Polymer Processing Course

Lesson 1 • Polymer Additives and Compounding

Surveys stabilisers, plasticisers, fillers, and colourants used in commercial formulations. Prepares students to read and modify compound recipes.

Lesson 2 • Polymer Structure and Classification

Covers chain architecture, monomer types, and polymer families. Establishes vocabulary and classification logic used throughout all processing chapters.

Lesson 3 • Thermal Transitions in Polymers

Identifies glass transition, melting, and degradation temperatures. Connects thermal transitions to processing window selection.

Lesson 1 • Rheological Measurement Techniques

Covers capillary, rotational, and oscillatory rheometry for polymer characterisation. Students select appropriate instruments for specific processing problems.

Lesson 2 • Temperature and Pressure Effects on Viscosity

Quantifies how temperature and pressure shift viscosity using WLF and Arrhenius models. Enables accurate process temperature selection.

Lesson 3 • Viscoelastic Behaviour of Melts

Explains elastic recovery, die swell, and melt fracture as viscoelastic phenomena. Connects these behaviours to defect prevention in processing.

Lesson 4 • Flow in Processing Geometries

Analyses flow through dies, runners, and channels using power-law and Carreau models. Directly supports die design and injection mould filling analysis.

Lesson 1 • Extrusion Process Control and Troubleshooting

Identifies key process variables and common defects such as surging, gels, and melt fracture. Equips students to diagnose and correct extrusion instabilities.

Lesson 2 • Single-Screw Extruder Design

Describes feed, compression, and metering zones and their functional roles. Establishes the baseline machine configuration for all extrusion-based processes.

Lesson 3 • Twin-Screw Extruder Configurations

Compares co-rotating and counter-rotating intermeshing designs and their mixing characteristics. Guides selection between single- and twin-screw systems for compounding tasks.

Lesson 4 • Die Design and Pressure Generation

Covers breaker plates, screen packs, and die land geometry for pressure buildup and flow uniformity. Directly enables students to design and troubleshoot extrusion dies.

Lesson 1 • Process Parameter Optimisation

Applies design-of-experiments methods to injection moulding parameter windows. Students identify optimal settings for dimensional accuracy and surface quality.

Lesson 2 • Injection Moulding Machine Components

Identifies injection unit, clamping unit, and control system functions. Provides the machine literacy needed to set and interpret all process parameters.

Lesson 3 • Injection Moulding Cycle Stages

Breaks down plastication, injection, packing, cooling, and ejection phases. Connects each stage to part quality attributes such as sink marks and warpage.

Lesson 4 • Injection Moulding Defects and Remedies

Catalogues short shots, flash, sink marks, weld lines, and jetting with root causes. Provides systematic troubleshooting logic applicable to production environments.

Lesson 1 • Extrusion Blow Moulding Fundamentals

Explains parison formation, mould closing, and blowing stages for hollow containers. Connects parison sag and wall thickness distribution to process settings.

Lesson 2 • Injection Stretch Blow Moulding

Covers preform design, stretch rod mechanics, and biaxial orientation for PET bottles. Links orientation to barrier properties and mechanical performance.

Lesson 3 • Quality Control in Hollow Part Production

Identifies wall thickness variation, pinch-off quality, and top-load strength as key metrics. Establishes inspection and statistical control methods for production lines.

Lesson 4 • Material Selection for Blow and Thermoforming

Evaluates HDPE, PP, PET, and PS for blow moulding and thermoforming suitability. Guides material choice based on barrier, clarity, and recyclability requirements.

Lesson 1 • Extrusion Coating and Lamination

Explains curtain and extrusion coating onto substrates for packaging and barrier applications. Connects adhesion, neck-in, and draw-down to coating quality.

Lesson 2 • Calendering Process and Equipment

Describes roll stack configurations, nip pressure, and bank temperature for PVC and rubber calendering. Connects roll geometry to gauge uniformity and surface finish.

Lesson 3 • Film and Sheet Quality Metrics

Defines gauge variation, tensile properties, optical properties, and seal strength as film quality standards. Prepares students to specify and audit film production quality.

Lesson 4 • Cast Film Extrusion

Covers slot die design, chill roll quenching, and edge pinning for cast film production. Links die lip adjustment to gauge profile and optical clarity.

Lesson 1 • Nanocomposite Processing

Explains intercalation and exfoliation of nanoclays and graphene in polymer matrices. Connects processing conditions to nanoparticle dispersion and barrier or mechanical enhancement.

Lesson 2 • Polymer Blend Morphology and Processing

Analyses droplet breakup, coalescence, and co-continuous morphology formation during melt blending. Links interfacial tension and viscosity ratio to final blend morphology.

Lesson 3 • Filler and Fibre Compounding

Addresses dispersion of mineral fillers, glass fibres, and carbon fibres in twin-screw compounders. Connects fibre length retention and filler dispersion to composite mechanical properties.

Lesson 4 • Reactive Extrusion Fundamentals

Covers grafting, chain extension, and controlled degradation reactions conducted in extruders. Connects residence time distribution and mixing intensity to reaction conversion.

Lesson 1 • Statistical Process Control in Polymer Processing

Applies control charts, capability indices, and measurement system analysis to processing lines. Enables students to maintain process stability and meet dimensional tolerances.

Lesson 2 • Energy Efficiency in Processing Operations

Quantifies specific energy consumption for extrusion, injection moulding, and compounding. Identifies drive, heating, and cooling system improvements to reduce energy use.

Lesson 3 • Mould Filling and Process Simulation

Uses flow simulation software to predict fill patterns, weld lines, and cooling for injection moulding. Connects simulation outputs to mould design revisions and cycle time reduction.

Lesson 4 • Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 in Processing

Introduces sensor integration, real-time data acquisition, and machine learning for process monitoring. Prepares students to implement smart manufacturing concepts on polymer processing lines.