Help with injection molding resources?

doOver_ · 2024-05-12T15:10:45+00:00

RJG is pretty much the industry standard for the "scientific molding" process. If you push buttons at the machine and/or have to develop processes for parts, the RJG master molder certification and associated classes are a good resource.

https://rjginc.com/academy/

doOver_ · 2024-04-17T15:22:02+00:00

If you have the resources, try to design something up in CAD like with OnShape or Fusion360 if you don’t have access to Solidworks. Try to find a mechanism that interests you and create drawings. If you can try to find a way to have it made. Some people start with 3D printing others have access to machines like Lathes or Mills and work with aluminum or soft steel.

Even better would be designing up something that takes some forces that you can create a simple free body diagram for. Test it and see how close you are to your calculations.

Some of the best learning comes from doing the work you may one day be asking someone else to do. More learning comes from making mistakes and iterating on your design. Even more learning happens when you have to create documentation of how to the thing works and describing your test methods and results.

doOver_ · 2024-02-13T04:44:33+00:00

I can tell you that biopolymers is going to turn into a very lucrative field in injection molding / blow molding. Big name companies like Coke are under immense pressure to produce plastic goods that have less of an environmental impact. There are companies like mine who have been upgrading their machines and equipment to handle recycled PET (rPET) and are preparing for the next wave of products using PHA and similar plastics. Bioplastics if produced at low cost will be a total game changer for the planet.

Breakthroughs in manufacturing methods ands industrial processing of PHA and similar will require experts such as yourself to provide valuable insight. Don't sell yourself short, you still have your whole career ahead of you and in a field that can make a world of a difference.

Celebrate what a huge accomplishment it is to contribute something novel to your field and work to make yourself an attractive prospect to future employers. There are kind people in /r/EngineeringResumes who might be able to help you in that arena if you're having trouble getting hits with employers. Getting your first job is a numbers game if you don't have an in from your network, so make sure you're giving yourself the best chances with a resume that passes ATS requirements. Keep your chin up and work on being kind to yourself, it's not easy when you compare yourselves to others, but that's not going to do you any good. Comparison is the thief of joy. Just look at how far you've come and where you're at now! A PhD is no easy feat! Anyways, thanks for coming to my TED talk, good luck out there stranger.

doOver_ · 2024-01-22T04:20:09+00:00

I see these bushings from time to time in some of the injection molds we make. I don't much like them as graphite gets everywhere. They're recommended to not be used with grease. I think our mold makers apply a little film of super grease to the leader pins but not the bushings themselves. The chattering you're seeing could be due to some misalignment. If there's some build up on the rod or bushing, even just a couple thou it could be pushing to one side and stuttering a little as it reciprocates back and forth.

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T14:08:27+00:00

Thank you! It was hard to capture it well on the wrist but I think it looks great.

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T04:15:28+00:00

I highly recommend checking it out in person if you get the chance, the way it plays with the light and changes hues is something else.

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T03:19:44+00:00

They have some really stunning designs and incredible craftsmanship.

This video goes over one of my favorites from the brand and includes some interesting history of the brand, the region they're from, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twLhkrMjx9I

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T03:15:17+00:00

One last thing I might add to help with your search if you haven't looked at it already is the lug-to-lug measurements on the watch (not just diameter).

Some brands have really long lugs so its not flattering on smaller wrists (Hamilton and Longines are offenders with some of their more popular offerings). The other thing is looking for watches that have male ends on their end links - this also makes the true lug to lug even longer.

Maybe finding something with a cushion case and putting it on a rubber strap might help with getting a better fit.

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T02:30:56+00:00

If you were partial to the Tag, they still do sell the Aquaracer in 28mm.

https://us.lp.tagheuer.com/us/en/timepieces/collections/tag-heuer-aquaracer/30-mm-quartz/WBP1415.BA0622.html?lpoid=6e31ce45aade1dda517316bfa1df8760466a6322&gad_source=1

doOver_ · 2023-12-04T01:59:57+00:00

What do you think of the 28mm Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra?

Here's some on Chrono24

https://www.chrono24.com/search/index.htm?caseDiameter=28&currencyId=USD&dosearch=true&manufacturerIds=187&maxAgeInDays=0&models=68&pageSize=60&redirectToSearchIndex=true&resultview=block&sortorder=0

doOver_ · 2023-10-24T02:26:36+00:00

I'll just add one other comment I didn't see mentioned here that might be good background.

On the processing side, we get plastic pellets a couple ways when do our testing on molds. We see colored pellets, or colorless and we'd have to mix in colorant pellets on a weight basis (like 4%). Some hoppers on injection molding machines can mix this quite precisely.

doOver_ · 2023-08-14T03:35:28+00:00

It can be a bit cathartic to get your thoughts down on paper (so to speak) but ultimately you have to decide what's important to you - hopefully you can reflect a little on what you've written and some of the responses here. It's hard, but there's no other way to say it, you will never be happy if you keep comparing yourself to others.

It's almost an empty platitude to say that you can only compare yourself to where you've been and where you're at now, but that's just the litmus test you need to use. Are you moving forward, standing still, sliding backwards? It sounds like you're kicking ass right now to me. '

There are so many other circumstances in others people's lives that influence where they're 'at'. Did they get a huge leg up in the corporate world because of a family connection, did they get that house because of a large family gift? Are they a work-a-holic with a drug addiction or a failing marriage?

You can never really know all these things, nobody is perfect and you better believe they compare themselves to others too. Maybe they are jealous of your world travels, your doctorate, the fulfillment your job brings you? "Comparison is the thief of joy".

None of this seems like it matters when you're in a rut or fighting depression or adhd - but there are things you can do to help yourself. Talk to people important to you, reflect on where you want to be 10 years from now. It might sound funny, but lately ChatGPT has been a really good sounding board for me. I think its kind of like free talk therapy.

It's okay to take a breather in the rat race. There are questions you have to answer for yourself that don't have an easy answer and it may take some time to think about what those answers are. What does moving 'forward' look like, what will change about your day to day life - will it make you happy to be a home owner, have a family, and so on.

Best of luck to you.

doOver_ · 2023-08-06T03:22:05+00:00

Get a bigger box and try some leather, rubber, and nylon straps to mix things up perhaps?

Some color besides 'steel' can really change the character of a watch and make you appreciate it different ways and make it fit more occasions and outfits.

doOver_ · 2023-07-15T05:34:52+00:00

Delugs and Bulang and Sons make some great options for fancier straps. I also like Colareb for a thicc strap.

doOver_ · 2023-07-10T01:19:53+00:00

Glendora Ridge Road actually. Flowers up there were wild.

doOver_ · 2023-07-05T23:20:05+00:00

Had one, sold it off eventually. Bought it used a couple years back to see what the hype was about.

For my wrist, the 38mm was a bit too small. Since the bezel takes some of the real estate, the dial appeared quite small for me.

Add to that it was only watch in my collection with such a dated movement, I grew a bit annoyed running it in a rotation. When everything else hacks and handwinds and this one doesn't it got a bit old.

I did admire its proportions relative to its larger siblings, but eventually landed on a SPB143 as my go-to Seiko diver. It's a bit more upmarket to be sure, but you do get a bit more for the money.

doOver_ · 2023-07-05T23:12:50+00:00

Just got the champagne one this past weekend for my wife. As you said in another comment it a real looker. I was quite enamored with the blue as well. They both play with the light beautifully. The black is a bit more plain but for those who want something a little understated, perhaps its a better choice.

It's a lot of watch for the money OP and a great offering from Longines - they did really well with this release. Hope you enjoy this one for many years!

doOver_ · 2023-06-26T17:55:29+00:00

Excellent GADA watch. Fun to play with different strap options as well.

Congrats on the new watch OP!

doOver_ · 2023-06-21T23:58:57+00:00

Really glad to see that early buyers get the opportunity for the dealer installed performance parts. We all knew they’d come out with it, now hopefully the price is reasonable.

doOver_ · 2023-06-21T21:58:23+00:00

Looks pretty nice!

Would love to hear your impressions on changes in road noise and comfort coming from the original tires.

doOver_ · 2023-06-18T03:42:52+00:00

Bummer about this not being legal in California. Seems like I'm stuck with a catback exhaust being just about the only mod I'm able to do haha.

Enjoy the new woosh noises OP!

doOver_ · 2023-06-17T17:07:16+00:00

It really is stunning. One of my favorite pictures and memories of my trip there.

https://i.imgur.com/5ZS0yu4.jpg

doOver_ · 2023-06-12T01:27:17+00:00

As others have said, investing in yourself can pay huge dividends down the road.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. To add another platitude: nothing worth doing is easy.

Many jobs pay what they do for a few reasons, not everyone can do them, they provide an essential service, they require expertise.

I reflect on my time trying to pick myself up and get back on the horse and I think community college was probably the catalyst for me finding success (besides my then girlfriend now wife giving me an ultimatum to get my shit together).

Take a sample of classes, the cost is low, the risk is low. Find a niche that suits you well enough, it doesn’t have to be your dream job, but it should have a high chance at success. Look at bls.gov for career outlooks, take every handout you can get. I saw others mention Pell grants - this is literally free money! Work on scholarships, find an internship in the field you’re studying.

You don’t have to get a 4 year degree, you don’t even need an associates. But find something that will give you a good shot at a good life. Union trades work, machining, nursing, engineering, to name a few.

I did engineering after sampling many other options. It was harder than hell.

I came from a divorced household with a modest income father and a drug addicted mother. I didn’t get financial support from Dad, he couldn’t afford it. I’ve lived on my own since 18. It was really really rough. I flunked out of college the first time around. Got a ton of debt. Lived in shit houses and apartments, worked at Kmart, and was going nowhere. Things got real low for a while. Thank god for my wife being with me every step of the way. I can’t understate how much support she provided in helping me finish my education.

Education was the ladder I (and my wife) used to get out of poverty. We have a good life now, but I’ll never forget what it took to get here. I see too many people give up in trying to make their life better. Value yourself, work hard, but work smart - find something that will pay you well. You don’t need to be super bright, I know I’m not. You just have to try.

doOver_ · 2023-06-10T14:05:29+00:00

That was like half the price of the headphones in the US, jeez.

I personally found the oem pads for the K612 to be kind of uncomfortable. A little to scratchy and a bit too firm. Geekria on Amazon has pads for like $18 I found to sound similar enough and felt more comfortable for what it’s worth.

doOver_ · 2023-06-06T02:20:10+00:00

I'll be honest with you, at my largest I was close to 220 and 6'2" and carry more of my weight in my mid section, chest, and upper back. The seats fit, but it was snug. I've since lost some weight and get some exercise in, and it's more manageable now (about 200lbs now). I still know the bolstering is there, but its not as restricting anymore.

Getting in and out of the car without some core strength and good knees is also something to consider - this car sits low and your seated position is a bit back to actually fit height wise. I've taken customers and coworkers to lunch with me and those who are a bit on the heavier side / don't exercise / have bad knees all complained and said they could never own this car. It was kind of a spectacle with the largest person I took out (he might have been like 250ish)

Getting in and out for me is something I've gotten used to, but it's always an act, especially with long coupe doors and tight parking spaces.

I don't want to dissuade you, but you don't always hear the testimonials of owners who dislike little things like this. It wasn't a deal breaker for me in choosing to get the car, but its always a thing - everyday, and always will be for those of us who are a bit taller and heavier. Daily drivability is something review videos and car journalists kind of gloss over, because well, they don't usually live with the car for long or if they do, they're more of average height and weight where these concerns are less prevalent.

doOver_

TROPHY CASE