Jan 13, 2025  
GRCC Curriculum Database (2024-2025 Academic Year) 
    
GRCC Curriculum Database (2024-2025 Academic Year)
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MN 223 - Injection Molding Theory


Description
In this course, the theoretical and practical concepts relating to the production of plastic articles by injection molding are covered; emphasis is on machine and peripheral equipment operation as they affect plastic part quality.  Properties of plastics and molding faults with special emphasis on troubleshooting techniques are also included.
Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
School: School of Business & Industry
Department: Manufacturing
Discipline: MN
Major Course Revisions: N/A
Last Revision Date Effective: 20240301T12:09:06
Course Review & Revision Year: 2028-2029
Course Type:
Program Requirement- Offering designed to meet the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Course Format:
Lecture - 1:1

General Education Requirement: None
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
NA
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify all of the components of an injection mold.

2. Distinguish the differences between the basic types of molds and their advantages and disadvantages.

3. Demonstrate fountain flow of the material and the mold cavity.

4. Describe how the plastic will flow into a mold.

5. Given defective parts, the student will be able to identify the causes and solutions to the problem.

6. Identify different types of plastic and their affect of moisture on the material.

7. List the effects of pressure, temperature, and time on a plastic part.

8. List the advantages and disadvantages of process control.

9. Given pictures of injection molding machines and peripheral equipment, identify machine components and their use.

10. Differentiate between Decoupled II and Decoupled III processing.

11. Identify plastic variables and know how to process from the plastics point of view.

12. Translate or explain what written information means and/or how it can be used. 

13. Create and/or organize data and information into meaningful patterns in order to interpret and draw inferences from it. 

14. Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish work. 


Approved for Online Delivery?: Yes
Course Outline:
I. Brief History of Plastics

II. Future of Plastics and the Worker’s Role

III. Review Plastic Material Characteristics and Flow

IV. Medical Device Molding

A. History of Medical Manufacturing

B. Jobs in the Field of Medical Device Manufacturing

C. Classes of Medical Device Products

D. Clean Room Association

E. Operation and Dress for Clean Room Manufacturing

F. Basic Principles of Medical Manufacturing in Molding

G. Materials used in Medical Manufacturing

V. Basic Injection Molds

A. Old Components

B. Two Plate

C. Three Plate

D. Insulated Runner

E. Hot Runner

F. Stacked

G. Heat Pipe Technology

V. Injection Molding Machines

A. Safety

B. Components of the Machines

C. Plunger

D. Two Stage Plunger

E. Reciprocating Screw

F. Types of Clamps

G. The Molding Cycle

VI. Extruder Check Valves

A. Sliding Ring

B. Ball Type

VII. Nozzles and Sprue Bushings

A. Types of Nozzles

B. Nozzle Damage

C. Nozzle Temperature Control

D. Heated Sprue Bushing

E. Insulated Sprue Bushing

VIII. Screws

A. Standard Screws

B. L/D ratio

C. Compression Ratio

D. Barrier and Distributive Mixing Screws

E. Vented Barrel Technology

F. Screw Recovery Rate

G. Screw Wear and Care

IX. Mold Filling Process

A. Laminar and Turbulent flow

B. Fountain Flow Affect

C. Orientation

D. Causes of Stress

E. Shear and Moisture Splay

F. Effects of Mold and Material Temperature

G. Pressure and Speeds of Plastic

H. Non-Newtonian Behavior of Plastics

I. Decoupled II Decoupled III Molding

X. Cooling

A. Cooling Channels

B. Fixtures

C. Bubblers and Baffles

D. Chillers

E. Mold Temperature Controllers

XI. Special Processes

A. Vented barrels

B. Cavity Air Pressure Molding

C. Counter Pressure Molding

D. Gas Assist Molding

XII. Troubleshooting Tools

A. Pyrometers

B. Short Shot Studies

C. DOE

D. Mold Cavity Pressure Senors

E. Charts and Graphs

F. Relative Viscosity

XIII. Troubleshooting

A. Techniques

B. Defects

1. Sinks

2. Short Shot

3. Weld, Knit Lines

4. Burn

5. Surface Blemishes

6. Discolored Parts

7. Voids

8. Dimension Control

9. Flashing

10. Delamination

11. Excessive Cycle Time

12. Sprue Sticking

13. Warping

14. Splay

15. Jetting

16. Stringers and Cold Slugs

17. Wrinkles

18. Brittle Parts

I. Brief History of Plastics

II. Future of Plastics and the Worker’s Role

III. Review Plastic Material Characteristics and Flow

IV. Medical Device Molding

A. History of Medical Manufacturing

B. Jobs in the Field of Medical Device Manufacturing

C. Classes of Medical Device Products

D. Clean Room Association

E. Operation and Dress for Clean Room Manufacturing

F. Basic Principles of Medical Manufacturing in Molding

G. Materials used in Medical Manufacturing

V. Basic Injection Molds

A. Old Components

B. Two Plate

C. Three Plate

D. Insulated Runner

E. Hot Runner

F. Stacked

G. Heat Pipe Technology

V. Injection Molding Machines

A. Safety

B. Components of the Machines

C. Plunger

D. Two Stage Plunger

E. Reciprocating Screw

F. Types of Clamps

G. The Molding Cycle

VI. Extruder Check Valves

A. Sliding Ring

B. Ball Type

VII. Nozzles and Sprue Bushings

A. Types of Nozzles

B. Nozzle Damage

C. Nozzle Temperature Control

D. Heated Sprue Bushing

E. Insulated Sprue Bushing

VIII. Screws

A. Standard Screws

B. L/D Ratio

C. Compression Ratio

D. Barrier and Distributive Mixing Screws

E. Vented Barrel Technology

F. Screw Recovery Rate

G. Screw Wear and Care

IX. Mold Filling Process

A. Laminar and Turbulent Flow

B. Fountain Flow affect

C. Orientation

D. Causes of Stress

E. Shear and Moisture Splay

F. Effects of Mold and Material Temperature

G. Pressure and Speeds of Plastic

H. Non-Newtonian Behavior of Plastics

I. Decoupled II Decoupled III Molding

X. Cooling

A. Cooling Channels

B. Fixtures

C. Bubblers and Baffles

D. Chillers

E. Mold Temperature Controllers

XI. Special Processes

A. Vented Barrels

B. Cavity Air Pressure Molding

C. Counter Pressure Molding

D. Gas Assist Molding

XII. Troubleshooting Tools

A. Pyrometers

B. Short Shot Studies

C. DOE

D. Mold Cavity Pressure Sensors

E. Charts and Graphs

F. Relative Viscosity

XIII. Troubleshooting

A. Techniques

B. Defects

1. Sinks

2. Short Shot

3. Weld, Knit Lines

4. Burn

5. Surface Blemishes

6. Discolored Parts

7. Voids

8. Dimension Control

9. Flashing

10. Delamination

11. Excessive Cycle Time

12. Sprue Sticking

13. Warping

14. Splay

15. Jetting

16. Stringers and Cold Slugs

17. Wrinkles

18. Brittle Parts

19. Contamination

20. Drag Marks

21. Plate Out


Mandatory CLO Competency Assessment Measures:
None
Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: None
Instructional Strategies:
Audio-Visual Instructor Lectures Laboratory Experiments Tested by Practical Exam: 30-40%

Demonstration: 30-40%

Guest Lectures: 10-15%

Company Field Trips: 10-15%


Mandatory Course Components:
None
Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: MN 220  (C- or Higher)
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corerequisite(s): None
Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Course Aligned with IRW: N/A
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required
Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 3
Faculty Credential Requirements:
Master’s Degree (GRCC general requirement), Professionally qualified through work experience in field (Perkins Act or Other) (list below)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details: The instructor must have an indepth knowledge of plastics injection molding
Maximum Course Enrollment: 20
Equivalent Courses: None
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: No
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit Accepted: None
AP Min. Score: NA
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit: 1
First Term Valid: Fall 2019 (8/1/2019)
Programs Where This Courses is a Requirement:
Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology, A.A.A.S., Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology, A.A.A.S (Ferris State University-Manufacturing Engineering Technology), Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology, A.A.A.S (Ferris State University-Plastics Engineering Technology)
1st Catalog Year: 2019-2020
People Soft Course ID Number: 101534
Course CIP Code: 48.9999
High School Articulation Agreements exist?: No
If yes, with which high schools?: NA
Non-Credit GRCC Agreement exist?: No
If yes, with which Departments?: NA
Corporate Articulation Agreement exist?: No
If yes, with which Companies?: NA



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