MN 244 - Advanced Plastics Process

1. The Students will understand the processes of Extrusion, Blowmolding and Thermoforming and compare and contrast the difference of each production method.
2. The students will operate an Extrusion Machine and make quality parts.
3. They will understand component parts of the machine and relationship to each other, including how the plastic passes through the machine and the effects of pressure, temperature and flow.
4. The students will develop a process for the understanding of the Blowmolding Process.
5. The students will develop a process for the Thermoforming Cycle to include heating the sheet, forming, cooling and trimming of the end product.
6. Use appropriate posture, gestures, eye contact, and vocal expressiveness to effectively communicate information. 
7. Develop a plan to implement a solution to a problem or issue. 

A.   Extrusion dies

B.   Screws and screw design

C.   Extruder drives, heating, cooling systems and temperature control systems

D.   Melting theories related to screw/barrel design

E.   Material properties

1.   Bulk properties

2.   Thermal properties

3.   Melt flow properties

F.   Trouble shooting extruder’s

1.   Machine or material problems

2.   Wear problems

3.   Melting problems

4.   Melt conveying problems

5.   Solids conveying problems

G.   Twin screw extruder’s

H.   Co-extrusion, Sheet Extrusion, Wire Extrusion and Blown Film Extrusion

II.  Blowmolding

A.   Definition of Blowmolding

B.   Different types of Blowmolding

1.   Continuous Extrusion including Rotary Wheel and Swing Arm

C.   Intermittent

1.   Reciprocating Screw

2.   Accumulator Head

D.   Tooling Type

1.   Converging

2.   Diverging

E.   Parison Sizing

F.   Co-Extrusion Blowmolding

G.   Blow Pins

H.   Part Design

I.   Molds

1.   Types of Materials in Mold Build

2.   Design of Molds

J.   Injection Blowmolding

K.   Injection Stretch Blowmolding

III. Thermoforming

A.   Uses, Applications, Advantages and Disadvantages

B.   Forming Cycle

1.   Machine requirements

2.   Single station sheet and roll feed

3.   Multiple station sheet feed

C.   Heating and heat transfer

1.   convection, conduction and radiation

D.   Tooling

1.   Construction

2.   Cavity VS. Core

3.   Vacuum holes and slots

4.   Temperature control

E.   Thermoforming techniques

1.   Vacuum forming

2.   Pressure forming

3.   Prestretch forming

4.   Vacuum snap back

5.   Billow forming

6.   Plug assist

7.   Mechanical forming

F.   Trouble shooting

G.   Trimming techniques

1.   Steal Rule Die

2.   Sawing

3.   Routers

4.   Water Jet Cut or Laser Cut

H.   Molding Defects

I.   Lab Exercises

J.   Plant Tours