Seminar Outline

1. Introduction & Overview
   1. Purpose
   2. Perspectives on the plastics' industry, manufacturing
   3. Profits
   4. What is your product
   5. The components of a successful plastic's application
   6. Concurrent engineering and its benefits
   7. The four molding categories
   8. Machine conditions vs. Plastic conditions
   9. Machine and Molding Overview
      1. When and with what did the molding industry get started
      2. Basic injection molding concept
      3. Machine components
      4. Machine component functions
      5. Videos of machine components and functions
2. Optimizing First Stage: Plastic Flow Rate
   
   1. How plastics flow, viscosity
   2. Viscosity curve
   3. Viscosity vs. temperature, lot variations and injection rate
   4. Flow balance
   5. Cruise control on injection molding machines
   6. Two stage molding
   7. Case histories
   8. Non-return valve (check ring)
   9. Nozzles/mixers
   10. Nozzle tips
3. Plastic Pressure
   
   1. Basic hydraulics
   2. Hydraulic Pressure vs. Melt Pressure
   3. Back Pressure
   4. Intensification Ratio
   5. Pressure Loss
   6. 1st to 2nd state switchover variations
   7. Gate seal vs. unseal
   8. Pressure vs. time graphs
   9. Minimizing cycle, what limits cycle time
   10. Clamp force
   11. Platen wrap
   12. Platen Protection for Engineering Resins
   13. Pressure Loss Documentation
4. Cooling Rate and Time
   
   1. Cycle Percentage
   2. Three types of cooling
   3. Turbulent Flow
   4. Series vs. parallel circuits
   5. Cooling issues
   6. Newer methods for high temperature molds
   7. Infrared Imaging of mold and part
5. Plastic Temperature (What's it like for the plastic to go through the machine)
   1. The hopper
   2. Drying
   3. The feed throat
   4. Barrel vs. melt temperatures
   5. Screw components
   6. Screw design for, properties, melt uniformity, color mixing & resin/color changes
   7. How plastics melt
   8. Back pressure
   9. Screw problems
   10. How to measure
6. Miscellaneous
   1. Process Optimization Procedure
   2. Universal Setup Sheet Documentation
   3. Recommended resources and websites
   4. Hot Runner Startup
   5. Energy Saving Tips
   6. Items for sale
   7. Knowledge survey
   8. Evaluation