Plastics Training Academy Workshops and Seminars:
All Available Programs
Below is a listing of all available training in plastics. Although all seminars and workshops are not currently offered, please inquire with Continuing Education for future availability or on-site offerings. We can also design other courses and can deliver any of our courses, tailored to meet your needs, at our facility or yours. For more information, call 814-898-6103.
Advanced Powder Injection Molding
Covers the Basic MIM process (raw materials, compounding, tool design, molding, debinding, sintering, secondaries, and NDE). Detailed guidelines for feedstock formulations, toolign design, setter design, process control, and metrology will be described. The future MIM market with special emphasis on reduced component size technology and medical materials will be presented.
Blow Molding
Covers what participants need to know to understand plastic blow molding materials and processes for optimizing the material process selection function, the basic principles of the design of a blow-molded part, and the application of this knowledge.
Color, Color Science and the Coloring of Plastics
This training is designed to teach participants the fundamentals of Color, Color Science and the Coloring of Plastics.
Design of Experiments for Injection Molding
Design experiments and mold the parts, measure the characteristics being analyzed, and interpret the results. When experiments are correctly set up and carried out, they can provide information to facilitate the production of high-quality parts.
Extrusion
Receive an overview of the single-screw extrustion process, equipment design, and operation. Gain an understanding of how to successfully apply the basic physical mechanisms involved.
Gas-Assist Injection Molding
Designed to provide a thorough understanding of the basics and terminology of gas assist. Includes hands-on exercises on molding machines and computer simulations to reinforce concepts introduced in the classroom.
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
Designed to teach participants how to deal with process effects, such as draft, parting lines, ejectors, and gates on the engineering drawing and in the CAD file.
Hydraulic Technology
Provides an understanding of how hydraulic technology impacts the safe and efficient operation of molding equipment. Various hydraulic components are covered from both the operational and maintenance perspective. Hydraulic symbols are explained and applied in schematics from actual injection molding manuals. The benefits and techniques of hydraulic fluid management are covered.
Injection Mold Design Principles
Teaches how to design for competitiveness through proven concepts for mold manufacturing technology. The seminar offers a thorough review of the fundamental mold design requirements and concentrates on the design elements that are necessary to produce a sound operational injection mold.
Injection Molded Part Design Principles
Provides an overview of plastic part design, material shrinkage and flow characteristics, mold design, and the injection molding process. Explains the causes of and solutions to many unexpected problems. Teaches participants how to recognize whether part design, material, runner design, gate location, process, or mold design is the source of a problem.
Injection Molding Principles
Offers a thorough understanding of injection molding basics and terminology and includes diagnosis and discussion of problem parts. Approximately half of this workshop is hands-on molding exercises.
Injection Molding Troubleshooting
Provides hands-on experience in solving common molding problems in the processing lab. Teaches the theory behind the solutions and problem-solving strategies in the classroom.
Injection Molding Maintenance Technology and Practices
For molders, setup, and maintenance personnel who want to gain a better understanding of the safe and proper use and operation of injection molding machines. Participants can gain a more intuitive understanding of the relationship between the machine function and the molding of plastic parts.
Introduction to PLC Technology for Plastisc Processors
For molders and setup and maintenance personnel who need to apply and maintain PLC systems in the plastics industry. Basic programming techniques, common troubleshooting procedures, and system maintenance tasks are covered, using PLC systems common to the plastics industry.
Lean Manufacturing: Fundamentals and Applications for Plastic Processors
Teaches the basic lean concepts and how to identify and eliminate nonvalue-added processes in organizations. Taught by instructors with unique backgrounds in both lean training and injection molding.
Mold Cooling
Provides a basic understanding of the thermal behavior of plastics, mold steels, and cooling fluids. Often overlooked, optimizing cooling is vital when attempting to maximize productivity.
Mold Maintenance and Mold Setting Principles
Teaches sound principles for increasing mold and tool room efficiency. Demonstrates why it is critical to identify and separate the different skill levels and maintenance stages and to couple these with accurate mold histories. Illustrates how to organize and document a mold-tracking system. Demonstrates the steps to organize a maintenance program that will keep molds running.
Multishot Injection Molding
Covers a wide range of topics, from how to engineer a multishot part to what to consider when molding in a multishot environment.
Plastic Material Selection and Troubleshooting
Gain a better appreciation of how material properties affect part quality and performance. Medical applications are featured, but this seminar can benefit any persons seeking to improve their knowledge of plastic materials.
Plastic Process Overview
An overview of injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, extrusion, rotational molding, and thermoset processes. Covers the vocabulary and basic principles of plastics production. Includes hands-on exercises in the lab.
Plastics Packaging
Overview of the processes and materials used for packaging applications. Participants can gain the knowledge needed to optimize shelf life and product longevity.
Polymer Extrusion: Analysis, Design, & Troubleshooting
Provides a good understanding of practical rheology and what can (and cannot) be applied to the quantitative study of an extrusion process. An explanation of "why certain extrusion 'phenomena' occur" is a major overall theme. The presentation is from an industrial point of view with many "case-study" type examples. The effect of design variables, processing conditions and material changes will be demonstrated with emphasis on process optimization and troubleshooting.
Process Capable Tolerancing
Designed to explain the statistical concepts behind the process capability index Cpk and its importance to engineers and designers as well as provide an overview of the Process Capable Tolerancing methodology and a demonstration of the Tolerancing Capability Expert (TCE) software.
Process Validation for Medical Molding
Covers the basic requirements for process validation in an FDA-regulated environment. At the end of the day, participants should be able to apply the concepts to their own processes.
Project Management
Addresses major topics of project management and provides participants with a set of practical take-aways for immediate use in their work situations. Covers issues of scope development, risk assessment, resource planning, scheduling, performance evaluation, and human factors in project management.
Purchasing & Quoting of Plastic Parts
Combines lectures, case studies, and written exercises on how to estimate, analyze, and reverse engineer quotes; select a vendor, write a purchase order, specify injection molds, run a successful cost-reduction program, and much more. Outsourcing considerations are also discussed.
Rapid Prototyping Overview
This seminar is for engineers who need an introduction to the available technologies. Topics include rapid prototyping technology, machines, and tooling. Pros and cons of the major prototyping machines and desktop office machines are discussed.
The Science of Mold and Part Design Optimization
Designed for anyone involved with the development and production of plastics products or molds. This includes part designers, mold designers, and process engineers and technicians. The seminar is also well suited to managers, technical sales,and quality control personnel, as it teaches the fundamental understanding of the effects of plastic flow on the molding process, tooling design, and part design.
Sheet Extrusion for Thermoformers
An intensive introduction into plastics extrusion, the sheet and film extrusion process, and the effect the process has on the extruded parts.
Thermoforming Fundamentals
Gain a working knowledge of thermoforming and the requirements of the process. Includes a half-day of hands-on work with TSIM thermoforming simulation software.
Thermoplastic Materials and Testing
Provides a comprehensive understanding of the common ASTM tests found on a standard material data sheet. The workshop is designed to familiarize participants with many of the actual tests through a hands-on lab portion that points out the strengths and weaknesses of the individual tests. Participants can gain a better understanding of the values presented when comparing materials and become better informed as to how those values can be applied.
Thermoset Materials and Processes
Thermosets retain a unique set of capabilities that are often ignored or only used after thermoplastic materials have failed. This course highlights the fundamental principles of thermoset material chemistry, processing, and performance. It can help to broaden the thinking process of those responsible for material selection.