Plastics Technology

JAN 2018

Plastics Technology - Dedicated to improving Plastics Processing.

Issue link: http://pty.epubxp.com/i/918111

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 50 of 91

controlled die, consistent with the tooling on its older sheet lines. Comments Burke, "We felt that manually controlling the die met our needs better than an auto die. In our experience auto dies tend to trend and wouldn't meet our tight gauge requirements. Instead, we rely on operator vigilance. We develop process parameters every time we set up a line, and we prefer that our operators make adjustments based on the feedback from the gauge-monitoring device. We could never run a line without the dedication and skill of our operators. Our philosophy is that everyone must think of the customer. Everybody must execute to deliver a product that meets or even exceeds their expectations. "We're agile, and manufacturing is committed to meeting customer needs," Burke adds. "We'll interrupt the production schedule, run on a Saturday, or deliver on a Sunday if that is what a customer needs. This past summer, we had a customer that had a very pressing high- volume order with a short lead time that we needed to fill, and our dedicated team rose to the occasion" At Impact Plastics, opera- tors also have a vested interest in improving quality. The company has set up a quar- terly bonus program that's tied to customer complaints and product returns. MacVarish notes that Impact Plastics currently has a return rate of 0.5% of total virgin material sales. Its goal is to reduce that to 0.25%. Impact Plastics did its due diligence before ordering the new Welex line. Burke commented that the project was yet another example of collaboration in Impact Plastics' "virtual supply chain." Wanting to deliver a line that would not only meet the tight toler- ances required by the medical project, but would also provide maximum flexibility for future projects, the Welex team led Impact through a detailed specification-gathering process that generated dialogue and enabled data-driven decisions. "The ultimate design was finalized in quote revision H," Burke recalls. "Welex listened to what we said we needed. But the real reason we'd buy from them again is the way they worked with us every step of the way to make sure the line did what they said it would do. You never really know how good your supplier is until they rise to a challenge. When they pull out all the stops to deliver the required results, that's a good supplier. We hold ourselves to that standard as well." PRODUCT DIVERSITY & SUSTAINABILITY While Impact Plastics has positioned itself to grow on the poly- olefin side of its sheet business, and has a long history in pro- cessing PS, it also runs what it calls "Class 'A' surface" ABS sheet that is used as a lamination substrate that is insert injection molded for decorative automotive interior components. The firm also has a robust sustainability program, repurposing post-indus- trial scrap into utility applications as a way to maximize the amount of plastic recycled at both facilities. In addition, Impact Plastics recycles heat generated from the sheet extruders to heat the plant at both manufacturing facilities. The Putnam plant is also in the process of implementing a solar energy system, which will generate some 451,876 kWh of energy in the first year alone. "We rely on operator vigilance. We develop process parameters every time we set up a line, and we prefer that our operators make adjustments." Impact Plastics' next-generation team includes (l-r) Chris Ryan, Natalie K. MacVarish, and Blake Kingeter. Impact Plastics prides itself on its ability to maintain tight tolerances of thin-gauge film, as evidenced by this off-line reading. @plastechmag 49 Plastics Technology On-Site Impact Plastics

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Plastics Technology - JAN 2018