Cinpres Gas Injection Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich., announces a way for quality checkers to examine internal gas channels of a part made by gas-assisted injection molding — without cutting open the part.
The real-time, nondestructive test uses X-ray equipment. Cinpres offers the equipment in cooperation with the supplier, Alpetor Systems Inc. of Northbrook, Ill. The mobile machine takes up little floor space, so it can be located at research and development, production or assembly operations.
The Alpetor equipment is designed for day-to-day manufacturing environments. Up until now, film X-ray inspection has been possible, but it is expensive and requires special lead screen rooms.
Nonfilm X-raying also is expensive and is normally only available at universities or development laboratories.
Separately, Cinpres announced it is offering a way to simulate 3-D plastic flow into thick tubular products, such as handles. The technology was developed by the University of Wales at Swansea's Centre for Polymer Processing Simulation and Design.
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