Workingbear’s company recently encountered a quality issue with a plastic product. The problem was, “Why is it that products made from the same type of plastic resin sometimes show normal MFI (Melt Flow Index) values, while others have unusually high values? When we asked the plastic injection supplier, they insisted they hadn’t added any regrind material.”
The “Melt Flow Index” (MFI) of plastic refers to the weight (in grams) of molten plastic that flows through a standardized tube with a specific diameter under a defined load (in kilograms) and temperature (in °C) within a set period of time (typically 10 minutes). A higher MI value indicates better plastic flowability, while a lower MI value suggests poorer flowability. This concept is similar to comparing clear broth and thick soup in the same type of container: when you open the valve, the amount of liquid flowing out within the same period will differ, as clear broth flows more easily than thick soup. Essentially, the thicker the liquid, the less it will flow out.
MFI: Melt Flow Index
MI: Melt Index
MFR: Melt Flow Rate
In the PCB industry, there is a specific term called “Cross-out boards” or “X-out boards” to indicate that a panel of PCBs contains defective boards. The term “Cross” refers to marking these defective boards with an “X” symbol.
In the electronics assembly manufacturing industry, what we commonly refer to as a “Mirrored Panel Board” or “Flipped Panel Board” actually comes in two types. The first type is a different-side mirrored panel board, where one board’s top side and another board’s bottom side appear on the same panel. The second type is a same-side mirrored panel board, where all boards are oriented on the same side but are mirrored left to right, such as in a “pdpd” layout pattern.
We all know that when producing PCBs and PCBAs, multiple individual PCBs are usually combined into one larger panel, a process called panelization, to improve production efficiency. Typically, these individual boards are arranged in a neat and consistent manner with the same orientation. However, when the PCB has an irregular shape or special requirements, a mirrored panel or flipped panel design might be used. While this design can improve efficiency in the SMT production line and reduce material costs, it may also come with certain design and production challenges. In this article, we will explore these issues and consider potential solutions.
