New to the plastics industry.

Started a gig at a local plastics plant as a process tech. The work isn't so bad (other than I know little about the industry, and the deteriorating electrical systems really bug me...), but I'm pretty much stuck tweaking the processing parameters of machines to get the parisons to mold properly for now.

Some of these machines use circa 1980ish PAC systems and the old school CRT monitors with a light grid to determine where a person is touching (still pretty cool that they are in use!).

I can't really seem to "get my hands on manuals" as no one is really that interested in helping me get my hands on those manuals, which kind of sucks, so I was wondering if anyone could be so kind as to share a user manual for an injection extrusion blow molding machine with me, and if possible a program for one so I can see how this thing is ticking.

I can tell there is some heavy duty math going on under the hood as well, which is pretty cool. Anywho, I'm stuck as a process tech until there is an opening in the maintenance department, according to them, so I may as well learn this job to the best of my ability just like I would any other.

A colleague of mine has business repairing those CRT monitors, lots of which are still in use CRC machines. He was a former co-worker at Barber Colman who had a PAC called MACO for injection molders. Sorry, I don't have any documentation that would do you any good.

Its been 15 years since I was in the industry, and unfortunately do not have any manuals. But from your description, it sounds like an old Maco controls system. The is little you can do behind the hood, they are a package system that are more or less black boxes. We had a couple of machines with those controls, but most were converted relay logic, using SLC-100 and SLC-150 mostly. We had one machine that was state of the art with a SLC500. That is where I got my start in PLCs.

The best thing to do is to google "blow molding control", there are several guides online to basic process control of the blow molding process. A lot of what you need to know will be hands on, there are several variables that affect the end product (temperature; times for extrusion, blow, cure; speed of extruder; among others). The controls as I remember are not too difficult to navigate, you just have to understand what you are controlling.

Thanks for the tips guys. Me being a thinker, I would like more information on those process variables. There is a lot of fat fingering going on, changing multiple variables at a time and I would like to know more about each one.

As far as the controls hardware itself, it is pretty straight forward. Lots of valves and cylinders as well as some hydraulic servos. I get the overall gist, but I want to get a bit more in-depth with it.

Then there is the chemical side of things dealing with the different plastics. LOTS to learn there.

others rule,

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

because it's require art.

osmanmom said:

others rule,

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

because it's require art.

Click to expand...

I've heard the same from one java developer

Actually, there is a wealth of processing info/tips and in depth instruction on youtube. Paulson is a common name.
I've been in the inj molding business since 1985 and am still learning.