*** Please note, each row and course# listed below is a separate, complete course. ***
Injection Molding Certificate Program
| Course# | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 173-1180 | 03/24/2025 - 03/28/2025 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams |
| 173-1181 | 06/23/2025 - 06/27/2025 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams |
| 173-1182 | 07/28/2025 - 08/01/2025 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams |
| 173-1183 | 08/25/2025 - 08/29/2025 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams |
| 173-1184 | 09/22/2025 - 09/26/2025 | 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams |
Online Registration
CEU's: 3.5
Instructor: Dr. Erol Sancaktar
Course Overview
In collaboration with ConxusNEO, a driving force in Summit County, Ohio, engaged in workforce development by supporting world-class, demand-driven and data-informed talents, University of Akron (UA) Polymer Training Services (APTS) is offering the INJECTION MOLDING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM (IMCP). For this purpose, we partner with companies, regional and nationwide, to identify the skills they need to thrive, and align with education and economic development of public-sector and community partners to transform the way people are prepared for great careers. Specifically, Northeast Ohio (NEO) local industry as well as the Greater Akron Chamber has emphasized the unmet need for training in injection molding operation and process knowledge and the UA IMCP has been constructed to serve similar needs nationally and worldwide.
The IMCP Program has been designed to impart basic understanding of the process variables and how they impact the part, as well as quality control processes and the ability to troubleshoot the process.
As required for any certificate program, competency tests for each module/course will be administered, and a certificate will be issued upon successful completion of the program.
The IMCP involves one week (8 hours per day) web-based instruction. A quiz is given at the end of each day of instruction to assess participants’ comprehension of the material covered and fill in any perceived weaknesses the following day (until the last day). A comprehensive quiz is administered on the last day of instruction. Such assessment of enrichment is necessary to be able to award a certificate.
The topical coverage for the IMCP can be summarized as follows.
DAYS 1 & 2: INTRODUCTION TO POLYMER MATERIALS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR
- Introduction
- Thermal Transitions
- Blends
- Rheology
- Introduction to Polymer Processing
- Quiz
DAY 3: INJECTION MOLDING BASICS
- Processing: Extrusion & Injection Molding
- Environmental & Occupational Health & Safety
- Machine/Mold/Material Troubleshooting
- Quiz
DAY 4: MOLD DESIGN & ENGINEERING
- Mold Design & Engineering
- Quiz
DAY 5: PRODUCT DESIGN FOR INJECTION MOLDING
- Product Design for Injection Molding
- Injection Molding Simulation
The details of each day’s coverage are provided on this website, treating each of days 1&2, 3, 4 and 5 as a separate web-based course following the regular format for APTS.
Online Course Requirements
We want you to have a great experience participating in our remote (online) courses, and for that, you’ll need the right equipment and internet connection.
Minimum needs are:
- A broadband internet connection that has at least a 2 Mbps upload and download speed.
- A computer (PC or Mac) that can support the latest web browser versions.
- At least 4 GB of RAM and adequate hard drive space.
- A microphone and a speaker.
- International Students: For virtual (online) courses, an additional fee will be assessed to cover the cost of shipping the professional binder (presentation slides), to your address. The cost of international shipping can be significant.
For more information, visit our Online Course Requirements webpage.
Instructor Biography:
Dr. Erol Sancaktar received his Ph.D. (Eng. Mechanics) and M.S. (Mech. Eng.) degrees from Virginia Tech. He is a Fellow of ASME and has served as Chair of ASME Tech. Committee on Reliability Stress Analysis, and Failure Prevention (1997-2008, 2013-present). He served as Associate Editor for the ASME J. Mech. Design (1995-2006) and Medical Devices (2006-2013). He was a faculty member at the Mechanical Eng. Dept. at Clarkson University during 1978 to 1996 before joining Univ. Akron in 1996 as Professor of Polymer Eng. He was also appointed Professor of Mechanical Eng. in 2009. Dr. Sancaktar currently holds the title, Professor Emeritus at the University of Akron’s School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering (since August 2020). Prof. Sancaktar edited 25 books and Journal Special Issues, authored 111 refereed journal articles, 30 articles in books edited by others, including 2 chapters in ASM Engineered Materials Handbook, as well as two chapters in Handbook of Adhesion Technology by Springer. He delivered 244 technical presentations and has 4 patents. Dr. Sancaktar organized 30 Conferences.
Dr. Sancaktar served in 15 different Federal Government review panels and served as reviewer for numerous scientific research proposals, journal articles and books. He had over 18 consulting assignments, sabbatical and extended visits with various government agencies (i.e., NASA, U.S. Army), industrial establishments (Kendall Co., Chrysler Corp.), foundations and legal agencies, not counting one-day consulting/advising visits. Among these expert services was an over-billion-dollar case and expert witness testimony at the U.S. International Trade Commission (2017).
Prof. Sancaktar and co-workers obtained ~ $4M Research and Grant support with 56 projects during 1980-2022. These include 8 National Science Foundation grants (~ $1.1M and spanning over 25 years), 3 Teaching Grants and 20 projects sponsored by Industry.
DAYS 1 & 2:
TWO-DAYS ONLINE COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO POLYMER MATERIALS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR
- Introduction
- Thermal Transitions
- Blends
- Rheology
- Introduction to Polymer Processing
- Quiz (for participants in Injection Molding Certificate Program)
Course Overview
This 2-days course is designed to introduce engineers, engineering students and technicians to the basic concepts of polymer science and processing. It provides an overview of polymer materials, thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, polymerization methods, mechanical properties and morphology of polymers in glassy, rubbery and viscous melt states and the relationship between polymer molecular structure and glass transition and melting temperatures. Polymer blends, fillers, plastics compounding and rheological behavior of polymers are also covered.
The topics covered include: Introduction to Polymer Materials; Thermal Transitions in Polymers: Tg & Tm; Chain Growth (or Addition) Polymerization. Methods for Polymer Molecular Weight and Molecular Weight Distribution. Molecular Entanglement. Polymer Blends. Rheological Characterization of Polymer Melts. Viscosity. Melt Flow Index. Shear Flow. Flow Instabilities. Filler Effects. Plastics Processing Techniques. Blow Molding. Thermoforming. Rotational Molding. Compression Molding. Transfer Molding.
DAY 3:
ONE-DAY ONLINE COURSE: INJECTION MOLDING BASICS
- Processing: Extrusion & Injection Molding
- Environmental & Occupational Health & Safety
- Machine/Mold/Material Troubleshooting
- Quiz (for participants in Injection Molding Certificate Program)
Course Overview
This 1-day course is designed to introduce engineers, engineering students and technicians to Processing: Extrusion & Injection Molding; Environmental & Occupational Health & Safety; and, Machine/Mold/Material Troubleshooting.
The topics covered include: Extrusion Technology. Single Screw Extruders. Components of a Single Screw Extruder. Basic Screw Geometry. Screw Temperature Control. Temperature and Pressure Profiles. Melting Progression. Basic Flow Processes in an Extruder. Pressure Flow. Drag Flow. Mathematical Model for Screw Extrusion. Screw Characteristic Equation. Flow Patterns in. Single Screw Extrusion. Extrusion Flow Rate, Qs. Effect of Melt Viscosity on Output Rate. Die Characteristic Equation. Operating Pressure of the Extruder. Channel Depth Effects. Factors Affecting Extruder Output. Mixing Effectiveness. Special Screw Designs For Improved Mixing. Die Swell Distortion. Dies for Pipe, Sheet and Wire Coating. Coextrusion. Advantages of Injection Molding. Functions of the Screw Injection Unit. Process Steps and Cycle. Nozzle. Non-return Valve. Functions of the Clamping Unit. Clamp Actuation Comparison. Hydraulics: Pascal’s Law. Clamping Specifications. Ejection Actuator. Types of Injection Molding. Machine Sizing. Clamping Force. Shot (Injection) Capacity. Auxiliary Equipment. Material Dryers. Material Loaders. Blenders. Granulators. Mold Temperature Controllers. Parts Handling. Machine/Process Control and Settings. Clamp Unit Controls. Injection (Plasticizing) Unit Controls. Temperature (Heaters). Injection. Timers and Carriage Position. Clamp-to-clamp Cycle Time. Molding Cycle. Newer Developments. Temperature-based Process Control. Cost of Injection Molding Process. Other Injection Molding Processes. Troubleshooting Tips.
Health Hazards. Routes of Exposure. Effects of Exposure. Physical Hazards. Safety Data Sheets. Chemical Labelling. Exposure to Chemicals. In Case of Emergency. Reacting to Emergencies. What to do When A Fire Occurs In Your Work Area. What to do When Fire Alarm Sounds. How To Use A Fire Extinguisher. Fire Classification. Chemical Spills. Safety equipment. Minor Cuts, Burns, and Abrasions. Chemical Hygiene Plan. Personal Protective Equipment. Housekeeping. Flammables Cabinet. Work Place Security. Waste Streams. Documentation. Hazardous Waste. Chemical Inventory.
Machine/Mold/Material Contributions to Failure. Common Product Problems. Troubleshooting Tips.
DAY 4:
ONE-DAY ONLINE COURSE: MOLD DESIGN & ENGINEERING
- Mold Design & Engineering
- Quiz
Course Overview
This 1-day course is designed to introduce engineers, engineering students and technicians to Mold Design and Engineering, with the inclusion of Case Studies and Troubleshooting.
The topics covered include: Overview of Molds & Molding Processes. Compression Molding. Fan Gates. Transfer Molding. Injection Compression Molding. Injection Transfer Molding. Injection Molding. Molding Methods Comparison. Injection Mold Design Basics. Typical Shot. Runner Systems. Runner Balance. Runner Geometry. Gates. Gate Location. Gates & Shrink. Venting System. Venting Volume. Vent Location. Ejection System. Sprue Pullers. Ejector Action. Pin Marks. Strippers. Ejecting Parts with Undercuts. Core Pins. External Core Pull. Slides. Cavity Slides. 3-plate Mold Ejection. Draft. Cooling Systems. Cooling Layout. Mold Cooling. Core Cooling. Channel Location. Die Sets. Newer Developments. Hot Runner Improvements. Temperature-based Process Control. Fan Gates. Jetting. Racetrack Flow. Weld Line. Gate Location and Flow. Number of Gates. Flow Path for a Multi-cavity Mold. Cavity Layout and Runner System. Vents. Gate Dimensions. Gate Design. Design for filling & packing. Design for cooling. Design for filling-Encouragement of fountain flow. Hesitation effects. Design for filling- Encouragement of packing. Design for cooling- cycle time. Non-Crystallizing Polymers. Design for cooling- shrinkage. Factors in Mold Design. Factors that Determine Mold Fill Times. Mold-filling Analysis. Moldflow Simulation Programs. Steps in the Injection Molding Process. Cavity Pressure During Injection Molding Cycle. Injection Molding Process Variables. Closed Loop Control Algorithms. Clamping Controls. Injection Molding Machine Operating Window. Product Design Tips for Injection Molded Parts. Effect of Frozen-in Stresses. Injection Molded Thermoset Elastomers. Types of Injection Molding Defects. Deflashing Techniques. Mold Design Considerations. Steel Selection Considerations. Mold Design for Durability. Mold Design, Examples. Pressure Loss. Case Studies. Effects of Gating. Impact Strength. Tensile Strain. Gating Styles. Optimal Melt Temperature. Measuring Melt Temperature. Effect of Packing on Heat Transfer. Mold Cooling. Venting.
DAY 5:
ONE-DAY ONLINE COURSE: PRODUCT DESIGN FOR INJECTION MOLDING
- Product Design for Injection Molding
- Injection Molding Simulation
Course Overview
This 1-day course is designed to introduce engineers, engineering students and technicians to Product Design for Injection Molding, with the inclusion of Case Studies and Troubleshooting.
The topics covered include: Product Design. Design Flow Chart. Cost Breakdown. Design Guidelines. Design Examples. Troubleshooting. Material Selection. Material Properties/Performance. Material Properties/Processing. Causes of Field Failure. Field Failure. Tensile Stress – Strain. Effect of Strain Rate – Impact. Creep Strain. Creep Stress. Heat Aging. Effects of Elevated Temperature. Effects of Drying Temperature. Melt Index. Fatigue Failure. Part Design for Environmental Stress Cracking (ESC) and Fatigue. Creep – ESC Relation. Creep – Fatigue Relation. Part Cooling Behavior. Effect of Mold Temperature. Effect of Melt and Mold Temperature. Crystallization Effect. Effect of Cooling Rate. Shrinkage. Warpage. Mold Temperature Control. Case Studies. Material Modifications and Their Effect. Application Environment Checklist. Process Considerations. Weld Line Strength. Effects of Elevated Temperature. Enthalpy Relaxation. Material Property Modification. Effects of Fillers and Reinforcements. Effects of Impact Modifiers. Flame Retardants. Colorants. Heat Stabilizers/Antioxidants. Blending and Alloying. Design Method. Concurrent Engineering. Product Cost. Prototyping. Design/Failure Analysis. Relevance of Material Properties. Failure Assessment. Statistical Method. Root Cause Analysis. Materials Testing.