learning curves

The Center for Plastics Engineering in Alessandria, Italy Offers Moldflow Analysis Education

By Cristina Beria, Moldflow Corporation

A classroom with 15 high performance CAD stations recently has been created at the Center for Plastics Engineering (CDCMP) in Alessandria Italy, part of the local branch of the Politecnico di Torino.

The CAD stations are equipped with an exceptional software bundle including 15 educational licenses of Pro/ENGINEER and 15 Moldflow complete educational licenses, as well as other simulation software and CAM solutions.

The software is used in the various training courses that the Center for Plastics Engineering organizes every year (see photograph), but particularly in the CAD/CAM course in which approximately 15-20 young technicians are trained each year. The course prepares CAD/CAM experts who are then hired by private companies involved in molding and plastic part design and production.

The students receive training in polymer chemistry, material choice theory, transformation technologies, design and prototyping techniques, process simulation, and other disciplines. The use of Moldflow simulation software through the center's IT laboratories allows students to get familiar with advanced technologies used in the plastics market. The opportunity to gain hands-on experience with such analysis instruments is a huge benefit for their professional growth.

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Students hard at work at the Center for Plastics Engineering in Alessandria, Italy.

What is CDCMP?

The facility specializes in plastic technologies and offers a series of services to students who are interested in entering the world of plastics. The courses cover most of the students' needs in terms of technical consulting and continuous training.

The center was co-founded by the Alessandria branch of the Polytecnico di Torino (well known for its close cooperation and interaction with local businesses and its modern and advanced laboratories), and Proplast, a consortium of 45 companies and five universities strategically located in the center of Italy's ‘industrial triangle’ encompassing Turin, Milan and Genoa.

The center's activities are related to polymer materials - from synthesis to processing and production. It offers training and research services to all enterprises and people who are involved in the plastics field and are interested in its development. Today, the center serves as a reference point for experimental and applied research activities, focusing on both materials and transformation technologies; and as a source for a professional, university-based plastics education.

The facility finances and coordinates various educational activities, such as:

• A three-year degree in Plastic Materials Engineering
  This is a new, first-level degree course that was initiated in September 1999. This course, unique in Italy, is completely devoted to the engineering of plastic materials, plastics technologies, and the design and production of plastic parts. High school graduates may apply.

• Continuous training and update courses for in-service professionals
  These courses are related to new technologies, the latest technical improvements, advanced design, quality, and enterprise culture. Class content, methodology, and scheduling are targeted toward professionals who are currently working in these fields.

• Master courses in Polymer Technology
  Master courses offer a training opportunity to graduates in technical and scientific disciplines such as engineering, chemistry, and physics who want to expand their knowledge of plastic materials.

• Specialization courses in Plastics Technologies
  This series of courses targets high school graduates who want to specialize in plastics and related technologies. These courses offer a general introduction to polymeric materials, applications and transformation technologies, CAD/CAM technologies, mold maintenance, and other related topics. The teaching methodology is practice-oriented, and it includes extensive, hands-on industrial training.

For more information about the center and the courses in both Italian and English languages, visit www.cdcmp.it