PDM 2018: Free hands-on injection moulding training

At PDM 2018, the Plastics Design & Moulding exhibition and conference at The Telford International Centre, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will run a series of live four half-hour injection moulding workshops over two days.

Aimed at process technicians and engineers attending the exhibition on 19th and 20th June, anyone taking part in the PDM Training Courses can then register for a 10% discount on any training programme booked before 1st September at the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Training Academy. Early registration for the free PDM workshops is advisable.



For the practical demonstrations, Academy trainers and process engineers James Hines and Darren Vater-Hutchison will use one of the company’s newest all-electric 50 tonne IntElect, guiding delegates through key topics to enhance precision, cycle times and component quality.

“We are keen for people to put theory into practice using one of our flagship machines,” emphasises James.

Practical and theory-based learning

The four half-hour courses, which will run consecutively on both days starting at 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 15.00 offer a combination of practical and theory-based learning to enhance understanding or provide a refresh on:

* How best to calculate clamp force

* Achieving cavity balance and shot-to-shot consistency, providing comparisons when award-winning activeFlowBalance software is applied

* How to calculate cooling time, with the opportunity to test out thermal imaging technology from Micro Epsilon

* How to achieve greater repeatable process consistency on high precision parts with activeLock, with active closing of the non-return valve reducing the risk of rejects and waste

“There is a serious skills shortage in the UK injection moulding industry and the easiest way to address it is to upskill our existing moulders to work with the latest equipment and techniques,” comments Nigel Flowers, managing director of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK. “We encourage process technicians and engineers visiting PDM to take advantage of this opportunity.”

10% discount

Anyone taking part in the live training sessions will become eligible for a 10% discount on any training programme at the SDUK Training Academy in Daventry.

Comprising a structured and progressive entry level to advanced engineer development programme, delegates and their employers have reported tangible productivity improvements and an increased sense of ownership and enthusiasm for their jobs.

This year SDUK added to their Academy programme launching a new four-day Mould Validation (MVal) course aimed at process technicians, which significantly helps to improve machine OEE reports James.

“By following a structured approach to mould validation, customers quickly report that they are able to halve the number of tool trials before transferring over to production.”

The first MVal course is in April with another scheduled for 17th September 2018.

To reserve a place on one of SDUK’s free PDM workshops, email training.uk@dpg.com