prospective customers who want to assess how their overall supply chain is performing in those same areas.”

Plastikos took a hard look at its material consumption and its opportunities to reduce internal scrap and waste. Engineering Manager Ryan Katen championed these efforts, and the engineering team developed a proprietary method to reduce material consumption, which was a combination of ideas – many of them small changes – that would reduce raw material consumption, waste and scrap.

Plastikos, Inc., an injection molding company in Erie, PA, has no problems meeting and exceeding demands for employee health and safety and environmental stewardship. The company recently announced its fulfillment of the of the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System (EMS) certification requirements.

“ISO 14001 certification is a differentiator for us. It solidifies that we are a leader in regard to health and safety, regulatory/legal compliance and environmental stewardship. Both existing and prospective customers can clearly see that they are not at risk when they partner with Plastikos,” Katen said.

In 2009, shortly after the company was named the local Green Company of the Year, Plastikos began its formal efforts to apply for the ISO 14001 certification.

The company assessed the certification requirements in each of the three categories. “We were fulfilling the majority of the certification requirements before we formally committed ourselves to the process,” Katen said. “Our gaps were in the formality of the process – the documentation that is required for certification.”

To build the initial groundwork for the formal documentation, an intern pursuing a degree in an environmental science field spent his summer working with an external consultant who specializes in the ISO certification process. This team joined Manufacturing Manager Rob Cooney and other employees who represented various departments across the organization to ensure that all of the company’s bases were covered.

30 | plastics business • fall 2012

Plastikos was named Green Company of the Year in 2009 by the Young Erie Professionals organization.

“On one order these changes may not add up to a lot, but when you look at them in terms of thousands of orders and hundreds of millions of parts shipped each year, these changes translate into sizeable savings to Plastikos’ bottom line. And, they have a significant impact on the environment in terms of the reduction of raw materials and resources that otherwise would have been consumed,” Philip Katen said.

The company’s other environmental initiatives included converting from hydraulic to electric presses; installing a high-efficiency central compressed air dryer system; replacing inefficient lighting fixtures with high-efficiency T8 ballasts; installing occupancy sensors throughout the building; transitioning from paper to electronic documentation; and initiating a comprehensive paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum recycling program.

As a result of these efforts, Plastikos saves more than 275,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, which equates to preventing nearly 200 metric tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Katen added that being green means more than just reducing a company’s footprint. “More often than not, a well-developed environmental strategy will prove to be beneficial from a manufacturing stand-point, as well as from a company’s cost structure, which in turn, yields many down-stream benefits such as increased quality, efficiency and, ultimately, profitability. This improves the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the organization, which improves the profitability flow to the bottom line,” Katen said.

Both Katen and Cooney caution not to push green efforts too far though. “As a manager, you have to look at each effort and ask yourself whether or not it will make sense for your company. If it does, then you need to carefully assess how far you can take the effort before it no longer yields a positive return,” Katen said.

Although it may seem like a “simple” solution, Cooney cautions against eliminating paper and printing completely. “Paper can help keep people focused throughout a certain process, as opposed to going on electronic autopilot – simply clicking a few buttons and forgetting about what they’re actually doing,” Cooney said.

its sweet spot and has experienced a significant reduction in paper, toner and ink consumption.

ISO 14001 certification is no small feat, which can make it an elusive deterrent for some manufacturers to pursue. Katen and Cooney shared what they believe are three secrets for success: Having leadership who are on board with certification; Having an internal culture with a strong desire for continuous improvement; and Having a facility that has been designed with sustainability in mind.

Katen said that Plastikos is constantly reminded of the importance of ISO 14001 certification through audits from existing customers and sustainability surveys from potential customers on a regular basis. “We’re one step ahead of the game when we can say, ‘Not only can we check off all these boxes that you’re looking for, but we already have our ISO 14001 certification.’ It quickly eliminates most, if not all, of their questions or uncertainty, and has proven to be a differentiator for Plastikos” Katen concluded. n

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“It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears – you want to find those efficiencies that are just right for your company, while being mindful of what your employees need to do their jobs effectively,” Katen said. Another requirement of ISO 14001 certification is to show evidence of continual improvement.

“Once you’ve found your sweet spot, you can focus on maintaining it while looking for new opportunities to further reduce the environmental impact,” Katen said. Plastikos found

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 31

strategies

DOE Brings Benefits to Process Design After decades of working with multiple industries, I have found only one developmental tool that works when things are not going as expected. That tool is Design of Experiments (DOE). It is a statistically based tool that allows evaluation of simultaneous input variables and the impact they have on contradictory requirements.

When developing a new product, the customer wants to achieve a certain level of product performance. The manufacturer wants to have a certain level of production efficiency. The end user wants to have reliable performance in the field. All three groups want to accomplish these things within a reasonable budget and timeframe. DOE can find flaws that prevent the achievement of these goals.

How Does DOE Work?

DOE is a method that can simultaneously change input variables and extract their individual contributions to an output variable. While it is a mathematical tool, the keys to success lie with the non-math activities. The first step is to determine what needs to be learned. This tends to be a balance between performance objectives, and sometimes includes business needs (cost, as one example). Second, the measurements of the results that will indicate progress toward those needs must be determined. Multiple measurements are not uncommon for a real-life situation, though many textbooks will only show one. Next, determine the potential input variables that may influence those outputs. This is balanced with the available budget and schedule. Finally, these items are translated into a predefined matrix to allow extraction of the relationships desired. After the data is collected, a statistical analysis is performed to provide a mathematical model and to determine the learning obtained. Based on the findings, either a recommendation for change is made or further testing is required to obtain deeper learning. Any step may return to an earlier step if there is a contradiction that needs to be resolved.

Let’s consider the DOE tools in a few different areas of use.

Performance Testing for Product and Process Design First, let’s consider performance testing. This can include either product or process performance. To a degree, product and process design are similar. A product feature may require a new process. On the other hand, an incapable process could dictate a product change. Let’s give an example of both.

32 | plastics business • fall 2012

by Perry Parendo, Perry’s Solutions, Inc.

At one time, I was responsible for a battery design project.

The company had an internal piece of software which could provide performance information based on high-level design inputs. Using our detailed CAD model, we could understand the design constraints that created the design space for this particular application. Using a DOE approach allowed us to understand the design (the sensitivities), so we knew where to tighten certain inputs to ensure we met a customer need.

It also let us know where we could relax standards to create a more cost-effective product. However, other aspects of the design required empirical testing as they could not be predicted with current knowledge. Again, DOE was used to understand these aspects of the prototype hardware and fill out the design settings. This approach created a high level of confidence going into the final and successful verification testing.

Design of Experiments Methodology u Define need u Identify result measures u List potential inputs u Translate into DOE matrix u Generate data u Perform analysis u Interpret results

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On the process design side, a design and iterative perspective often is lacking. In one case, a fairly well-established ultrasonic welding process was being used for prototypes.

However, it was not meeting the requirements – was it even the right process for these materials? Were we just using the recommended settings? Were we understanding what would work for this particular design? Opinions were mixed on what the issue was – an overly demanding requirement or a process not tuned properly. With a combination of two DOE tests, a balanced process was found, but it took us outside the traditionally acceptable operating range for these materials.

The eventual process was confirmed and the parts accepted by the customer. Years later, the process continues to produce parts that meet the customer needs. This fact is a reflection of the discipline used during the early stages of the project.

Another example is from a coating application. A manufacturing facility was being refurbished. In parallel with the equipment installation, lab samples were coated. We wanted to apply enough thickness to be protective without overusing material. At the same time, we wanted to have an attractive finish on the product, which often requires thicker coatings. With the lab optimization, we were able to apply the process setting after the equipment was purchased and put into place. This created the best start-up ever when production was ramped up to full speed. We balanced the requirements of protection, appearance and material usage.

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Product design is a great application of the DOE tools; however, it has historically not been a high percentage of use.

I sometimes call these applications “doing your homework.”

By developing an early understanding, surprises can be avoided downstream.

Manufacturing Applications: Production Efficiency The next application area is production efficiency. This could be reflected as low yields, assuming that a level that made production a good business decision had previously been achieved. If a poor design (product and process design) was released to manufacturing, then the homework was not done.

There are two examples here for consideration. In the first, the process had previously been capable for a major client with a multi-million dollar product. Our failure to deliver was creating a huge and noticeable hole for them. We had a few ideas of what the issue could be, but if all ideas were implemented, it would increase production time and costs.

How could we “quickly” evaluate them all? Using a DOE approach, we were able to confidently find the solution in an afternoon, and then communicate to the customer, with page 34 u

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strategies t page 33 confidence, that the solution was going to be permanent.

Luckily, the solution was a no cost and no effort addition.

Often times, the process of problem-solving consumes weeks of deliberation, creating high doubt and dissatisfaction with the customer. Instead, we reacted within eight hours of the finding and were able to ship with an approved customer deviation.

The other example is from a process that was not known to be capable, but was already released to manufacturing. We had been “lucky” to have “nominal” conditions that allowed the product to pass the test. A short amount of DOE testing showed that the entire reasonable process window was not able to confidently provide an answer to the problem. This led to a change in the equipment set-up, and allowed for the change in performance. With DOE testing, we could create the confidence in this new solution, and move on to other situations instead of having to babysit this particular item.

early indicator measures. For instance, we could measure the diameter or length of the critical parts. Maybe we could measure the surface finish of the parts, to see the beginning of deterioration. It could be that a weight measurement would be a good indication. Maybe a leak rate could be measured – either with a back-filled oil or gas environment. Another option could be acoustic measurements. Lack of change of these values, over a period of time, would provide indications of improved reliability, but over a much shorter duration than the full test. Picking the best combination of variables for this short-term test is expected to provide the best opportunity to pass the long-term test.

Product Reliability and Availability Finally, DOE can be applied to product reliability where there is concern about a product’s ability to perform in a variety of environmental conditions, such as high temperature, high humidity or a high UV exposure. Other concerns include aging or product wear over time, sensitivity to noise factors or electrical voltage and changes to system performance. As a category, this is sometimes called robust design.

In Conclusion If well-known principles are in place, a DOE approach still can help in understanding the sensitivities of the design. For instance, the sensitivities can be understood through use of a computer simulation. If the principles need to be determined, a DOE approach is certainly required. This approach works equally well for product and process design, though the traditional applications of the 75-year history of DOE has been to resolve manufacturing issues after product release.

However, those situations could be avoided if addressed much earlier in product and process development in R&D. It is essential to get the homework done early to create a competitive advantage; thus, getting products to market at a much faster and more confident pace. n

To achieve true reliability takes a considerable amount of time. However, if we can find “indicator” measures of reliability, then we can accelerate the evaluation and testing.

When working on the reliability of a wearable item, to determine the actual wear out time would take a very long time, even with accelerated testing methods. However, some simple prototypes can be created and measured with

Perry’s Solutions is a consulting company offering new product design, program management and training services, specializing in using Design of Experiments software to improve products and solve problems for medical device companies and other manufacturers. Perry Parendo, president, can be reached via phone at 651.230.3861 or through his website, www.perryssolutions.com.

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Networking

MAPP’s Benchmarking and Best Prac�ces Conference is a no-nonsense business exchange designed to provide prot-impac�ng informa�on to senior execu�ves in the plas�cs manufacturing industry. The overall mission of hos�ng this annual event is to help plas�cs company leaders improve their manufacturing opera�ons and business tac�cs in order to improve margins and sustainability. Past a�endees of this conference will tes�fy that this is the best format in America for execu�ves to effec�vely understand their current market posi�on and true poten�al.

MAPP’s conference is anchored with best prac�ce presenta�ons and seeded with leading edge MA benchmarking informa�on derived from the industry’s best known sources of sta�s�cal informa�on and ben expert analysis. Known for being the absolute best benchmarks in the industry, presenta�ons at MAPP’s exp conference iden�fy and correlate protability to opera�onal behaviors, tac�cs, and more. con As tthe compe��ve nature of business con�nues to increase, good company leaders are stretching the limits to improve agility while increasing throughput with their exis�ng assets and internal resources. As limi the theme each year, MAPP will address major issues and challenges faced by industry leaders while iis th addressing Leadership, Manufacturing Best Prac�ces, the latest Financial Benchmarks, keys to becoming Opera�onally Excellent, strategies for building a Workforce Pool of Talent, and the importance of becoming an Employer of Choice.

While nearly 400 Plas�cs professionals from around the United States are expected to gather in Indianapolis, IN on October 11-12th for this year’s event, the Conference Commi�ee has again succeeded in keeping an in�mate se�ng with a special recipe of inspiring presenters who will provide solid, implementable ideas and take-aways and a great blend of networking ac�vi�es designed to help professionals expand their network of resources and contacts.

This year’s theme of the ROAD TO EXCELLENCE will build on the integra�on of innova�on, technology, business execu�on, and the never ending pursuit of perfec�on!

NEW at this year’s conference will be the Ignite Session. It’s the learning format that’s fast, extremely informa�ve, fun, and focused! Presenters during the ignite session will convey strategies and tac�cs that have invigorated their company. During this quick hi�ng session, mul�ple presenta�ons will be made in short 5-minute bursts keeping a�endees on the edge of their seats.

Ignite Session

Join us for a showcase of ideas and concepts that might be bold, possibly brash, maybe even brilliant - but never boring. All presenters will be processors with the intent of sharing with other processors how they are using technology and innova�on that has had a high impact on their company.

Topics to be covered will range from work related, personal, informa�ve and inspiring, profound and provoca�ve, all following the Ignite theme: “Enlighten us, but make it quick!”

Following the session, a�endees will be given the opportunity to engage with any of the presenters that peaked their interest and learn more about the project/technology/concept.

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36 | plastics business • fall 2012

“ROAD TO

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InnovaƟve Speakers

Paul Akers, founder and president of FastCap LLC, based in Bellingham, WA., is one of the innova�ve leaders in manufacturing excellence. FastCap, an interna�onal product development company founded in 1997, has over 2000 distributors worldwide. A prolic inventor, Paul holds US and interna�onal patents and constantly pushes the bounds of innova�on as his company launches approximately 20 new products annually. As a two-�me winner of the business of the year award, Paul will share his culture building methods with a�endees and literally demonstrate innova�veness in ac�on.

Paul’s new book, “2 Second Lean” was wri�en to inspire readers about lean culture, lean thinking and lean manufacturing. No ow charts or graphs, just the real life journey of one company and the astounding results a lean culture and lean thinking can produce. A�endees looking for new, implementable ideas will nd this session to be no less than amazing.

Named one of seven tough talking and truth telling keynote speakers, Tom Connellan will present ac�onable ideas for a�endees to incorporate into daily prac�ces on the plant oor. Tom’s book, “The 1% Solu�on”, conveys that in many cases the true difference between being good or a truly great company can be literally just tenths of a percent away in focus and effort. As proven in previous engagements, this presenta�on will apply to every single a�endee; the key to building sustainable prots in an upside down world lies not in trying to be 100% be�er than your compe��on; it lies in simply being a li�le be�er, maybe by just 1% , in every strategy and tac�c used in a company. Most importantly, a�endees will quickly grasp that the Road to Excellence has no bounds and no limits because all of the possibili�es literally reside in the capacity of individuals at all levels becoming just a li�le be�er at what they do - even in the face of greater instability.

Save $100 and register before August 10, 2012 The power of the MAPP organiza�on is at it’s highest when members are helping members. During last year’s conference, MAPP launched the ini�a�ve to connect staff level professionals in a number of func�onal areas (i.e. HR, Purchasing, Engineering, Opera�ons, and more…) with other individuals serving in the same capacity. Over the last year, staff level professionals have connected on a number of occasions, helping solve problems and serve as a support system.

By having such an expansive and energized group of professionals, leaders have iden�ed MAPP’s Func�onal Area Group program as signicant in helping execu�ves nd new ways to solve problems and locate new and more efficient ways of doing business. During the Roundtable Sessions, a�endees will have opportuni�es to interact and dialogue about key issues they are facing. With the desire to have the conference serve as an outstanding team building opportunity, these func�onal area roundtables will provide your team members with an enhanced support system that will posi�vely impact job performance.

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trends

Why Plastic Flows Better in Aluminum Injection Molds

by David Bank, Aluminum Injection Mold Co., Dave Klafhen, Advent Tool, Ron Smierciak, Alcoa Forged and Cast Products The following article is an investigative study directly comparing melt flow characteristics of general purpose resins in QC-10 aluminum molds and P20 steel molds.

There have been numerous articles published regarding the cycle time advantage aluminum molds have over steel when configured with the same gate, part geometry and cooling channels, but there is little specific information available to demonstrate why this happens and how it improves the injection mold process.

Alcoa Forged and Cast Products (Newburgh Heights, OH) teamed up with Aluminum Injection Mold Co. (Rochester, NY) and sponsored a case study to uncover the differences known to exist when molding thermoplastics in aluminum versus steel molds.

The key objectives were to quantify the differences by comparing how thermoplastics react in an aluminum mold versus a steel one, measure those differences and share the results of the experiment. The results should help moldmakers and molders better understand the potential savings and improvements for molding plastic components in aluminum tools, specifically addressing the following: 1) How plastic material flows longer distances with less injection pressure, when compared to steel 2) How molds fill faster and more efficiently 3) How parts have minimal warp and better dimensional stability Aluminum’s thermal conductivity is nearly five times greater than that of steel (Table 1). In an article published in Moldmaking Technology magazine¹, Douglas Bryce discusses an IBM tooling study comparing identical aluminum and steel molds producing the same plastic components over a five-year period. The article suggested that the aluminum molds cost up to 50 percent less to build and can be delivered in one-half the time. It went on to say these tools produced higher quality products having cycle times that were 25 to 40 percent less than the steel molds.

In 2005, an article written in the publication Flowfront² looked at computer simulation of cycle time and cooling versus actual molding. After carrying out simulations on 12 parts, which had

38 | plastics business • fall 2012

Measurement Thermal Conductivity

QC-10

P20 92.2

20.2

BTU/ft/hr/ft / F 2 O

Table 1

very different characteristics in terms of shape, size and plastic materials, it was concluded that significant savings in total cycle time could be realized by using aluminum instead of steel molds.

Cycle time savings of 10-20 percent were seen in cases where there were no critical tolerances linked to the deformation of the part due to the effect of the heat. However, savings of 60200 percent were seen in cases where heat deformation affected critical design tolerance levels.

Studies like these are relevant to the industry and this case study looks at the basis of why plastic flows better in aluminum.

Tooling Spiral test molds, built in accordance to ASTM D3123-98 were selected for the tool design. This shape would standardize the channel length, size of overall mold, cooling and gate location. In addition, each mold was fitted with a series of four thermocouples to monitor and document, in real time, what the metal does when injected with molten plastic. All the thermocouples were connected to a data logger and computer for data collection. For the aluminum molds, a QC-10 mold plate was used and for the steel molds, a P20. Six molds of identical geometry were built - three in QC-10 and three in P20. The spiral mold shape was sized at 6mm wide and channel depths of 1mm, 2mm and 3mm, respectively. The sizes of the tools were a standard 7x8” master unit die and all the mold plates were the same thicknesses.

The sprue diameter was identically sized for each of the six unit molds. Identical water lines were drilled to complete the cooling circuits. Four of the six molds, the 1mm and 2mm molds in both materials, were fitted with thermocouples that came in from the back and were approximately 0.5mm from the cavity surface. On the 3mm spiral unit molds, a fifth thermocouple was placed into secondary vent area to monitor the vent temperature

during molding. All six molds were laser engraved on the “A” side in inch increments from 1” to 67”. The surfaces were finished with a 600 grit stone. The test was set up in a 55 ton Toyo injection mold machine.

Seven unfilled, general purpose thermoplastic resins were selected for this trial: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, ABS, PC/ABS, nylon and polycarbonate.

Molding trials Trial One: Same melt temperature, same mold temperature per manufacturer’s recommended parameters; seven resins, six tools This trial fixed a predefined orifice, a predefined temperature and a predefined injection pressure (< 1000 psi). A 25-piece sample was run for each mold group. The hypothesis suggests that the flow lengths would be dramatically different between the QC-10 and the P20 molds because of aluminum’s higher thermal conductivity. The material was dried for the prerequisite period of time and prepped for molding. The melt temperatures were set to the resin manufacturer’s recommended settings and the molds were brought up to the manufacturer’s recommended temperature as well. The P20 molds were run first in all the materials.

The data found the average spiral flow length to be 10” to 15”, consistent with the manufacturer’s specifications. The QC-10 molds were run in all

Figure 1

the materials as well, expecting to produce a dramatic difference in flow length. It did not.

The flow length results were in the same range of the P20 molds. The findings were puzzling. In the end, all the materials yielded basically the same results in all the molds used, which was not the expected outcome.

With over 25 years experience in processing aluminum tools, this trial was expected to demonstrate what is known to be true. The group had to stop and rethink the page 40 u

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trends Polystyrene, 465 Melt Temp, 90 Sec. t page 39 situation. It was searching for something it knew was there, but did not know how to quantify it, yet. After much discussion, it was decided that the group needed to run the same materials in a trial that included pack and hold.

Trial Two: Seven resins; six molds with monitored temperatures, pack and hold The second trial was initiated, again recording temperatures. The injection mold pressure remained at the baseline of the material used from trial one. This time the experiment was to process each unit mold as if molding a run of parts in production. Each mold trial began as a short shot (shorter length spiral, in this case) and proceeded to pack out the part to get the best achievable result.

Cycle was established when the sucker pin pulled the sprue clean and the part was cool enough to eject. Cycle time and mold temperatures were documented for each tool running at least 25 parts at cycle.

In the QC-10 molds, the temperature graph during this process showed a near vertical increase in temperature from mold set point of about 10 to 12 degrees to an immediate drop back to set

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40 | plastics business â&#x20AC;˘ fall 2012

Figure 2

point before the mold opened. For a point of reference, the mold cycle for polystyrene was 12.2 seconds as the QC-10 group of molds was finished. All three thicknesses, although yielding shorter flow lengths going from 3mm thick to 1mm thick, were in the same 12.0 to 12.5 second range for total shot-to-shot cycle.

The P20 steel molds were run at the same temperatures as QC-10. The first observation was the change in how the mold temperatures reacted as the molten plastic was injected. The temperature did not spike up and down with the same intensity as it did in the QC-10 molds. In addition, the cool down time was much more gradual. Also, P20 typically overran the mold temperature set point by an average of about 20 degrees. The increase in the mold temperature due to the injection melt was an additional 15-20 degrees. With all this excess temperature, i.e., mold overshooting and temperature increases with very slow recovery, a difference of 20+ second cycle shot-to-shot in P20 versus the QC-10 cycle of about 12 seconds was noted. At this point, we believed we had finally found the reason that plastic molds better in QC-10, and we decided to continue another trial to verify our findings.

Trial Three: Two materials, one amorphous and one semi crystalline, 3mm unit molds of QC-10 and P20, pack and hold It was decided to use only polystyrene (amorphous) and nylon (semi-crystalline) with the 3mm unit molds in QC-10 and P20 in this verification trial because virtually no differences in flow length between any particular mold family and between any materials in the previous trials were found. It was important to look at melt temperature versus flow length versus cycle time. The trial began with temperatures on the low side of the resin manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommended barrel temperature for the resin being used. Mold temperatures were set to the lowest recommended set temperature. The P20 mold ran in both materials and cycle times, mold temperatures and injection pressure was noted. Then the QC-10 mold ran in both materials, again noting cycle times, mold temperatures and injection pressures. After compiling data, all temperatures were moved to the highest barrel temperature and each mold was run with both materials, again collecting same data. In both page 42 u

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trends t page 40 Nylon, 555 Melt Temp, 90 Sec.

QC-10

P20

QC-10

P20

Polystyrene Melt – F

465

465

430

430

Mold – F

100

100

100

100

Cycle – sec.

12.3

21.8

12.0

17.5

Flow Length

34”

34”

27”

27.5”

Nylon Melt – F

555

555

510

555

Melt – F

150

150

150

150

Cycle – sec.

21.0

24.0

20.3

22.0

Flow Length

52”

53”

39”

39.5”

Table 2

Figure 3

temperature tests in trial three for polystyrene, QC-10 cycle time stayed consistent with findings of trial two, 12-13 seconds. In the lowest temperature test, P20’s cycle time was in the 20- to 21-second range, similar to trial two’s findings, but in the higher temperature test, it jumped nearly 25 percent.

Findings The QC-10 molds heated five times faster than the P20 molds, when set up to run each trial. Across all the trials, the QC-10 mold temperature stayed consistently within 1-3 degrees of the mold temperature set point. During the inject phase, a temperature spike of 10-20 degrees with an abrupt return to set point was observed.

The P20 mold temperature stayed consistently 10-25 degrees above mold temperature set point. During the inject phase, additional increases of 15-30 degrees were observed before slowly trending downward. When using the QC-10 molds, an appreciable change was not seen in cycle time, part to part, even when the materials were run at the high end of the manufacturer’s recommended melt/mold temperatures. However, the P20 molds continued to get hotter and the cycle time became even longer.

In view of these findings, it is not surprising that there are some plastic consultants extolling the virtues of running plastic resin as much as 100 degrees below the manufacturer’s recommended settings when using P20 or other steel injection molds, even though doing so could void the manufacturer’s guarantees.

Conclusion The results of this experiment were both a surprise and not a surprise.

It was not a surprise to prove what the group set out to prove, but the road that led it there was an unexpected one. It was pleasing to show that plastic parts molded in aluminum would minimize warp and enhance dimensional stability, allow molds to fill

42 | plastics business • fall 2012

faster and more efficiently and allow plastic material to flow greater distances with less injection pressure when compared to steel. It was demonstrated that using aluminum gives the benefit of making molds less expensive to produce, shortening mold delivery time, producing higher quality molded plastic parts and enabling the realization of producing more plastic parts per day.

The surprise in the experiment was that the expected results were achieved in a different, unexpected way. It was surmised that the desired results would be achieved because aluminum molds would take on heat from the hot melt during the injection phase, enabling the plastic to fill the mold cavity more quickly with less pressure and less density change. Conversely, it was thought that the steel molds would take on less heat, thereby creating more “skinning”, and restricting the flow front resulting in the need for higher injection pressure and causing density changes from the gate to the longest flow length.

What we actually found was that the QC-10 did not take on or hold as much heat as was previously thought, thus allowing the molten plastic to move in quickly and quench quickly, therefore there was not a density change due to excess injection pressure.

It was discovered that the steel actually took on and held much more heat. During the inject phase, plastic filled the cavity and stayed molten much longer, allowing for additional inject pressure, which caused density changes before solidification.

Hopefully the information provided in this article adds to the knowledge base used to consider aluminum as a viable choice for the production of injection molds. n References: 1. Douglas Bryce, Moldmaking Technology, “Why Offer Aluminum Molds for Production”, April 2002 2. Claudia Zironi, Flowfront Magazine, “Competitive Advantages of Aluminum Molds for Injection Molding Applications: Process Simulation Used to Evaluate Cycle Times”, April 2005 3. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), West Conshohocken, PA. Is a nationally recognized independent test agency. The ASTM test number D3123-98 describes a spiral flow mold for use with thermosetting molding compound, and also states there appears to be no universal standard for thermoplastics.

For further information, contact Aluminum Injection Mold Co. at tbergman@aluminuminjectionmold.com; Dave Klafhen, Advent Tool, at dklafehn@adventtool.com and Ron Smierciak, Alcoa Forged and Cast Products, at Ron.Smierciak@alcoa.com.

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Barriers to Sustainability in Plastics-related Industries

by Bonnie J. Bachman and Shristy Bashyal, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Margaret Baumann, GHA Associates

A

lthough many industries today recognize the importance of sustainability, it is not easy to address it effectively. This study focused on understanding the importance of sustainability as part of the corporate agenda in different plastics-related industries and the strategies these companies are implementing to address sustainability effectively.

What is sustainability?

When asked about the organizationwide definition of sustainability, 45 percent of the senior managers believed sustainability refers to addressing issues from a long term perspective. About 40 percent of the respondents who consider themselves an expert in the area indicated sustainability incorporates climate change, environmental, social and economic issues. About 47 percent of the companies based in the US believed sustainability refers to addressing issues from a long term perspective and 46 percent of the companies operating in three or more regions believe sustainability incorporates climate change, environmental, social and economic issues. These responses reflect the earlier discussion regarding the definition of sustainability: varied and multiple areas of emphasis.

The most significant external challenges faced by the respondents was insufficient customer demand or need (30 percent) and was followed by an absence of clear industry standards (23 percent). Please see Figure 5.

On the whole, not persuaded of a business case or proven value proposition was the most significant internal challenge noted in the survey (22 percent). This is of interest since respondents were almost equally split when asked if their organization had developed a clear business case or proven value proposition for sustainability. Other important internal challenges noted were a lack of understanding regarding the most effective ways to take action and not enough resources to address sustainability issues.

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsible?

When asked who is responsible for addressing sustainability issues, most of the senior managers of private, public or government organizations believed that each business unit in their company has responsibility. A majority of the academic professionals responded that all employees have a responsibility for sustainability. Most of the C-suite executives of private, public or government organizations said they do not address sustainability issues at all in their company. Of those that do address it, each business unit had a group responsible for sustainability, but no corporate wide coordination exists.

This last response from the C-suite executives did not reflect the majority of those completing the survey.

Overall, only six percent indicated their organizations did not address sustainability issues and 15 percent were not clear on who has responsibility.

Thirty-six percent indicated all employees have a responsibility with 11 percent reporting a senior or executivelevel individual has full responsibility.

What strategies?

From the survey, a majority of the companies in the size range of 500 MM+ are focusing on improving efficiency on energy consumption, whereas a majority of the companies in the <10 MM range are focusing on reducing waste. Results also indicate the majority of the medium sized companies are trying to design products or processes for reuse or recycle.

They also focus on sustainable packaging and efficient energy consumption. n Excerpted with permission from the author from an article appearing in Plastics Engineering. Members of SPE were surveyed to obtain data.

www.plasticsbusinessmag.com | 45

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Back Cover Federated Insurance .................................................................................................www.federatedinsurance.com ........................................................................................ 39 Frigel ........................................................................................................................www.frigel.com ............................................................................................................. 20 Harbour Results, Inc. ...............................................................................................www.harbourresults.com ............................................................................................... 12 Ice Miller LLP..........................................................................................................www.icemiller.com ........................................................................................................ 33 INCOE Corporation .................................................................................................www.incoe.com ............................................................................................................... 5 IQMS........................................................................................................................www.iqms.com ................................................................................................................ 3 Jade Group International ..........................................................................................www.jadegroupintl.com....................................................................... Inside Back Cover M. Holland ...............................................................................................................www.mholland.com ....................................................................................................... 23 MAPP 2012 Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference ......................................www.benchmarkingconference.com.........................................................................36-37 MAPP (Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors) ...................................www.mappinc.com ........................................................................................................ 46 Milacron Plastics Technologies ...............................................................................www.milacron.com/servo .............................................................................................. 34 Nexeo Solutions .......................................................................................................www.nexeosolutions.com .............................................................................................. 35 Paulson Training Programs, Inc...............................................................................www.paulsontraining.com ............................................................................................. 31 PLASTEC West .......................................................................................................www.plastecwest.com.................................................................................................... 44 Polymer Resources Ltd. ...........................................................................................www.prlresins.com ........................................................................................................ 10 PolyOne Distribution ...............................................................................................www.polyone.com/whatif ................................................................................................ 7 RJG, Inc. ..................................................................................................................www.rjginc.com/training ............................................................................................... 19 SIGMA Plastics Services, Inc. .................................................................................www.3dsigma.com ........................................................................................................ 41 Stout Risius Ross (SRR) ..........................................................................................www.srr.com .................................................................................................................. 40 Stratasys ...................................................................................................................www.stratasys.com/mapp .............................................................................................. 43 Strategic Marketing Partners (SMP) ........................................................................www.marketingformanufacturers.com .......................................................................... 33 Time Compression LLC ..........................................................................................www.timecompressionllc.com....................................................................................... 11 ToolingDocs ............................................................................................................www.toolingdocs.com ................................................................................................... 13 Ultra Purge/Moulds Plus International ....................................................................www.ultrapurge.com...................................................................................................... 21 Wiegel Tool Works ..................................................................................................www.wiegeltoolworks.com ........................................................................................... 29

46 | plastics business â&#x20AC;˘ fall 2012

WE WANT YOU TO WIN MORE BUSINESS

Easy start-to-finish communication with our experienced American mold designers Quality molds built to your high standards Quick delivery times â&#x20AC;&#x201C; up to 6 weeks faster Savings of up to 50% on all injection molds

Your strength is molding parts. Ours is building high-quality molds that save your business time, money and headaches.

Jade works closely with your management, procurement and engineering teams to build exactly what you need to win more jobs.

Partner with Jade to build your molds and let us make you look good.

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Email: sales@jadegroupintl.com Contact our VP of Sales, Anthony Stewart directly: 647-932-5193 www.jadegroupintl.com

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Whatever your process demands, Conair has a solution you can depend on.

Engineered to perform. Built for reliability. Backed by the best parts and service support in the industry. Share in our knowledge and experience.

Call 800-654-6661.

200 West Kensinger Drive l Cranberry Township, PA 16066 l 724.584.5500 l www.conairgroup.com