Selecting the right plastic material is a challenging task. While there are numerous online tools available for researching plastic materials, they do not provide any insight into the process of material selection. This workshop will provide a methodology to select materials effectively.
Using common language, we will translate general terms about a material's characteristics – such as stiffness, strength, and toughness - into specific technical properties that are relevant – and quantifiable – to the intended application. We will review industry standard tests that are used to quantify material properties, and discuss how to interpret the data and understand the behavior of the material to assess its use in an intended application.
If you can't attend one or several sessions live, or if you want to review some concepts, the recordings will be available after each session.
Who Should Attend?
Are you a designer struggling to navigate the wide range of plastic materials and references, seeking to make well-informed selections for your projects?
Are you experiencing failures in your plastic products? Did you know that 45% of these failures are due to the wrong selection of material?
Are you interested in exploring material alternatives that could improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of your current products, but unsure where to begin?
Do you heavily rely on your material suppliers to choose materials for your products, yet aspire to enhance your own capabilities in this area?
Are you in the material supply business, aiming to assist your customers in selecting the most suitable materials for their projects?
Why Should You Attend?
By participating in this workshop, attendees will:
Develop an understanding of plastic material behavior from molten resin to end-use part performance
Become familiar with key material families and notable applications
Be able to effectively select and specify plastic materials
Be able to calculate total manufacturing costs (including raw material costs, processing costs and costs of secondary operations)
Eric R. Larson has over forty years experience in plastics engineering. He is the founder of Art of Mass Production, an engineering consulting company based in San Diego, CA. He has worked on a diverse range of products, including disposable lighters, cell phones, office chairs, and hand-held medical devices. Eric has a keen understanding of materials, and knows the value of good design. He also writes and teaches about the effective use of plastics. His book Plastics Materials Selection: A Practical Guide was nominated for a PROSE Award. It is available on Amazon, and in over 600 university libraries in more than 20 different countries.
This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.
Refund Policy
Full refund 14 days prior to the event start date. Please contact customerrelations@4spe.org for assistance with registration.
Copyright & Permission to Use
When you enter a SPE, a division of PLASTICS event or program, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, webcasts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by SPE and their affiliates and representatives. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of SPE. You release SPE, their officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or or sound recordings. By entering the event premises, you waive all rights you may have to any claims for payment or royalties in connection with any use, exhibition, streaming, web casting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such use, exhibiting, broadcasting, web casting, or other publication irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by SPE or the person or entity designated to do so by SPE. You have been fully informed of your consent, waiver of liability, and release before entering the event.
Anti-Trust Statement
No discussion among members, volunteers, or staff, which attempts to arrive at any agreement regarding prices, terms or conditions of sale, distribution, volume, territories, or customers;
No activity or communication which might be construed as an attempt to prevent any person or business entity from gaining access to any market or customer for goods or services or any business entity from obtaining services or a supply of goods;
No activity or communication which might be construed as an agreement to refrain from purchasing or using any materials, equipment, services or supplies of or from any supplier; or
No other activity which violates anti-trust or applicable laws aimed at preventing unfair competition.
