Blog

Photo Credit: EconCore Since 2018, we’ve been pretty much on top of reporting on the latest developments with the proprietary ThermHex thermoplastic honeycomb technology of Belgium’s EconCore. The company started out with packaging as its largest share of licensing dedicated to applications in this sector and, as such, the range of polymers used primarily included PP, PE, PS, PET, nylon, PC, and ABS, with some projects using PPS and PEI.…

Hong Kong–based steel supplier King Steel Machinery Co. Ltd. has developed a mechatronic multiple injector and mold clamp system (MICS) that can be equipped with four injector sets. It can be used to produce double- or single-color finished products with a linear, disc, or mold configuration, reducing costs by 15 to 20%, according to the company. By increasing the number of injector sets for double-color offerings from two to four,…

At PTXPO 2022, one of the dominant themes was the emerging circular economy, and that means broader exposure to recycled materials and consequent variability. Fortunately, technology is on hand to deal with this. (Photo: Matthew Naitove) Cognitive dissonance can be defined as “the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other” (Psychology Today). That’s approximately what I felt when chatting with Gene Altonen at…

While shopping several months ago, I stopped dead in my tracks after rounding the supermarket aisle. In front of me was a mobile robot scanning shelves, presumably checking for out-of-stock items. The experience was both startling and futuristically impressive. This month, a robot at another retailer halfway across the globe is pushing boundaries farther. Fortunate shoppers at a high-end Selfridges on Oxford Street in London, England, can watch a  ABB…