Processing for Polymer Product Performance

Catalog description

This course is designed to complement the fundamental understanding of viscoelastic polymer behavior both in the melt and in the solid state, with an emphasis on properly considering these properties in quality plastic part design. The student will be introduced to plastic part design, plastic mold and die design, and polymer flow simulation as it relates to injection molding. Part design will emphasize the importance of designing to accommodate the ultimate manufacturing technique; concepts such as gating location and part draft will be introduced. Mold design will be introduced in order that students will understand the importance of proper cooling line placement, runner design, and realistic gating location and melt delivery options. Flow simulation is introduced as a tool to anticipate the influence of the molding process on the final part properties, including dimensional stability. Solid part models will be considered in both flow analysis and subsequent finite element analysis for the prediction of mechanical properties, which are ultimately a product of part design, processing conditions, and material properties. Finally, the course will introduce the students to the influence of part geometry and processing conditions on final part properties by conducting a series of labs where the students test and compare the mechanical properties of a complex molded sample (such as a bearing cage or a drill housing) to a standard test specimen, highlighting the deviation from "data sheet" properties that results from processing and geometric effects.