2026 Innovation and Emerging Plastics Technologies Conference Tutorials
Choice of three-hour tutorials, with many including a hands-on component.
The Basics of Mold Material and Coating Selection
Presenters: Patricia Miller, Voestalpine, and Kip Zechman, Hi Tech Plating
This session explores the foundational principles of metallurgy and their role in guiding material choices during mold design and construction. Participants will examine how decisions related to mold metals and manufacturing methods directly influence cost efficiency, durability, and overall performance. The tutorial will provide practical guidance for navigating the wide range of available materials—including steel, aluminum, and copper alloys—as well as surface coatings that improve performance and extend tool life. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for matching material and coating selections to specific tooling demands. The program also features live demonstrations in Penn State Behrend’s advanced tooling facility, offering a hands-on look at real-world applications and best practices.
Mold Maintenance Strategies for Hot Runner Systems
Presenters: Glenn Keith and Nick O’Toole, AIM Institute
This hands-on tutorial will talk about the key elements that make a hot runner hot: thermocouples and heaters. We will explain how these components function and why they sometimes don’t. For the thermocouples, attendees will use Ohm meters to see how a thermocouple reacts to heat. This will also allow us to "map out" a manifold system where we determine which pins on the connections are controlling which zones in the manifold. For the heaters, we will explain their design and then demonstrate an Ohm meter test and an insulation resistance test to see if they are functioning properly. We then will explain what maintenance personnel should do with the results from each test. Lastly, we will demonstrate diagnostic tools from Fastheat as a very quick way to check heater and thermocouple health. But safety first...before plugging in power to any hot runner manifold, we will show attendees how to make sure they are properly grounded to avoid a shocking result!
Understanding Plastic Properties: From Molecular Structure to Grade Selection
Presenter: David Rhoades, Penn State Behrend
Basic polymer fundamentals will be introduced with a strong correlation to structure property relationships. An overview will be given of homopolymers, copolymers, morphology, molecular weight, and viscosity. Structure property relationships based on polymer chemistry (in a non-intimidating way!) will focus on “why” the materials perform like they do. Polymer fundamentals will be incorporated into a product selection process and failure analysis.
Application of DMA and Other Thermal Analysis Techniques
Presenters: Gamini Mendis and Xiaoshi Zhang, Penn State Behrend
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) data makes it possible for engineers and designers to understand the important aspects of a plastic material’s behavior over an extended service life. See how the data is generated and learn about practical applications. In addition, a number of other thermal analysis techniques will be reviewed.
Improve Your Negotiation Skills!
Presenter: Mike Brown, Penn State Behrend
Knowing how to negotiate effectively can help you and your organization succeed. In this session, you will learn some of the basics of effective negotiation. You will also have an opportunity to practice what you've learned by taking part in a negotiation exercise.
Injection Molding Setup and Control Strategies
Presenter: Brad Johnson, Penn State Behrend
Go through a hands-on process setup using a proven methodology for setting up the injection portion of a molding process on a closed-loop controlled machine. The two stages of this method refer to the injection portion of the setup, with the first stage controlled by velocity and the second stage controlled by pressure. During this tutorial, you will be walked through the steps of the setup, learn what types of problems to look for along the way, and understand why the various process settings are made. Variations of the basic process and control will also be discussed.
Injection Molding Troubleshooting
Presenter: Brian Young, Penn State Behrend
This tutorial will provide hands-on experience in solving common molding problems in the processing lab. In the classroom, the theory behind the solutions and problem-solving strategies will be discussed.
Executive Overview of Validation for Plastics Processors
Presenter: Sean Tucker
This session will focus on the key elements involved with Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ), and Performance Qualification (PQ) as applicable to molding operations. An overview of process development and other requirements to successfully validate the process, after receiving a finalized product design, will be reviewed.
Introduction to Automation
Presenter: Nick Vitelli, Penn State Behrend
Learn about some of the latest methods and equipment used in the world of automation. Several demos that will involve the participants will be held in Penn State Behrend’s new automation lab.
Sustainable Polymers
Presenter: Gamini Mendis, Penn State Behrend
In this course, you will learn how to make polymer systems more sustainable. The course will begin with a brief introduction to sustainability and an introduction to quantitative sustainability through life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques. We will look through several case studies to evaluate how to improve sustainability in engineering systems. Biodegradable and biobased polymers will be discussed and sustainability tradeoffs will be examined. We will examine tradeoffs between environmental impacts and material quality in recycled plastics systems and discuss recycling infrastructure and advanced recycling. We will also discuss several practical methods to improve sustainability at manufacturing facilities.
Practical Rheology for Polymer Processing: From Linear Viscoelasticity to Flow Characterization
Presenter: Xiaoshi Zhang, Penn State Behrend
This workshop introduces the fundamental principles of polymer rheology and demonstrates how rheological measurements are used to understand polymer processing behavior. The session begins with an overview of linear viscoelasticity, covering the basic concepts of elastic and viscous responses and the meaning of key rheological parameters such as storage modulus, loss modulus, and complex viscosity within the linear viscoelastic regime.
The workshop then discusses pressure-driven flow, which is common in polymer processing operations such as extrusion and injection molding. Two experimental techniques will be presented. First, the Melt Flow Index (MFI) test will be introduced as a simple industrial method for evaluating polymer processability, including typical testing procedures according to ASTM standards. Second, the capillary rheometer will be discussed as a more advanced tool for measuring shear viscosity over a wide range of shear rates relevant to processing. The workshop will explain how raw capillary rheometer data are corrected using Bagley correction to account for entrance pressure losses and Rabinowitsch correction to determine the true wall shear rate for non-Newtonian fluids.
Finally, the workshop will cover drag-driven flow measurements using a rotational rheometer, which is widely used to characterize the viscoelastic properties of polymer melts and solutions. Common experimental methods will be introduced, including amplitude sweeps to determine the linear viscoelastic region, frequency sweeps to probe molecular relaxation behavior, temperature sweeps to study thermal effects, and time sweeps to monitor structural evolution such as curing or crystallization.
Together, these techniques provide a practical framework for understanding how polymers deform and flow under processing conditions, enabling better interpretation of material behavior and improved design of polymer manufacturing processes.
Sustainable Plastic Part Design with Autodesk Fusion: From Concept to Simulation-Driven Optimization
Presenters: Joe Huegel, Jeff Higgins, and Matt Jaworski, Autodesk Moldflow
This hands-on workshop introduces a practical, end-to-end workflow for designing plastic components in Autodesk Fusion with a focus on performance, manufacturability, and sustainability. Participants will create and refine a plastic part using industry best practices for injection molding, including draft, uniform wall thickness, and ribbing strategies.
The session then transitions to simulation-driven design, where attendees will evaluate structural performance and iterate on their designs to reduce material use without compromising strength. Sustainability concepts are integrated throughout the workflow, highlighting how design decisions directly impact material consumption, manufacturing efficiency, and environmental footprint. Attendees will also explore emerging sustainability tools within the Fusion ecosystem, including carbon impact insights and material/process tradeoff analysis. By the end of the workshop, participants will understand how to leverage Fusion to make smarter, more sustainable design decisions earlier in the product development process.
Overview and Lab Demos of Low-Pressure Molding and Other Molding Processes
Presenters: Brad Johnson, Penn State Behrend, and Stacey Payne
Learn about several alternative process setup methods, other than D2, such as low-pressure injection molding (iMFLUX molding) and what RJG refers to as D1 and D3 molding. Learn about the basics of each process and how to set up the processes. Four lab stations will provide hands-on opportunities and demonstrate 1) iMFLUX molding, 2) D1 molding, 3) D3 molding, and 4) a modified D3 process.