INJECTION MOLDING
A new eBook from custom injection molder The Rodon Group examines “Trends, Projections and Benefits of Reshoring.” It offers an overview of reshoring, outlining the benefits, historical and current trends, and long-term projections as the expenses and risks of using overseas suppliers have become more apparent. It also includes a checklist of factors to consider when deciding if reshoring would work for your operation as you make supply chain decisions. www.rodongroup.com/lp-trends-projections-reshoring
StackTeck’s white paper “Using Innovative Mold Technologies to Optimize Molding Cells” looks at alternative solutions in the development of injection molding cells, based on the mold making company’s expertise. It includes information on new mold technologies, post-molding part manipulation, customized downstream automation and assembly, design for high uptime and low mold maintenance, and more. https://stackteck.com/about/whitepapers/using-innovative-mold-technologies-to-optimize-molding-cells/
“The Comprehensive Guide to Metal to Plastic Conversion” from Plastic Components Inc. (PCI) lays out the process of taking parts that were initially made of metal and reproducing or re-engineering them to be made out of plastic, and addresses issues such as the role of design for manufacturing, types of plastic materials that can be used, associated costs and benefits, and more. PCI is a manufacturer of medium and high-volume, small and medium-sized injection molded parts. www.plasticcomponents.com/metal-to-plastic-conversion-guide
AUXILIARIES
Although pellet drying is a relatively simple process, it is occasionally a source of trouble when the pellets just do not seem to dry. That can send a processor on a search for problems within the drying system. Yet, if you’ve been following the polymer manufacturer’s recommended drying guidelines, the cause for poor drying can always be traced back to a few root causes. The Conair Group’s white paper “Troubleshooting Desiccant Dryers” describes the root causes of poor drying, the drying air circuit, regeneration and cooling, and more. www.conairgroup.com/resources/resource/troubleshooting-desiccant-dryers/
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
3-D printing disrupts the conventional models of how products are made, distributed and consumed, opening new opportunities. Companies that grasp this technology and leverage its capabilities realize benefits that provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace. “Gaining the Competitive Advantage,” from printer manufacturer Stratasys, gives a blueprint for growing your business with 3-D printing, showing about the business benefits of 3-D printing, its transformational impact across the product lifecycle and steps to get started. www.stratasys.com/explore/whitepaper/gaining-the-competitive-advantage
Fused filament fabrication 3-D printing is revolutionizing production processes. Ultimaker’s guide, “5 Ways to Stop Wasting Money on Production Processes,” shows how adopting 3-D printing has streamlined processes and cut costs across a range of industries, from automotive engineering to the beauty industry. It gives an overview of how 3-D printing removes common hurdles from production processes, such as outsourcing, or design for manufacturing rules. https://ultimaker.com/learn/5-ways-to-stop-wasting-money-on-production-processes
SMART MANUFACTURING
When it comes to taking advantage of data, the manufacturing sector lags behind other industries. Data accessibility is one challenge. Manufacturers are faced with complex infrastructures that create data silos, integrating smart manufacturing processes and tools can be expensive, and even when initiatives are taken to extract and share data, the failure rate is high. In the "Democratizing Data" eBook, MachineMetrics discusses the concept, outlines real-world cases and offers a three-step approach for enabling machine data democratization. www.machinemetrics.com/data-democratization-ebook
AUTOMATION
With the dawn of smarter, more adaptive tooling, robots can now function with greater speed, strength, safety and precision, accomplishing a wide range of tasks while maximizing ROI. Learn more on how to enable faster production at lower costs with the eBook “How to Grow your Business with Collaborative Applications” from OnRobot, which manufactures grippers, sensors and other end of arm tools for cobots. https://onrobot.com/en/onrobot-video-library
Implementing deep learning into an automation strategy can save money, improve inefficient processes and help increase throughput. Knowing the challenges with deep learning up front can help reduce problems down the line. Cognex’s eBook “Getting Started with a Deep Learning Factory Automation Project” helps set proper expectations and better understand how to avoid costly upfront missteps and lost time. Cognex produces vision systems, software, sensors and industrial bar-code readers. https://connect.cognex.com/mc-deep-learning-project-ebook
