Rubber molding course planned.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will hold a course on "Molding of rubber and design of rubber molds," June 2-4 at the School of Continuing Education in Milwaukee, WI.

This introductory course on rubber molding will provide an integrated perspective of the molding of rubber. Instructors will first describe the flow behavior of thermoplastic and cross-linking rubber materials and then discuss the behavior of these materials in molding processes.

Because of the wide range of viscosity of these materials, a variety of methods and equipment is said to be needed to mold them successfully. Applicable molding methods will be reviewed with emphasis on the newer methods. Current principles and techniques in the design of molds and molded parts design will be covered.

Materials processes and design factors will then be interrelated to provide an integrated perspective of rubber molding. Instructors will generally cover the design and molding of mechanical rubber goods with only limited reference to the molding of tires.

This seminar is said to be of benefit to materials and process engineers, rubber mold designers, quality control personnel and managers responsible for these functions. Companies will benefit by sending teams of these personnel since their ability to work together is so important in an efficient design and manufacturing program, according to course planners. Attendees are encouraged to bring drawings or parts giving problems in production for discussion by course instructors.

Course instructors will include John Sommer of Elastech, Terry Chapin of Delphi/Packard Electric, Richard P. Steiner of Quadra and Van T. Walworth of Research & Design Specialties.

Rubber materials will be reviewed, including description, shrinkage, types, adhesion and flow behavior.

Molding methods discussed will include compression, blow, transfer, casting, injection and RIM. Mold fouling and cleaning will be covered.

Mold design will be examined in detail, including the design process and information gathering, parting line considerations, overflow considerations, part feeding (sprues, ring feed, pin feed, tab feed and submarine gate), cavity spacing, mold construction (mold plates, core pin/inserts, leader pins/bushings, material selection, durability and spring assists), compression molds, transfer molds, injection molds, injection-transfer, and additional topics, including CAD in mold design and cold runner blocks.

Designing of parts for manufacturability will be reviewed, including rubber part tolerancing, mold debug (how to solve molding problems through part redesign, mold redesign, process modification and material changes) and troubleshooting the rubber molding process.

Versatile mold design for optimizing development of rubber products will also be examined, including prototype considerations, initial molding methods, use of CAD in design, combination molds, progressive molds, nesting and special features.

The registration fee for "Molding of rubber and design of rubber molds" is $1,190. This fee includes program materials, continental breakfasts and breaks. Lodging and other meals are not included.

Participants completing this course will be awarded 1.8 Continuing Education Units from the University of Wisconsin. A Certificate of Participation is presented to each registrant. Proceedings are not published.

Further information on this course is available from program director Murali Vedula [phone] or program assistant Debra O'Neil [phone].