De elektronische studiegids voor het academiejaar 2025 - 2026 is onder voorbehoud.





Industrial design of polymer products (4539)
  
Coordinating lecturer :Prof. dr. ir. Albert VAN BAEL 
  
Member of the teaching team :dr. ing. Tim EVENS 

Language of instruction : English
Credits: 4,0
  
Period: semester 2 (4sp)
  
2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
  
Final grade2: Numerical
 
Exam contract: not possible
 
Sequentiality
 
   Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
    Material selection and forming processes (4536) 5.0 stptn
 
   Advising sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components are advised to also be included in your study programme up till now.
    Finite element method (4529) 4.0 stptn
 

Prerequisites

The student knows the basic principles of injection moulding as well as the main properties of thermoplastic plastics and their internal structures. The student is familiar with material selection according to Ashby's methodology, with CAD and with the finite element method for calculating mechanically loaded structures.


Content

A good design of a polymer product requires not only a broad knowledge of polymers and processing technologies (cf. the course Material selection and forming processes (4536)), but also a variety of engineering skills including CAE tools such as FEA and plastic injection moulding simulations.

Lectures:

  • Introduction to the design project
  • Injection moulding in detail
  • Polymer mechanical behaviour
  • Polymer rheology
  • Special injection moulding techniques
  • Selection of injection moulding equipment and cost calculation
  • Recent projects at PPE

Design project:

  • Scope and requirements
  • Material selection
  • Design, FEA and injection moulding simulation
  • Conceptual mould design
  • Selection of injection moulding machine and cost calculation
  • Final presentation


Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Design studio ✔  
Lecture ✔  
Teaching methods  
Case study ✔  
Group work ✔  
Presentation ✔  
Report ✔  


Evaluation

Period 2    Credits 4,00

Evaluation method
Written evaluaton during teaching periode35 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic year✔
Conditions transfer of partial marks within the academic yearThis score is transferred to the second evaluation if the student has obtained half or more of the points.
Report✔
Oral evaluation during teaching period35 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic year✔
Conditions transfer of partial marks within the academic yearThis score is transferred to the second evaluation if the student has obtained half or more of the points.
Presentation✔
Written exam30 %
Oral explanation✔

Second examination period

Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt
No
Explanation (English)Written examination with oral explanation (30%). The student must hand in an extended or reworked version of the report of the design project (35%) and present it (35%) if the scores of the first evaluation are not maintained.
 

Compulsory course material
 

Lecture slides and documents made available on Toledo.
 

Remarks
 

Relation to research:
The student will learn about recent research projects at the research group Polymer Processing & Engineering. He/she has to collect, critically assess and successfully apply necessary information. As the design of polymer product requires complex and multidisciplinary skills, the student will need communication skills and consult information sources as is required in more fundamental research.

Relation to industrial activities:
Polymer processing is an important industrial sector in Limburg. Several companies expect our engineers to have mastered relevant knowledge and skills to design polymer products.


Learning outcomes
Master of Electromechanical Engineering Technology
  •  EC 

    • EC1 - The holder of the degree thinks and acts professionally with an appropriate engineering attitude and continuous focus on personal development, adequately communicates, effectively cooperates, takes into account the sustainable, economical, ethical, social and/or international context and is hereby aware of the impact on the environment.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M9 - The student can communicate in oral and in written (also graphical) form.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The student writes a weekly report on the project activities. He/she takes into account the feedback and submits a final summary report. This is used as basis for an oral defence in front of a jury.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M10 - The studentcan function constructively and responsibly as member of a (multidisciplinary) team.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The students work in teams.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M11 - The studentacts socially responsible and within an international framework.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The students must make socially responsible material choices.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M12 - The studentshows a suitable engineering attitude.

      
  •  BC 
    		• An engineering attitude is essential for the project work.
  •  EC 

    • EC4 - The holder of the degree has advanced knowledge of and insight in the principles and applications in automation, electrical engineering, mechanical design and materials and production, in which he/she can independently identify and critically analyse complex, practice-oriented design or optimisation problems, and  methodologically create solutions with eye for data processing and implementation and with attention to the recent technological developments.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M6 - The studentcan select methods and make calculated choices to solve problems or design solutions.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The student has advanced knowledge of and insight in special injection moulding techniques, and can select the most appropriate technology for practical applications.
  •  EC 

    • EC5 - The holder of the degree has specialist knowledge of and insight in principles and applications within the domains of material science, production and mechanical design or the domain of automation in which he/she can independently identify and critically analyse  unfamiliar, complex design or optimisation problems, and methodologically create solutions with eye for data processing and implementation, with the help of numerical simulation techniques or advanced tools, aware of potential mistakes, practical constraints and with attention to the recent technological developments.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M1 - The studenthas knowledge of the basic concepts, structures and coherence.

      
  •  BC 

    • The student acquires advanced knowledge of injection moulding: material properties, modelling, equipment, finishing operati ons, cost calculations, recycling issues, special techniques.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M2 - The studenthas insight in the basic concepts and methods.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The students acquire advanced insights in all aspects of injection moulding technology.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M3 - The studentcan recognize problems, plan activities and perform accordingly.

      
  •  BC 

    • For a given product, the students elaborate the design and the injection moulding process. This requires not only a broad knowledge of polymers and processing technologies, but also a variety of engineering skills including CAE tools such as FEM andflow simulations.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M4 - The studentcan gather, measure or obtain information and refer to it correctly.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The student collects relevant information about products, materials and injection moulding equipment.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M5 - The student can analyze problems, logically structure and interpret them.

      
  •  BC 
    		• The student analyses the required product functionalities and formulates both product and material requirements.
     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M6 - The studentcan select methods and make calculated choices to solve problems or design solutions.

      
  •  BC 

    • The student designs a product using numerical simulations of the mechanical product properties and the injection moulding process.

     
  •  DC 

    • DC-M8 - The studentcan evaluate knowledge and skills critically to adjust own reasoning and course of action accordingly.

      
  •  BC 

    • The student reflects on all aspects of the product design and the material selection taking into account the manufacturing process, material and production costs, market demand, lifetime and life cycle analysis.

 
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Offered inTolerance3
Exchange Programme Engineering Technology J
Master of Electromechanical Engineering Technology optie design & production J



1   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.12.2, section 2.
2   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3.
3   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.16.9, section 2.