Learn to bring a meaningful injection-moulded product to market faster and more effectively, First Time Right! The development process of a plastic injection-moulded product and its corresponding injection mould should proceed almost simultaneously. During the Moulds for Plastics B course, you will be part of a multidisciplinary team responsible for completing a customer assignment in all aspects of the development process. Is the customer satisfied at the end of the course? The examination committee will provide expert judgment with feedback for improvement.
- Get familiar with planning and coordinating the development process within a project team
- Learn design rules for manufacturability, perform cost calculations, and strength calculations
- Discover how to make ingenious technical choices to drastically save costs
About the course moulds for plastics B
Creating a good product design and mould construction, along with cost calculation, is a complex process that requires knowledge across various disciplines. You operate not only individually but also as part of a team and act as a valuable conversationalist for other stakeholders. The steps in the development process from product idea to high-quality end product are interrelated, influencing each other, and should increasingly lead to good end products and injection moulds more rapidly.
This course emphasizes an integrated approach to the entire process. Only with this mindset and methodology can we ensure First Time Right (FTR). Throughout the course, you will work in a multidisciplinary team, developing a complete assignment from product sketch and product requirements to a plastic injection-moulded product, including the injection mould. You will also learn to look beyond your own specialization. If suitable, you may propose a plastic injection-moulded product within your own company!
Upon completion of the course, you will understand the key considerations for designing a plastic injection-moulded product. You will learn how to design based on functionality, manufacturability, and efficiency. This includes gaining knowledge about various types of plastics and their behaviors. You will also learn about the components and operation of the injection mould and become familiar with the cost structure of a plastic injection-moulded product and the injection mould. Working in teams, you will go through the entire design process step by step. The teaching team will address all your questions. You may continue to use the files in your own practical situation after completing the course.
Duration
20 evening sessions of 2½ hours, once a week, plus an exam day. This excludes the time spent on the final assignment. Study load: 5 to 6 hours per week (depending on your commitment).
Certificate
The course concludes with a theory exam and an assessment of the final assignment by an examination committee (Teaching team and Programme Manager Education). Upon achieving satisfactory results in both the written exam and final assignment, you will receive a certificate.
Digital Learning Portal
During the course, you will utilize Mikrocentrum's online learning portal. The course is interactive and practical, and the learning portal is very convenient; at home, at work, and on the go. The portal contains various resources and activities that you will use throughout the course. The purpose of the learning portal is to make learning easier, but above all, more enjoyable.
Program
| 1. | Introduction to Plastics | Introduction, structure, production process, amorphous versus semi-crystalline thermoplastics, commonly used types, blend and compound. |
| 2. | The Behaviour of Plastics | Deformations, long- and short-term behaviour prediction of constructions, creep behaviour, data from databases (including Campus®). |
| 3. | Material Properties of Plastics | Thermal, mechanical, and other properties. Final assignment to be worked out in groups. |
| 4. | Structural Aspects in Loading and Connections of Plastic Products | Stiffening of constructions and application of snap-fit connections. |
| 5. | Deformation, Tensile Strength, and Stiffness of Plastic Products (Strength of Materials) | Definitions, axially loaded constructions for buckling, constructions loaded for bending, torsion, plate loading. |
| 6. | Achievable Tolerances for Plastic Injection Moulded Products according to DIN 20457 | Influence of process parameters, product tolerances, standard tolerance system, dimensioning of drawings. |
| 7. | Product Design of Plastic Injection Moulded Products (Design Rules and Manufacturability) | Requirement specification, wall thickness, gate location, sharp corners, undercuts, hinges, draft angles, product nesting and packaging. |
| 8. | Rheology of Thermoplastic Plastics (Fluid Mechanics and Filling Pattern) | Brief introduction to flow, practical examples for Newtonian and structural-viscous fluids, pressure drop calculation, filling pattern of the product. |
| 9. | Injection Moulding Simulation with Software (Live Demonstration Moldflow®) | Checking the design for; complete and symmetrical filling, control of air entrapments, hotspots, warping, flow lines, and cycle time. |
| 10. | General Introduction to Injection Moulds | Various types and executions, test moulds and pilot moulds. |
| 11. | Standard Components and Manufacture of Special Product-Forming Parts | Universal housings, standard components, guides, operations. |
| 12. | Construction of Parting Lines, Split Lines, and Divisions | Types of divisions: flat, stepped, choice of ejection method. |
| 13. | Introduction to Plastic Injection Moulding | Various steps of the injection moulding process, parameters, and technical terminology. |
| 14. | Special Injection Moulding Techniques | Multi-component, insert and outsert, in mould labelling (IML), In mould decoration (IMD), gas and water injection. |
| 15a. | Cost Calculation of Plastic Injection Moulded Products | With decision tables and Excel files. Raw material, dye, packaging, man-hours, overhead. |
| 15b. | Cost Calculation of Injection Moulds | With decision tables and Excel files. Tool steel, economic simplicity, type of injection moulding machine, possible hotrunner, production costs. |
| 16. | Gating with Cold Runner System | Gating data for various materials, names and executions, three-plate moulds and stack moulds. |
| 17. | Gating with Hot Runner System | Advantages and disadvantages, structure, execution, insulation, needle shut-off, semi-hot runner, and insulated runner. |
| 18. | Ejecting and Demoulding of Injection Moulded Products from the Mould | Ejection systems, anti-sticking products, thread demoulding, ejection with aids. |
| 19. | Cooling of the Injection Mould (Heat Transfer) | Heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), impact on product geometry, surface quality, achieving turbulent flow, heat balance, insulation, and cycle time. |
| 20. | Mechanical Strength of the Injection Mould | Mould wall strength, support plates, reinforcements, frame construction. |
| 21. | Heat Treatments of Injection Mould Parts | Anisotropy effect, the product form, thermal treatments, galvanic treatments, and coating. |
Explore the possibilities of organizing this course internally within your company
If you want to train multiple employees within your company, it's more interesting and cost-effective to organize a course at your location. Good alignment with your company-specific situation and the use of highly experienced instructors who have proven themselves in practice are essential. Mikrocentrum is CEDEO-certified and guarantees the best quality.
Our program manager for training is happy to assist you!
If you're interested in an in-house training program, our program manager for training, Barend Blom, would be delighted to visit you without obligation.