Plastics Training: The Secret of Competitiveness

Plastics training is a significant component of employee development. PE will present the main sources worldwide to keep your team trained based on industry innovation and research.

On average, organizations allocate around 13% of their training budget to mandatory compliance training, emphasizing management and supervisory training (12%) and onboarding (11%).

You can also read: Winning Strategy, IKV Boosts the Plastics Branch.

Plastics Innovation Center (PIC) at IKV, Aachen

The Plastics Innovation Center (PIC) at IKV in Aachen exemplifies the full digitalization of the product development process, from design to injection molding with comprehensive simulations. Digital Engineering ensures all data along the value chain is virtually represented and verified with practical applications. The goal is a fully digitalized “Smart Factory,” a hub for knowledge transfer to research and industry.

WBA Tooling Academy, Aachen

The WBA Tooling Academy in Aachen is dedicated to advancing tool and die making through training and research. It offers a range of services including practical training, consulting, and development projects aimed at improving the competitiveness of companies in the tooling industry. Additionally, the academy emphasizes practical, hands-on learning and collaborates closely with industry partners to ensure its programs meet current market needs. One of their strengths are the workshops

SPE: Community Building, Skill Development, and Mentoring

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) offers the “Essentials of Management & Leadership in Plastics”. It is a six-month online  course for early to mid-level professionals aiming to enhance their leadership skills. Cohort #5 is set to begin on September 30, 2024, and will run through the spring of 2025. Above all, the program addresses the unique needs of the plastics industry and covers a range of leadership topics including strengths-based leadership, strategic planning, organizational culture, innovation and creativity, basic financial literacy, and leader awareness and boundaries.

The learning experience in this program combines asynchronous and synchronous elements. In other words, participants will have the flexibility to engage with the course materials on their own time while also taking part in live group training sessions.  However, success in the program requires participants to commit to completing readings and assignments, actively participate in live virtual sessions, and contribute to a confidential and supportive learning environment with their cohort. Consequently, this blended approach ensures that learners not only absorb theoretical knowledge but also gain practical insights and peer support, fostering a comprehensive leadership development experience

SPE: Innovative Courses and Events

The SPE technical chapters offer a comprehensive suite of additional technical trainings and events. For instance, on cutting-edge topics such as “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Polymer Informatics” and “Innovative Cost Management Approaches to Achieve Improved Profitability of Your Plastics Business,” as well as courses focused on sustainability, like “Importance of Sustainable Practices in Plastics Technology.”

In addition, specialized sessions will cover material properties, energy use, and environmental stress cracking, with dates scheduled throughout the fall. Highlights include the “National Week of Injection Molding,” the “SPE Middle East Additives & Color Conference & PFAS Symposium,” as well as various workshops on topics like UV stabilization and flexible packaging. This extensive lineup ensures that participants can gain deep technical knowledge and practical skills relevant to the plastics industry.

Model Factory at SKZ, Würzburg

Inaugurated in 2022, the Model Factory at SKZ in Würzburg bridges the industrial and digital realms of plastic processing. It allows hands-on experimentation with various techniques, including additive manufacturing. The factory offers numerous innovative opportunities and employs an “Open-Space Office Concept” for flexible project teams. Insights from this concept are available to interested parties.

Learning Factories

Learning factories offer a comprehensive approach, focusing on producing real products under changing conditions as part of the learning process. These facilities provide state-of-the-art production tools and digitalization options. Originating in the USA in the 1990s, learning factories have expanded in Europe over the last decade. Examples include those within companies like Daimler and Festo, and academic institutions like the Center for Industrial Productivity (CIP) at TU Darmstadt, founded in 2008 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eberhard Abele. These environments provide “best-practice” examples for developing specific competencies, making concepts like “Lean Production” and “Industry 4.0” tangible.

Specialized Centers

Specialized centers focus on areas like “Industrial Image Processing,” where start-ups and established firms collaborate on economically relevant projects, ensuring future viability. For continuous training, research and development, the Lüdenscheid Institute and the Plastics Institute in Leipzig leverage the industry closing the gap between research and praxis.

To read more: 2023 Training Industry Report