3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing

Machine learning (ML) is revolutionizing quality control in manufacturing, enabling faster, smarter, and more efficient processes. By addressing the limitations of traditional methods, ML enhances defect detection, waste reduction, and overall reliability.

Borg-Warner Corporation introduced Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), an amorphous engineering thermoplastic, to the market in 1954. Since then, ABS has become essential across industries for its unique blend of properties. Today, manufacturers produce over 6,000 grades, ensuring its adaptability to diverse applications.

The SPE Foundation needs help to equip students with this valuable hands-on experience in engineering and design, empowering our future plastics workforce to tackle real-world problems. You can still contribute to the Giving Tuesday “Print the Future” campaign at give.4spe.org. 

Selecting the right alloy for mold manufacturing is essential for meeting industry demands for durability, thermal conductivity, and manufacturability.

Thermotropic Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs) have emerged as a high-performance engineering polymer, comparable to PEEK and PEI, for 3D printing in space environments.

The successful use of 3D-printed polyether ether ketone (PEEK) spinal implants highlights the powerful role of additive manufacturing in complex medical treatments.

A UK-based startup is revolutionizing the orthotics industry by streamlining the ordering and production processes for custom orthotics.

LOWPOLY repurposes spent coffee grounds (SCGs) into functional furniture through large-format 3D printing.

Reverse engineering (RE) in plastics processing has become an essential method for product reproduction, improvement, and optimization. It involves a thorough understanding of the design, manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance stages.

For more than 70 years, hot runner systems have become a vital technology in plastic injection molding, improving production efficiency and enhancing product quality.