Get On The Chain, Gang!

Of the more exclusive resources that I am familiar with, one of the best in my humble opinion is The Chain, which is an online resource created and managed by the Society of Plastics Engineers. If you are a member of SPE, you probably receive daily email updates from The Chain—and if you don’t, then sign up to get them. One update is called Leadership Lane Digest while the other is named Tech Talk Digest. The Chain is “where plastics professionals connect”.

On Leadership Lane, members can contribute their opinions about how the SPE or its respective Sections and Divisions conduct business, how they govern, or they can promote an industry event such as the Annual Technical Conference (ANTEC) or various Minitec events and more. It’s easy to join and connect with communities that are of interest to you on The Chain, and like other social media sites it’s easy to contact a particular person that you want to network with. Currently, you can find more than 440 discussions on The Chain’s Leadership Lane web page, with topics ranging from the election of future Executive Council leaders to the future of ANTEC to how to engage more student members in SPE and so on.

On Tech Talk Digest, it’s possible to participate in numerous technical discussions with plastics professionals from all over the world. A recent topic concerned brittle polyester and how to overcome this issue during the molding process. SPE members have turned to The Chain to gain knowledge about many other topics, too, including plastic part geometric tolerancing, glossy finish on PVC conduits and how to reduce gloss on blow molded parts. Some have broached the topic of using the term “green strength” as it pertains to polymers while others look for guidance or input about 3D printing and LSR silicone. The discussions go on and on, and I do find that I learn something when I read them. Since The Chain’s Tech Talk Digest was established two or three years ago, it has accumulated and archived more than 1.4 thousand discussions! What a wealth of resources for all who access it.

In addition to Leadership Lane and Tech Talk Digest, members use The Chain to communicate with fellow members who are active in the same Section or Division. I happen to be involved in the SPE’s Mold Technologies Division, and when we are promoting an event or calling for technical papers to be submitted for ANTEC, The Chain is a great vehicle in which to put the word out. (By the way, come visit our Division's booth at Amerimold this year!)

The SPE has created a gem of a resource in The Chain. It’s an excellent way to know what’s going on within the Society and keeps members connected within our plastics industry, which is so important. Other organizations have networking systems in place, too, but I think The Chain is one of the most comprehensive social media sites I’ve encountered that is dedicated to our industry—all aspects of it. I applaud SPE for creating this user-friendly and useful tool.