Recycling, Plastic & Rubber Short Courses in UK

Introduction to Food Contact Materials Prducts Regulations and Testing 
10.00am – 3.00pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
This two day course will give participants an understanding of how a wide-range of polymeric and polymer-based materials (eg. Plastics, rubbers, coatings, inks etc) are used in an extensive range of food contact products (eg. Packaging, processing equipment, cooking utensils etc.) and which additives, monomers and other constituents from these materials need to be considered with respect to potential migration into food.
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Introduction to Silicone Elastomers 
9.15am – 4.30pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
The properties and processing of silicone rubbers are often very different from other elastomers.  This course is structured to provide an understanding and overview of the main types of silicone rubber currently available and will give a comparison of chemical structure; manufacturers; grades; properties; compounding; processing and applications between each type.
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Practitioner’s Approach to PU 
9.00am – 4.10pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
This course provides a comprehensive view of both the constituents of all the various forms of PU available in the market today, and the methodology that should be used to make products with optimum properties.  There is a significant amount of chemistry used to explain the many mechanisms in place that help processors to achieve the extraordinary range of forms and properties provided by this chemistry.
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Exploring Plastics Extrusion
9.15am – 4.30pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
This course will concentrate on the single screw extrusion process, both within the extruder and downstream, enabling participants to optimise their production processes, identify and troubleshoot problems and avoid them in the first instance.  It will address areas such as compounding (single and twin screw) rheology; pipe extrusion, film; sheet, cable and profiles.
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Plastic Injection Moulding Technology
9.00am – 4.30pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
This course offers those who are new to the injection moulding industry or others who wish to gain more knowledge in this area a greater understanding of the injection moulding process.
Participants will gain confidence to enable them to communicate effectively and feel able to contribute to the decision making process.  An appreciation of the commercial aspect of the industry is also included in relation to product design and machine and material selection.
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Introduction to Plastics Technology
9.00am – 4.00pm\Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
This course concentrates on developing better understanding of plastics materials and processing, therefore avoiding the common causes of product failure as a result of a lack of material knowledge.  It addresses issues such as common manufacturing problems, materials selection and failure diagnosis and will benefit those new to the plastics industry or others wishing to gain a better understanding of design and development of new products.
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Investigating Failure in Rubber Components
9am – 5pm Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
Rubber materials find uses in many engineering applications where reliable and consistent performance is critically important. The failure of such materials can often have damaging and expensive consequences, therefore understanding the cause can assist in rectifying the issue, limiting the damage and avoiding future failures.  This course offers a basic understanding of rubber materials and their key properties, a grounding in the principles of selection of rubber materials based on service requirements.  It will look at how rubber materials and components can fail and how to recognise key modes of rubber component failure and will give an introduction to the methodology employed in order to investigate rubber failure
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Understanding Polymer Durability in Critical Applications
9am – 4:30pm Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
The role of plastic and rubber materials in engineering applications is becoming more demanding.  Light weighting and metal replacement puts higher stress on polymers. Extreme temperatures and chemical environments can also have dramatic effects on the long term behaviour of the materials. This course aims to give an overview of the long-term properties of plastics and rubber and how to take account of this behaviour in design and testing.
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Investigating Failures in Plastic Components
9am – 4:30pm Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
Plastic materials find uses in many engineering applications where reliable and consistent performance is critically important. The failure of such materials can often have damaging and expensive consequences. Therefore, understanding the cause can assist in rectifying the issue, limiting the damage and avoiding future failures. This course will provide a basic understanding of plastic materials and their key properties, a grounding in the principles of specification and selection of plastic materials based on service requirements as well as knowledge of how plastic materials and components can fail. The ability to recognise key modes of plastic component failure will be covered together with an introduction to the methodology employed in order to investigate plastic failure.
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Recycling of Plastics and Managing Their Environmental Impact 
9.15am – 4.30pm Smithers MSE Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire
There is an urgent need to reduce the environmental impact of waste plastics and achieve much higher levels of recycling and this comprehensive course informs on many aspects of plastics recycling, including the regulations affecting it, the existing and novel recovery processes and the many ways in which recycled plastic can be re-used to produce valuable new products.  The course will also cover important issues associated with the impact of plastics on the environment and the measures which will assist the industry to achieve greater levels of sustainability.  It will equip delegates with the knowledge to understand this complex subject, to make informed choices and make the most of the opportunities existing within the industry.
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Sealing with Elastomers 
23 March and 9 September, 9.15-4.30 
Ensuring that rubber seals perform as intended throughout their service life is always of critical importance. This course explains the material property and performance background and specific requirements necessary to achieve effective seals.
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Introduction to Fluoroelastomers 
More information to follow...

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Online Courses

Online Introduction to Rubber	18 Jan-1 Feb 10-24 May
Online Plastics Technology – An Introduction	25 Jan-8 Feb 7-21 Jun
Online Introduction to Silicone Elastomers x 1	22 Feb-8 Mar 12-26 Apr
Online Introduction to Food Contact Materials – Products, Regulations and Testing	18 Jan-1 Feb
Online Investigating and Prevention of Failure in Rubber Components	25 Jan-8 Feb 10-24 May
Online Understanding Polymer Durability in Critical Applications	22 Feb-8 Mar 10-24 May
Online Investigating and Prevention of Failure in Plastic Components	25 Jan-8 Feb 4-17 May