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IME 3500 - Production Thermoplastic Processing
Catalog Description:
Injection molding, blow molding, extrusion and thermoforming. Effects of thermoplastic melt characteristics on product design and part quality. Effects of machine design, set-up, and operation on part cost and profitability. Overview of processing machinery including take-off and sizing equipment.
Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisite: IME 2500.
Credits: 3 hours
Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: (2 - 3)
Prerequisites by Topic:
- Knowledge of the elements of plastication. (IME 2500 - Plastics Properties and Processing)
- Basic understanding of extrusion, injection molding, and blow molding. (IME 2500)
- Ability to correctly differentiate independent and dependent process and product variables. (IME 2500)
Course Objectives, Performance Criteria, and Outcomes:
Course Objectives |
ABET-TAC Outcomes2 |
Performance Criteria Measured1 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Understand the physical and chemical bases for plastication. |
b |
B3: Correctly identify stable plastication from a normal shear rate curve. |
|
Understand the integrated systems within injection, extrusion, and blow molding. |
a |
A1: Set up and operate injection molding and extrusion production equipment. |
|
Understand the role of different types of auxiliary equipment as related to plastics processing. |
a |
A1: Set up and operate auxiliary equipment as an integral part of the primary processing system |
|
Identify the root causes of molding defects (faults) and how they can be corrected. |
f |
F1: Correctly identify the root cause of a given molding fault, and at least one probable corrective action solely from the observation of a molded product. |
|
Know the importance of molding safety as it relates to mechanical and electrical safeguarding of manufacturing personnel. |
i |
I1: Demonstrate the safe operation of processing equipment by producing sample parts without causing injury or putting anyone at risk |
|
Function as a member of a team to set up production equipment and collect process data. |
e |
E3: Participate as an equal team member in the process of setting up equipment, gathering data and shutting down production. |
|
Collect and distill a large amount of technical information into a usable document. |
g |
G1: Collect thorough information using a comprehensive array of references drawn from sources, both inside and outside current university library holdings to improve some element of thermoplastics processing |
Performance Criteria1: IME performance criteria may be found at http://www.wmich.edu/ime/performance-criteria.html
ABET-TAC Outcomes2: Outcomes may be found at http://www.abet.org/
*results tracked in ABET course notebooks
Textbooks:
Engelmann, P. V. (2000). Production thermoplastics processing. (Lecture/lab manual).
Richardson, P. N. (1974). Introduction to extrusion. Brookfield, CT: Society of Plastics Engineers.
Course Coordinator:
Paul Engelmann
Western Michigan University
F-259 Parkview Campus
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5336
Phone: 276-3350
Email: paul.engelmann@wmich.edu
Revision Date: Spring 2012