Page 55 - Plastics News June 2023

TECHNOLOGY

function of the holding pressure and automotive sector. Additional exam- covers, or beverage crates and tab-
counteracts component shrinkage ples are components for white goods letops. Here, the nitrogen is injected
from the inside. As a result, the com- or home and garden tools, where precisely into the rib structures, in or-
pany claims that it reduces the forma- material savings have a substantial der to prevent sink marks on the sur-
tion of sink marks and warpage. This effect on costs. Some further com- face of the opposite side. Moreover,
aspect is of major significance primar- mon applications are media lines and the company believes this process is
ily for thick-walled parts. tubes for the automotive sector and also su fo fl pa w loca
parts for the furniture industry, such bulges. Typical examples here are car
Typical applications for Airmould tech-
as components for tables and chairs. outside mirrors, housings or reusable
nology are bar-shaped parts. These
boxes.
include all kinds of handles, levers, Apart from bar-shaped geometries,
brackets and hangers for weight re- Airmou can also u fo fl
duction, such as door handles for the parts with ribs, such as panels and

Tools You Can Use Now to Supercharge Production Efficiency

changes in the manufacturing envi-
ronment. Newer ERP solutions allow
for change, and the best ones allow
for fast adoption of new processes in
design, supply chain, and production.
The issue is that many manufacturers
are trying to make these changes with
older ERP solutions that are stuck in
1980's technology, and writing cus-
tomized code for this technology is
both time consuming and expensive.
If you need a 360-degree view of your
business, you need an ERPl — an ERP

rom open AI to tried-and- with an eye on scheduling while en- platform that allows for this reality and
Ftrue methodologies like MRP/ suring that supply and the capacity to accommodates rapid change without
ERP systems, these tools can help accommodate incoming work are in undue stress or strain on timelines
manufacturers of all sizes rapidly place. and budgets.”
adapt to change and thrive. In our own operation, we have ex-
Rapid-response tools
Material resource planning (MRP) and plo benefi o ou
MRP/ERP systems allow the work to
enterprise resource planning (ERP) be tracked from start to finish and replacing our on-site, server-based
systems have demonstrated their util- ERP with a cloud-hosted version. This
to identify any potential bottlenecks
ity in the manufacturing community allows the software supplier to man-
during the process. Don Waters, in-
fo years. benefi in- age the software updates. Hosted
dependent ERP consultant with BC
volves making the information from all deployment eliminates the need to
Systems, offered the following per-
functional departments in a business purchase software licenses upfront,
spective.
available to management. In essence, which can be costly. Also, monthly
MRP/ERP systems overcome the silo “In today's world of manufacturing, payments can be easily factored into
effect. Management can coordinate the one constant is change. The prob- c flo expenditures, allowing fo
effo an follo workflo fro lem is that too often our toolsets do predictable IT budgeting. A hosted
marketing to sales to production — not allow for the rapid response to solution eliminates the need for in-

June 2023 PLASTICS NEWS 55