Add a 2nd Set of Eyes for a Better, Faster Purge without Specks

“Ugh. Even with a longer purge we still get specks!”

Trial and error. Tweaking and waiting. There is a tendency for most technicians and engineers to “figure it out myself.” But there is a lot of value in having a purge technician, someone who has helped optimize hundreds of purges, be your 2nd set of eyes.

“I’ve seen this before”

There are so many variables in developing a quick, effective purge it is difficult to know everything. If your experience is limited to your own machines, resins and colorants, you are at a disadvantage. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked onto a molding plant production floor and heard how their most effective purge procedure really works well, but takes either a lot of material, a lot of time, or both. And a lot of that time could be converted from waiting to production.

Investigate before purging

Before a new purge trial, a review of the history, problems and current procedures goes a long way to making the next trial immediately more effective. Being on site allows me to follow up with more probing questions and dig a bit deeper into methodology. It makes a big difference.

Then, for the first new trial, being present allows me to see firsthand what is happening, make recommendations, then do a quick redo. There are just so many things going on at the press that can impact a purge trial, it is really helpful to watch everything in real time, and see exactly what the result is with my own eyes.

Even more important, is to make it simple. If there is no need to reinvent procedures, I never recommend starting completely from scratch. Keeping your existing procedures in mind will make changes easier for you going forward, and much more likely to be implemented consistently purge after purge.

No two purges are exactly the same. Different machines, resins, colorants and processes must all be considered to come up with the best method at each machine, with each resin or color change. Once you have those nailed down, you will be pleasantly surprised at how smoothly production moves forward.

If time and urgency require a phone consultation, pictures, pictures, and more pictures, along with a description helps tremendously to the problem. Then, if a phone conference doesn’t get you to the method that meets your needs, getting in a car or hopping on a plane is always the next best step.

Free consultation

Slide offers free purge consultations, helping you to select the right purging compound and develop the best methods to optimize your purging process.

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