PLAST 210 - Plastic Mold Design Fundamentals

Credits: 3
Lecture Contact Hours: 2
Lab Contact Hours: 1
Description: This course provides an understanding of plastic mold design. Emphasis will be focused on tool design for injection molding. The course will also include tool design for compression molding, blow molding, extrusion, thermoforming and the composite manufacturing processes.

Prerequisites: PLAST 130. PLAST 131. PLAST 150.
Corequisites: None.
Recommended: None.

Course Category: Occupational
This Course is Typically Offered: Winter Only
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Course Competencies

Describe tooling requirements for injection, compression, thermoforming, blow molding and composite manufacturing processes.
Identify tool materials required for injection, compression, thermoforming, blow molding and composite manufacturing processes.
Explain how tool design and material selection affects plastic part quality.
Explain the different components of the two- and three-plate injection mold.
Differentiate the advantages and limitations of cold versus hot runner mold design.
Identify tool hardness and tool coatings required for various plastic materials and processes.
Explain annealing and heat treating processes for tooling.
Explain tooling cost factors.
Classify mold types (such as one-sided low pressure vs two-sided high pressure mold).
Identify common plastic part defects due to incorrect mold design.
Describe mold and tooling corrective actions to resolve plastic part defects generated by improper tool design.
Explore mold filling and cooling analysis to validate tool design.
Explore advanced tool and mold design technology in the plastics industry.
Adhere to plastics industry safety guidelines.