Manufacturing Plastics - Fantastic!

Plastics are made from polymers that can be heated and molded into shapes, and hold those shapes when cooled. "There are tens of thousands of polymer resins available," says Eric Seebeck, director of operations for Modern Molding, an injection molding company in Delano. High-tech, high-tolerance plastic parts are found in everything from cars to circuit boards. Applications for plastics continue to grow. That creates a steady demand for workers who understand the science and technology of plastics.

By Laura French, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: November 27, 2007 - 12:54 PM

Putting Plastics To The Test

Plastics are widely used because they're so versatile. Each type of resin has different properties that will make it perform differently when exposed to heat or cold, electrical charges or chemicals. Some plastics will stand up to impact, while others will provide flexibility where it's needed. The course called Properties and Tests of Selected Plastics, offered at Hennepin Technical College as part of the Plastics Manufacturing Technology program, introduces students to 38 different tests for plastics. These range from whether the material will stand up to sunlight to how well it insulates against cold.

Finding the right material, and getting it to perform correctly, is a good job for "someone who likes to tinker," Seebeck says. "You need a person who enjoys the mechanical aspects, who likes gadgets," he says.

Operator, Materials Handler, Quality Technician

Operators run the machines that inject plastics into molds, producing parts with tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. Making sure the material performs correctly is the job of the materials handler, who prepares the resins for delivery to the machines.

"All resins are hydroscopic, meaning that they absorb water," Seebeck says. "The materials handler needs to be sure that the resins are dried to the manufacturer's specifications." That could be 180 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours, or 270 degrees for five hours. "If the resins aren't dried properly, you get a bad part," Seebeck says.

Once the part is made, it's the job of the quality technician to be sure that it meets size and performance specifications. Operator, to handler, to quality technician, are each a step up the career ladder, each requiring greater levels of skill.

Injection molding, like many manufacturing industries, is facing shortages of skilled workers. Hennepin

Technical College offers the only plastics programs in Minnesota, with a degree in Plastics Manufacturing Technology and occupational certificates in injection and extrusion molding. This fall, Hennepin Tech partnered with Modern Molding and Hired, a workforce development organization, to offer an M-Powered program in injection molding. The 130-hour course was modeled on the successful metal-forming course that has been offered for several years. Nine students participated in the pilot program. Some were low-income or displaced workers looking for a path to steady employment. Others were Modern Molding workers looking to add skills that would move them up the career ladder.

For Modern Molding, investing in incumbent workers means they will stay with the company and provide hard-to-find skills. "We like to grow our people," Seebeck says.

For more on the M-Powered programs in plastics and metal-forming, contact Nancy James at Hired: 612 529 3342. For more on Modern Molding, visit www.ModernMolding.com.

Laura French is principal of Words Into Action, Inc., and is a freelance writer from Roseville.

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