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Unilever and plastic-packaging manufacturer Serioplast Global Services are transforming stretch blowmolded bottle prototyping using 3D printing technology from Formlabs. The result is much faster, less expensive mold making and prototype production and testing. Working together in Italy, Unilever and Serioplast used 3D printing to rapidly create molds and produce pre-production sample bottles made of PET. The molds were built using Formlabs’ Rigid 10K Resin and Form 3L large-format, stereolithography (SLA)…

A 128-cavity mold will produce 26-mm water closures in a cycle time of 1.9 seconds in a live experience at Netstal’s booth at NPE 2024. Netstal’s CAP-Line 4500 is identical to two production systems being used by Alltrista, a contract manufacturer based in Greer, SC. The line features an all-electric clamping unit with 4,500 kN of force and a dry cycle time of 1.4 seconds. An optimized barrier screw allows…

Even if you have not tried Liquid Death, you may have heard about its recent blockbuster billion-dollar valuation or at least seen cans of the trendy beverage, which spikes its advertising with a dark sense of humor. The company claims that its liquids will “Murder Your Thirst,” coming in flavors such as “Berry it Alive” and “Rest in Peach.” (I seriously enjoy the puns, even though I’ve never bought any…

Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) is widely used in everything from aircraft parts to windmill blades. Yet the very qualities that make it robust enough to be used in so many different applications make its disposal difficult. Consequently, most GFRP waste is buried in a landfill once it reaches its end of life. To address this problem, Rice University researchers and collaborators have developed a new, energy-efficient upcycling method to transform GFRP…

A medical in-mold labeling (IML) application will be showcased by Arburg at NPE2024. First presented at Fakuma in 2023 as a proof of concept, the compact turnkey production cell anchored by Arburg’s electric Allrounder 520 A “Ultimate” press will produce a centrifuge tube with label on the NPE show floor. IML is standard for packaging products, but the process is rarely used in medical manufacturing, said Arburg in its announcment.…

FDA’s ongoing investigation into plastic syringes made in China and distributed in the United States has revealed “more widespread” quality issues than originally known, the agency said in an update published today on its website. FDA first reported that it was evaluating the medical syringes on Nov. 30, 2023, after receiving information that the devices did not consistently deliver the correct dose of medication. FDA said in the update that…

Ahead of the fourth — and final — round of meetings of the global plastics treaty talks next month in Ottawa, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has requested a meeting with President Biden. In a letter sent to the White House on March 15, ACC President and CEO Chris Jahn outlined the elements needed for a successful global plastics agreement and asked to meet with the president to “address priority issues…

Electronics makers continue to pack more power into ever-smaller form factors. And, increasingly, they are also adding artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to their products. This may offer benefits to the consumer, but it also raises the stakes when it comes to keeping device temperatures down as computing power rises.  Just ask Eben Upton, CEO of Raspberry Pi Ltd. The UK-based firm makes small, single-board computers (SBCs) initially designed to help…

Carbon-emission reduction has become a buzzword in the automotive industry. BMW, Volvo, Volkswagen, Benz, Great Wall, Geely, and other automakers have announced their targets and action plans for carbon neutrality. Using low-carbon and eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastics, bio-based compounds, and spray-free materials, is one of the most important measures for automakers to reduce carbon emissions. Regarding recycled plastics: BMW and Volkswagen are gradually increasing the proportion of recycled…

Scale Advanced Biocomposites, an innovator in bio-based composite reinforcements, unveiled its BIO|Power and COR|Power product lines at the recent JEC World show in Paris. The materials are designed to replace or enhance carbon fiber in lightweight composites. By doubling down on the inherent benefits of natural fibers and bio-based materials, including low density and excellent damping characteristics, Scale enables composites manufacturers to move to sustainable materials and provide new levels…