Pre-requisites:

Candidates should have been employed within an injection moulding environment for a period of no less than 3 months and have some knowledge of the process requirements and mould tool change procedures. They may have demonstrated this by completion of our pre-course questionnaire and achieved a score of 25% or above.

Aim of the course:

This course is designed to introduce candidates to the fundamental principles associated with running an injection moulding machine and the hazards associated with the mould change process. It will cover legal responsibilities and provide practical opportunities to demonstrate safe working practices. The course is aligned to NVQ Level 2 and aims to provide a good understanding of the injection moulding process and associated working practices.

Who should attend:

Machine operators who could assist in routine start-up, shut-down and mould change activities
Existing mould tool changers who have not undertaken any formal training in this regard
Production, product design or development engineers who need to undertake mould changes
Logistics and procurement staff who need an appreciation of the process requirements
Toolroom and maintenance personnel who are expected to conduct processing and tool changes as part of their associated roles

Objectives of the course:

On completion of the course the delegates will be able to:

• Identify process hazards, state safety requirements and apply safe working practices
• Start up and shut down an injection moulding machine safely and efficiently
• Detail the construction, control and operation of an injection moulding machine
• List ancillary equipment and describe its usage, maintenance and connection requirements
• Describe common mould construction principles and mould maintenance procedures
• Describe the nature of plastic materials and list common types and grades
• List common moulding problems and suggest remedial actions
• Conduct mould tool changes in a safe and efficient manner
• Conduct daily machine guard safety checks in line with any legal requirements

Individual candidate knowledge levels in both processing and mould tool changes are assessed as part of course attendance, after which a management report is provided to help identify any further training requirements or career progression possibilities.

Duration:

4 days (9.00am – 4.30pm)

Qualifications:

PTL/Hethel Eng. Polymer Processing Certificate Level 2
PTL/Hethel Eng. Safe Mould Change Procedures Certificate

Material covered has been aligned to the content of an NVQ at Level 2 and can be used as underpinning knowledge towards achieving the award, if so desired.

The course will also provide instruction to assist in the Polymer Processing Practical End Test assessment required to achieve a full City & Guilds award.