Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology, A.A.A.S.


Academic Program Code:  935

An increasing variety of automotive parts, household goods, sports equipment, furniture, toys, and machinery parts are formed from plastic, and the plastics forming industry continues to grow nationally and locally. There are many plastics processing plants in Western Michigan that need trained people. These manufacturers and the Western Michigan Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers have indicated that excellent employment opportunities exist in plastics manufacturing and that trained workers are in short supply. The Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology program prepares people for jobs as laboratory technicians, mold designers, production supervisors, mold technicians, and plastics machinery maintenance technicians for the rapidly growing local plastics forming industry. Injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and many secondary processes are studied in the program. Since injection molding is the most prevalent of these processes, it is emphasized.

General Education Courses


Select a minimum of 15 credit hours of course work from the General Education Course List.  Course work must be selected as directed from the areas below.

English Composition and Communications


Humanities


Select one (1) Humanities General Education Elective.

Social Sciences


Select one (1) Social Sciences General Education Elective.

Natural Sciences and Mathematics


Select one (1) Natural Sciences Lab/Non Lab General Education Elective or (1) Mathematics General Education Elective.

General Education Total Credit Hours


15 (minimum)

Program Elective Courses


Select one (1) of the following courses.

Total Credit Hours


61

Program Notes


If upon completion of the program, students would like to continue their education by transferring to a 4-year institution, they should consult the 4-year institution to identify specific courses that will transfer. It is also strongly suggested that students work with a faculty advisor in the Manufacturing department for course selection.  Some colleges require EN 101  and EN 102  for a bachelor’s degree.

In What Order Should I Take Classes?


In What Order Should I Take Classes?

Please select courses from the Priority I list.  Select courses based on the number of credits you are taking in the semester, for example, if you are a part time student you do not have to take all of the courses listed.  If you are unable to schedule Priority I courses, move to and select from the list of Priority II, Priority III, and Priority IV courses.

Priority I Priority II

EN 101 - English Composition I 

General Education Elective 

General Education Elective - Nat Sci and Mathematics 

MN 219 - Survey of Polymer Technology  

MN 220 - Basic Plastics Processing  

EN 102 - English Composition II  

OR

COM 131 - Fundamentals of Public Speaking  

OR

COM 135 - Interpersonal Communication  

MN 119 - Introductory Machine Operations  

OR

TE 282 - Manufacturing & Technology Internship  

(TE 282 - Summer Semester)

MN 165 - Plastics Testing  

MN 217 - Hydraulics  

Summer Semester  
TE 282 - Manufacturing & Technology Internship    
Priority III Priority IV

 

MN 100 - Manufacturing Principles  

MN 102 - Lean Manufacturing Principles  

MN 223 - Injection Molding Theory  

MN 244 - Advanced Plastics Process  

TE 104 - Advanced Technical Mathematics  

OR

MA 108 - Trigonometry  

General Education Elective 

DR 241 - Mold Design Theory  

MN 242 - Applied Injection Molding 

Program Course - Mathematics

Program Elective Course

NOTE: This priority schedule assumes the student is prepared to take the courses listed. If prerequisites are required, additional semesters may be required to complete this degree.

Meet with an Academic Program Advisor and consult My Degree Path for specific degree requirements.