March 2024 Injection Molding Blog
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March 5, 2024
KraussMaffei Promotes Sustainability  
KraussMaffei is emphasizing sustainability across its various manufacturing platforms. It demonstrates how injection molding and other processes can promote carbon footprint reduction and circularity. One example demonstrated how the company’s processes and equipment could mold single-use blood vials and then convert them into highly durable bottle openers. Accomplishing this required the use of an all-electric PX251-1400 in conjunction with a 32-cavity mold and ExxonMobil’s PP 9074 MED material. Shredding the vials provided the base material for an upcycling process that made use of a ZE 28 BluePower twin-screw extruder. During this process various additives are added to the mix such as bonding agents and liquid pigments, everything is mixed and homogenized in preparation for the final step. Finally, the resulting compound is fed into an all electric PX 81-180, which utilizes the company’s APCplus control to measure viscosity fluctuations in the recycled vial resin and mold bottle openers. In another demonstration KraussMaffei’s Direct Compounding Injection Molding process is used to create reusable creates using three different recycled materials. This is done using the company’s GX 1100-4300 DCIM system. KraussMaffei has also displayed many more sustainable concepts. Learn more about this topic here.  
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March 15, 2024
Artists Use Injection Molding to Build Extremely Accurate Scale Model of 1st Century Jerusalem  
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Artists use injection molding to create an extremely accurate scale model of first century Jerusalem. The model is being built by artists from AiG’s design team. The model will include several model houses, trees and animals as well as 15,000 human figures. They plan to produce all of these elements using a sophisticated process that involves computer modeling and injection molding. After modeling the parts using a computer, they prepare the mold for casting by applying talcum powder to facilitate release of the part from the mold. After this the mold is placed in the middle of the injection molding machine. The mold is then filled with the chosen polymer mix and held under pressure until it is cool. Once cooled the molded part is ejected and ready to use. The process is very efficient, and it only takes a few minutes to produce the desired part. The completed full-scale model will be about 2,000 sq. ft. in area, and it will be divided into 3 sections that people will be able to walk around. The plan is to eventually house the model in the Jerusalem building currently being constructed at the Ark Encounter, scheduled to be opened in 2026. Learn more about this topic here.
March 30, 2024
Ocean-Bound Plastic to be Used in New Waterproof Outdoor Sockets and Switches ​
Avient will help Hager Group incorporate 27% recycled ocean-bound plastic in its  new cubyko leaf waterproof outdoor switches and sockets. Hager Group is a manufacturer of electrical installations, it supplies a variety of segments within the industry including residential, commercial, and industrial. The company was looking to develop more eco conscious products and it looked to long-standing material Avient to assist in developing eco-friendly solutions. The partnership grew even further with the support of Plastic Bank, which supplies ocean bound plastic waste. Avient uses the plastic waste to develop high-performance polyolefin materials. To aid in Hager’s goal of creating outdoor switches and sockets containing recycled material, Avient developed custom versions of its Maxxam REC Recycled Polyolefin formulations. As a result, Hager’s cubyko leaf products contain 27% ocean-bound plastic. Avient’s formulations will replace Hager’s previously used prime materials. The new materials meet all the required technical specifications including coloration to specific RAL colors, and good resistance to UV light, impacts, and scratches. Read more about this topic here.