Designing Plastic Parts for Assembly
2-days Seminar: December 10 and 11, 2008.
Seminar Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (registration first day at 8:00 a.m.)
Grand Valley State University - Eberhard Center (click here for written directions)
301 West Fulton Street, Room 210
Grand Rapids MI 49504-6495 USA

To register click HERE Instructor

This two-days in-depth assembly seminar will provide information on material selection, design procedures, processing techniques, and the assembly methods required when designing with plastics. This course will make material selection, design procedures and methodologies, processing techniques, and assembly methods easier to use. It will increase your understanding of what to expect from a plastic resin. It will provide a detailed discussion of methods and a step-by-step methodology used to make the design process as easy as possible. Upon the completion of this course you will have learned: ►►► Understand advanced concepts for plastic system and component design ►►► How to define and use safety factors ►►► Determine the optimum assembly method ►►► Utilize commercially available software for plastic part design ►►► How to select materials ►►► Behavior of plastic resins Designing for assembly and manufacturing has always been an important task for designers, engineers and all other involved in product development. A new emphasis has been placed on design over the last few years as designing for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) has become a significant manufacturing trend around the world. Yet, until now, no system of design for plastics has been developed specifically for the DFMA process. This course fills that void by showing how plastics parts and systems can be designed to incorporate the benefits of DFMA.

Ideal Learner The content of this course is intended to provide a design process that optimizes today’s plastic materials for modern manufacturing systems. The seminar is presented in two major sections. The first reviews the physical and mechanical properties of polymers, how to select the best resin for a given application. The important area of safety factors is discussed. The second section deals with specific assembly and design techniques. Special emphasis is given to the examination of welding and bonding methods, press-fitting assemblies, reduction of components by integrating them by means of living hinges and snap-fitting assemblies.  Plan to attend and come prepared with questions to ask or experiences to share.

Seminar Outline

Plastics Resins Thermoplastics & Thermosets Structures: Crystalline, Amorphous, Liquid Crystal Polymer New Polymer Technologies Reinforcements & Fillers Additives Physical Properties: Density, Specific Gravity, Elasticity & Plasticity Notch Sensitivity, Isotropic & Anisotropic, Water Absorption Mold Shrinkage Mechanical Properties: Stress, Strain, Stress-Strain Curve Thermal Expansion Creep, Creep Curves, Creep Modulus Stress Relaxation Safety Factors What Is a Safety Factor?, Design Safety Factors, Design Static Safety Factor Design Dynamic Safety Factor, Design Time Related Safety Factor Material Properties Safety Factor, Processing Safety Factor Operating Condition Safety Factor Plastic Part Design Tensile, Compressive, Shear & Torsion Stresses Tensile, Compressive & Shear Strains Proper Part Design: Boss Design, Minimum Hole Distance, Ribbing Rib Dimensions, Ribbed Example Wall Stock, Thin Wall, Minimum Injection Pressure, Cavity Pressure Vs. Clamping Force, Knockout Design, Draft Angles, Texturing Poisson’s Ratio, Modulus of Elasticity: Young’s, Tangent, Secant & Flexural Apparent (Creep) Modulus, Shear Modulus, Use of Various Moduli Non-Linear Properties Material Considerations, Linear & Non-Linear Material Geometry Considerations, Linear & Non-Linear Geometry Finite Element Analysis, FEM Method Application, Using FEM Method Most Common FEA Codes Case History: Bullet Plastic Jacket Design Tools: iSight, BMX (Behavioral Modeling), TRIZ (Altshuller) Ultrasonic Assembly Techniques Welding, Ultrasonic Equipment, Process, Types of Vibrations, Cycle Control Methods: Constant Time & Constant Energy, Constant Travel (Partial) Constant Travel (Total), Horn Materials, Far-Near Field Fixtures, Case History: Pall 5 µm Precipitate Filter Joint Design: Shear Joint Design, Variations of Shear Joint Design Flash Traps Designs, Energy Director or Tongue & Groove Design, Step Joint Design, Variations of Butt Joint Design, Heat Staking Assembly Techniques Case History: Capsela - PlayJour International Ultrasonic Staking Design: Standard, Flush, Spherical, Hollow & Knurled Design Ultrasonic Swaging, Ultrasonic Stud Welding Joint Design: Round Solid Post, Round Hollow Post, Cross Post, Angled Post Spin Welding Equipment, Methods: Pivot & Inertia, Spin Welding Process Joint Design: Thin Walls Joint Design & Medium Walls Joint Design Plug Design for Spin Welding, Taper/Tongue & Groove, Shear/Flat Shear, Reverse/Vertical, Double Vertical/Vertical Curved, Horizontal/Step with Flash Trap, Step/Step with Energy Director Hot Plate Welding Process, Parameters & Features, Advantages & Disadvantages Joint Design: Butt Joint Design, Recessed Joint with Flash Trap Butt Joint Design with Flash Traps, Case History: Washer Fluid Bottle – Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Hot Plate Welding: Strength Capability Vibration Welding Equipment, Process, Advantages & Disadvantages Vibration Welding Phases, Cross-Thickness Vibration Welding Applied Pressure, Friction Force, Joint Design for Vibration Welding Classical Joint Design, Bench Flash Trap/Straight Bench, Ridged Double Grooved Bench, Double L Flash Traps/Dovetail Electromagnetic Welding Equipment, Process, Induction Coil Types Materials, Bonding Agent Joint Design: Tongue Groove, Step Joint, Joint Design Formula, Double Joint Groove Joint, Tongue and Groove Variation Case History: Mitsubishi - Power Steering Fluid Reservoir, Step Joint Variation , 3-Piece Joint, Advantages & Disadvantages Laser Welding Equipment, Process: Surface Heating, Through Transmission Staking, Single Movement Mode, Double Movement Mode, Scanning Localized Heating, Continuous Illumination, Staking, Mask Welding, Examples Bonding Failure Theories, Drafting Symbols, Substrate Wettability Tests Contact Angle Test, Surface Energy, Cleaning the Substrate Abrasive Methods, Substrate Chemical Treatment Corona Treatment & Schematic, Portable Corona Unit Plasma Treatment, Flame Treatment, Treatment Selection Criteria Bonding Stresses, Case History: Chrysler Concept Vehicle Joint Design: Joggle Lap, Double Scarf Joint, Butt Scarf Lap Tongue and Groove, Simple Lap, 3-Plate Tongue and Groove Stress Cracking, Polymer Behavior, Designs for Stress Cracking Press Fits Material Properties, Geometric Definitions, Safety Factors, Creep Loads, Press Fit Theory, Design Algorithm Case History: Cassette Deck, Resin Properties Shaft: Stress-Strain Curve @ 73F & 200F, Creep Curves @ 73F & 200F, Resin Properties Pulley: Stress-Strain Curve @ 73F & 200F, Creep Curves @ 73F & 200F Solution: Case A, B, C & D Case History: Chrysler 300M - High Output 3.5L 60 degree V-6 Engine Fusible Core Injection Molding, Process, UIM Background, Design Requirements, Press Fit Detail, CAMPUS Database, Material Properties: PA66, 35%GR - DAM & 50%RH, T = -40C, +23C, & +120C at time = 0 hrs Algorithm, Interference Necessary, Interference Available @ 120C Interference @ -40C, Stress @ -40C, +23C & +120C at time=5,000 hrs Case History: Indeflator Living Hinges Design for PP, PE, Common Designs, Design for Engineering Plastics Elastic Strain Due to Bending, Geometry, Hinge Closing Angle Hinge Bending Radius, Plastic Strain Due to Pure Bending Strain Due to Bending, Plastic Strain Due to Bending & Tension Tension Strain, Tension Bending Strain, Neutral Axis Position Hinge Length, Elastic Portion of Hinge Thickness Case History: World Class Connector, Initial Material (PA6) Proper Assembly Motion, Improper Handling, Production Material (PET), Proper Assembly Motion, Improper Handling, Yield Criteria Case History: Ignition Cable Bracket, Molding Hinges, Sequential Gates Processing Issues, Coined Hinges, Coining Process Case History: Gun Holster Oil Can Principle, Exercise: Crib - Living Hinge Design Snap Fits Material   Design Consideration, Assembly Positioning, Datum Lines Safety Factors, Cantilever Snap-Fits: One-way & Two-way Analysis Types for Cantilever Snap-Fits, Snap Fit Theory, Geometric Relations Stress Strain Curve   Formulae, Instantaneous Moment of Inertia Angle of Deflection, Equation of Deflection Case History: HP Notebook Maximum Deflection, Self-Locking Angle, Case History: Material Properties, FEA Model, Magnitude of Error, Annular Snap-Fit, Shallow Groove, Deep Groove, Angle of Assembly, Torsional Snap-Fits, Round Solid, Round Hollow , Square Solid, Triangular, Case History: Formulas, Material Properties, Locators/Restrictors, Orienting Guides, Crash Ribs, Darts, Limiters, Spring Rate, Over-deflection, Bridge Design, Angled Tab Design, Tab Design, Springs Disassembly Symbols, Thumb Depression, Recycling Symbols Convention, Disassembly Assists, Hidden Features Case History: Medication Dispensing Bottle Tooling for Snap Fits, Issues with Snap Fitting Snap Fit Software

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