learning curves- Plastics Engineering Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell: the Past, the Present, and the Future

By Robert Malloy, Professor of Plastics Engineering, UMass Lowell

The past

The Plastics Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell has a strong history as a leader in the field of plastics education. The school, first known as the Lowell Textile School, was founded in 1895 to serve the local textile companies. Over time, the textile industry gradually started moving away from the Lowell area to the southern states, and the focus of the school shifted to other newly emerging technical areas. In 1954, the name of the school was changed to Lowell Technological Institute to reflect this broader educational mission, the very same year that the plastics program was founded. There were only eight students in the 1958 first graduating class who received Bachelor of Science degrees in Plastics Technology. As time went on, student interest in this novel plastics program grew rapidly, due in large part to the great demand and good job opportunities for well-trained plastics technologists. The word spread quickly, and subsequent classes included as many as 100 graduates.

In these early years, three dedicated faculty members molded the program's curriculum and laboratory facilities. Lowell's plastics program would not be where it is today without the efforts of these three professors, especially the late Russell W. Ehlers. Russ was responsible for bringing the strong, hands-on processing focus to the plastics department, which still exists today. Russ also served as department chair for many years. The late Raymond Normandin was responsible for developing the chemistry and materials aspects of the program. His influence can be still be felt today as approximately 25% of the current curriculum credits are chemistry and plastics materials courses. The third founder, the late Henry Thomas, was responsible for bringing the solid engineering and design focus to the department. Once again, this remains as an integral part of the program.

In fact, this balanced curriculum is what continues to make the now Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Plastics Engineering program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell so unique. Students enrolled in the Plastics Engineering program receive an education that is a well-rounded balance of engineering and design fundamentals, hands-on processing and testing experience, and a strong plastics materials background. The B.S. program has always been the backbone of the Plastics Engineering Department, and the department has maintained its ABET Plastics Engineering accreditation since 1977. In more recent years, the department also developed a strong set of graduate programs and a research focus. The department has offered an M.S. degree in Plastics Engineering since 1968, a joint Polymer Science/Plastics Engineering Ph.D. degree since 1981, and a Doctor of Engineering degree since 1986.

Professor and plastics department founder, the late Russell W. Ehlers instructs student Keith Orrell during an injection molding laboratory experiment (circa 1975).

The Plastics Engineering Department at UMass Lowell has grown to the point where it now has sixteen full-time faculty and 30,000 square feet of laboratory space. The Plastics Engineering faculty strive to maintain a balance of the theoretical and hands-on aspects of plastics engineering education that was set forth by the department founders. As of this year, more than 3,000 students have received undergraduate or graduate degrees in plastics. The department attracts both men and women, and this year's junior class has an equal number of male and female students.

There have been some major changes and improvements to the program over the years. The theoretical aspects of engineering education, such as the laws of thermodynamics or condensation polymerization reaction kinetics, are the same today as they were 47 years ago when the program started. However, the technologies used to design, manufacture, and test plastic products have changed dramatically over the past 45 years. One of the most significant challenges that any hands-on plastics technology or plastics engineering program faces is keeping the laboratory facilities and equipment up to date. This has been a perpetual problem for the department in the past, but things are changing in a very positive way, and rapidly.

Students hard at work in the new Moldflow Process Simulation Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

The faculty at UMass Lowell, especially Professor Steve Orroth '66, have worked extremely hard to keep the plastics processing, design, and testing laboratories as up to date as possible. However, this can be an extremely expensive proposition. Each year the department receives an equipment budget, usually just enough money to purchase one major piece of plastics processing or testing equipment. For instance, one year the department would purchase a new twin screw extruder, and the next, an injection molding machine. Later, they purchased a capillary rheometer, and so on. Using this model, the turnaround time for new plastics processing or testing equipment (for any given process or test) could take as long as 20 years. Recently, the department developed a new model for keeping both the laboratory facilities and equipment as close to the state of the art as possible. Working with UMass Lowell's Office of Development, the Plastics Engineering Department has developed a five-year master plan for laboratory facilities renovation and equipment upgrades. The plan was implemented in 2000 and is ongoing. The 30,000 square foot laboratory facility has been divided into 10 separate laboratories, each dedicated to a very specific lab activity. There are injection molding, extrusion, and computer simulation laboratories. The new concept is to "partner" with the leading corporations that excel in each of these 10 specific technology areas to jointly create new, state-of-the-art lab facilities.

The first laboratory to be completed was the Milacron Injection Molding Laboratory. Ferromatik Milacron has installed three injection molding machines in the laboratory. The facility houses a conventional Vista toggle molding machine, an all-electric Electra molding machine, and a Prowler tie-bar-free molding machine. For its part, the university provided the funds for renovating the facility to accommodate the equipment. The facility renovations were extensive and included new utilities, overhead cranes, lighting, air conditioning, safety equipment and cosmetics. The end result is an up-to-date teaching facility that is made possible by the generosity of Ferromatik Milacron. The company also maintains the molding machines and plans to upgrade the equipment as new technologies are developed. The students are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the latest injection molding equipment. In fact, a number of students conduct research projects that directly benefit Milacron to close the partnership loop.

The second laboratory was completed about one year ago and was sponsored by Moldflow. It is known as the Moldflow Process Simulation Laboratory. Moldflow provided more than $1 million in support of this newly constructed, 16-seat computer-aided design center. This modern facility gives students access to the latest in plastics process simulation software, including Moldflow's MPA, MPI, and MPX software products. The laboratory is widely used by students enrolled in mold design, die design, and part design classes. As with the other labs, Moldflow will provide software and technology upgrades as they are developed.

The most recent laboratory renovation project to be completed is the Battenfeld Gloucester Film Extrusion Laboratory. Battenfeld Gloucester is a leading manufacturer of film extrusion equipment. The company recently donated a complete blown film extrusion line, custom built to the specifications of the Plastics Engineering Department. The installation value is more than $300,000. Once again, the university provided funds for a complete facility renovation. The end result is a laboratory that is a dramatic improvement over the previous 1970s-vintage film extrusion line.

These are just three examples of the ongoing lab renovation efforts. Other corporate lab sponsors include Spirex Corporation and Freudenberg-NOK. This new model for keeping UMass Lowell's plastics laboratories up to date is working well, thanks to the combined efforts of the UMass Lowell administration, the Plastics Engineering Department's faculty, and corporate partners.

The future

Today, the Plastics Engineering Department at UMass Lowell has some energetic and ambitious plans for the future to better train the "next generation" plastics engineers. Predicting the future requirements of the plastics industry is difficult, so the department depends upon the advice and guidance of an Industrial Advisory Board, chaired by Nick Fountas '75 of JLI - Boston. This diverse group of 30 engineers and managers keeps the faculty abreast of industry trends and future needs. Some of the major initiatives that will take place over the next few years are described below.

UMass Lowell is known for its expertise in the area of plastics engineering, but is beginning to work more with thermoplastic and thermosetting elastomers as demand for these materials increases. Several faculty members, including professors Ross Stacer and Joey Mead, specialize in the elastomer field and have partnered with Freudenberg-NOK to create the Freudenberg-NOK Elastomeric Materials Laboratory. It is scheduled to open later this year and will have equipment for compounding, processing, design, and testing of elastomeric materials.

The environmental aspects of plastics education are becoming more important on a daily basis. The department conducts a great deal of research in the area of biodegradable plastics and plastics recycling. Student interest in these areas is so significant that, over the next two years, the department will construct and equip a standalone laboratory for plastics recycling research.

UMass Lowell has established itself as a leader in "distance learning." The Plastics Engineering Department has partnered with Nypro Institute, which currently offers a number of online classes. While the faculty prefer to teach in person, the demand for on-line education is very real, and the department's activities in this area are likely to ramp up as these technologies evolve.

The faculty are here to serve the needs of industry, and your input regarding future plastics industry trends is valuable to us. Please feel free to contact us regarding educational program information, research capabilities, or partnership information. For more information on UMass Lowell’s graduate and undergraduate programs, contact Robert Malloy at robert_malloy@uml.edu.