PMM's most-read stories for March

Our series on plastics in the automotive industry led the list of the most popular stories on PlasticsMachineryManufacturing.com in March. Shortages and price hikes in the resin market also drew readers’ eyes. Did you miss anything?

1. Changing car designs and the transition to electric vehicles are creating demand and opportunities for molding machinery makers. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21211961/ 
2. Processors who make auto parts must maintain their quality standards as they take on new challenges, including acting as teachers for new players. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21211649/ 
3. Vehicle lightweighting — a mantra for the past decade — will become even more important to offset heavy batteries, say industry experts. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/article/21211984/ 
4. Manufacturers say tight resin supplies and price hikes in the wake of the Texas ice storm have put a crimp in production schedules. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21215638/ 
5. Additive manufacturing is carving out a niche in the automotive market for prototyping, customization and under-the-hood parts. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21211845/ 
6. A Wittmann Battenfeld expert says plastics facilities managers must weigh their production needs and goals when choosing between a beside-the-press or a central material-handling system. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/1213898/ 
7. A company that supplies fillers and foaming agents is seeing high demand from plastics processors to help them stretch their resin supplies. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21215640/ 
8. Checking electrical devices and current as part of a routine preventive maintenance program can help technicians keep machines running and avoid downtime, according to Fluke. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21213228/ 
9. Bausano's twin-screw systems, now arriving in the U.S. and Canada, are a good match for producing pipe, profiles, pellets, wood-plastic composites and materials for the medical industry. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21210697/ 
10. DELMIAworks looks at ways smart manufacturing is moving into the mainstream in 2021 to enhance the productivity of employees, rather than replace them. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21213797/