Plastics in Mechanical Engineering (FSI-FPA)

The aim of the course "Plastics in Mechanical Engineering" is to familiarize students with the basics of the most commonly used technologies in the field of plastics processing and to provide them with information on the principles of machines and tools necessary for the production.

The course "Plastics in Mechanical Engineering" enables students to gain fundamental knowledge about the structure, mechanical, rheological, and processing properties of polymers, the main technologies, and the application of plastics in various industrial sectors.

Basic knowledge of chemistry and a grasp of plastics and production technology

Classification of plastics based on physical, mechanical, and other properties, fundamental processing methods, injection moulding, and the influence of processing parameters on the final properties of plastic products. Plastic processing machinery, manufacturability of plastic products, and mould design, especially injection moulds. Extrusion and other processes such as compression, forming, welding, and bonding of plastics. Moldflow analysis for optimizing plastic product design, mould development, and determining technological parameters.

Classified credit is awarded on the basis of: attendance at seminars and completion of a mould design for a specific part, including calculation of basic process parameters for injection moulding and a final exam.

It is classificated to the ECTS grading scale.

Attendance at lectures is recommended.
Attendance at exercises is compulsory.
Attendance at the seminar is regularly checked, and the participation in the lesson is recorded. Absence may be compensated in justified cases through an agreement with the teacher by completing a special programme.

1. Composites and their processing


2. Classification of plastics, their application and properties


3. Physical, mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of plastics


4. Injection moulding (injection moulding cycle, injection pressure - course)


5. Injection moulding machines, plastification unit and clamping unit, machine control


6. Excursion to specialised firm


7. Moulds for injection moulding, number of cavities


8. Gating system


9. Tempering and ejector system


10. Processing of plastics (extrusion, blow moulding, vacuum forming)


11. Manufacturing and bonding of plastics


12. Thermosets and their processing


13. Review, discussion

1. Specification of plastic for selected part


2. Part design


3. Machine specification


4. Set of mouldings determination


5. Optimization of process parameters


6. Excursion to specialised firm


7. Classified credits

1. Mould design in principle.


2. Design of gating.


3. Design of ejecting.


4. Design of mould tempering.


5. Mould design with the use of standard parts.


6. Mould design with the use of standard parts.

ZEMAN, Lubomír. Vstřikování plastů 2: Simulace, analýzy, odstraňování vad, 3D tisk. Praha: Grada Publishing, 2021. ISBN 978-80-271-1294-4.