The distribution is tentative and may change somewhat to reflect the actual relative efforts of this open ended project. The fabrication of plastics products such as film, sheet, pipe, wire coating, bottles, containers, appliance housings and automotive parts is one of the most dynamic and promising enterprises today. Further forming operations might be necessary, before the various products reach the consumer. The melting and pumping operation are usually performed in a plastics extruder, which is composed of a screw rotating in a heated barrel. Shaping is done by pushing the melt through an appropriately shaped die.
Solidification usually occurs by cooling in air or a water bath.
Subsequent forming may involve reheating and application of pressume or vacuum. In the first part of the course practical information will be given through lectures, discussions, documents and assignments. The objective is for the students to understand what is involved in design of extrusion systems i.e. sizing of an extruder, die dimensions and post extrusion requirements including cooling. Around the end of January the students will be asked to choose their project partners and select a design project. This, for example, may be an extrusion system for the production of sheet, film, pipe, wire coating, etc.