Conference Agenda | Penn State Behrend

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Wednesday Opening Program
Time	Program
7:30 a.m.	Registration and Continental Breakfast/Visit Exhibits
8:10 a.m.	Welcome and Program Overview, 180 Burke Brad Johnson, Conference Chair, Penn State Behrend
8:25 a.m.	Keynote—Using Rebels to Push Innovation Lynzie Nebel, Upstream Hardware Engineer, Cytiva

Wednesday Technical Sessions
Time	Session A, 180 Burke Moderator: Jason Williams	Session B, 001 Burke Moderator: Josh Lutz	Session C, 002 Burke Moderator: Gamini Mendis
9:20 a.m.	Advancing Lightweight Plastics Through Next-Generation Foaming Technology Abolfazl Mohebbi, Moxietec	Prepare to Help Tomorrow’s Workforce Address Today’s Challenges Ryan Jenner, Arburg	New Generation of Polyolefin Processing Aids to Improve Production Efficiency and Contribute to the End Processor’s Sustainability Brian Young, Penn State Behrend
9:55 a.m.	World's First Pinless Valve Gate! Adam Leichliter & Fabio Bordignon, Oerlikon HRSflow	Water Quality – The Hidden Enemy of Cycle Time Kip Petrykowski, Blue Moose Descaling	The Latest in Deck Coloring Kaan Serpersu, Penn Color
10:30 a.m.	Smart Hot Runner for Indirect Cavity Pressure Monitoring and Process Control Jeremy Makohn, SPECTRIX	Mold Maintenance: Firefighting vs. Fire Prevention Glenn Keith, AIM Institute	Electric Machines – Total Cost of Ownership Jaquelyn Schreiber, Milacron
11:05 a.m.	Engineering Hot Runner Solutions for Extreme-Temperature Polymers Paul Boettger, Technoject	Auxiliary Equipment Integration in Injection Molding: Applications and Sizing Criteria Mike Ellis, ACS Group	Servo Hydraulic Versus Electric Brian Towler, Boy Machines
11:40 a.m.	Optimized Side-Gating with Enhanced Controller Features Michael Zuraw, Mold-Masters	Using Cavity Pressure and Temperature to Monitor and Control the Injection Molding Process Mike Prisby, Kistler	Cutting Costs Without Cutting Corners: Practical Ways Injection Molders Can Save Money Eric Anderson & Damian Cadoret, Absolute Haitian
12:15 p.m.	Synchrotron X-Ray Mapping on Flow-Induced Crystallized Polymers Xiaoshi Zhang, Penn State Behrend	Advancements in Resin Drying Technology Ryan Matthews, Conair Group	Driving Efficiency and Quality in Micromolding Processes Gene Flockerzi, Moretto

Wednesday Afternoon Tutorials and Reception
Time	Program
12:45 p.m.	Lunch and Visit Exhibits
2:45 p.m.	Wednesday Tutorials (choose one): Injection Molding Setup and Control Strategies, Brad Johnson, Penn State Behrend, Burke 176 Mold Maintenance Strategies for Hot Runner Systems, Glenn Keith, AIM Institute, Burke 106 Application of DMA and Other Thermal Analysis Techniques, Gamini Mendis & Xiaoshi Zhang, Penn State Behrend, Burke 104 Introduction to Automation, Nick Vitelli, Penn State Behrend, Burke 105 Executive Overview of Validation for Plastics Processors, Sean Tucker, Burke 153 The Basics of Mold Material and Coating Selection, Patricia Miller, Voestalpine & Kip Zechman, Hi Tech Plating, Burke 103
5:30–7:00 p.m.	Networking Reception Clark Cafe

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Thursday Opening Program
Time	Program
7:30 a.m.	Registration and Continental Breakfast/Exhibits
8:10 a.m.	Program Review, 180 Burke Brad Johnson, Conference Chair, Penn State Behrend
8:15 a.m.	Overview of Behrend Research and New Initiatives Dr. Alicyn Rhoades, Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Penn State Behrend

Thursday Technical Sessions
Time	Session A, 180 Burke Moderator: Brian Young	Session B, 001 Burke Moderator: Nick Vitelli	Session C, 002 Burke Moderator: Xiaoshi Zhang
9:10 a.m.	Taming the Cloud or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the PID Jason Satteson, Rick Beideman, & Amber Earnest, Conair Group	Ultrasonic Welding of CYROLITE and Other Medical Plastics Michael Zadrozny, Roehm	How Both MFI & Capillary Rheometers Fail in Characterizing How a Polymer Will Injection Mold Eric Bowersox, Beaumont Advanced Processing
9:45 a.m.	Cellmould Physical Foaming Goes Circular Brent Strawbridge, Wittmann	Assembly and Testing: From Process Monitoring to Modular Automation Jorge Aldeco, Kistler	A Coupled Simulation Framework for Predicting Weld Line Weakness in Injection Molded Polymer Parts Anthony Yang, Moldex3D
10:20 a.m.	Closing the Loop: Sensor-Driven Polymer Processing in the Age of Smart Manufacturing Rick Fitzpatrick, X2F	The Comparability of 3D Printing to Injection Molding for Laser Weldability of Plastics Ben Campbell, Robert Morris University	Measured vs. Simulated Shrinkage and Warpage of an Injection-Molded Part Using STAMP-Characterized Olefins Hunter Beaumont, The Madison Group
10:55 a.m.	Building Success in LSR Molding: What Every New Molder Should Know Chad Zediker, Engel	Design to Injected Part in a Single Shift with Ceramic Mold Inserts Greg Wilkam, Axtra3D	AI-Enabled Injection Molding Simulation: From Agent-Assisted Analysis to Custom Solver Development Matt Jaworski, Autodesk Moldflow
11:30 a.m.	Unlocking the Advantages of Sodick's Plunger Technology for LSR Molding Bryce Maczko and Len Hampton, Sodick	Internal Integrated Induction Technology to Control Mold Temperature Thomas Vondrak, Roctool	Film That Hasn't Even Begun to Peak: Micro- and Nanolayered Processing Technology Unlocking Advanced Performance Jessica Patz, Peak Nano
12:05 p.m.	Metal Injection Molding 101 Michael Goetz, Nichols Portland Incorporated	A Study in Additive Conformal Cooling Jeff Mertz, Anova Innovations	Case Studies Solving Injection Molding Processing Challenges with Fischer-Tropsch Processing Aides Steve Torchia, Sasol Chemicals

Thursday Afternoon Tutorials and Closing Activities
Time	Program
12:35 p.m.	Lunch and Visit Exhibits
1:45 p.m.	Thursday Tutorials (choose one): Injection Molding Troubleshooting, Brian Young, Penn State Behrend, Burke 105 Sustainable Polymers, Gamini Mendis, Penn State Behrend, Burke 103 Practical Rheology for Polymer Processing: From Linear Viscoelasticity to Flow Characterization, Xiaoshi Zhang, Penn State Behrend, Burke 104 Sustainable Plastic Part Design with Autodesk Fusion: From Concept to Simulation-Driven Optimization, Joe Huegel, Jeff Higgins & Matt Jaworski, Autodesk Moldflow, Burke 153 Overview and Lab Demos of Low-Pressure Molding and Other Molding Processes, Brad Johnson, Penn State Behrend and Stacey Payne, Burke 107 Improve Your Negotiation Skills!, Mike Brown, Penn State Behrend, Burke 106
4:30 p.m.	Penn State Creamery Ice Cream and Prize Drawing, Burke 180