OVERVIEW

Polymer processing is a fundamental industrial activity that is constantly evolving. This teaching provides the theoretical basis for understanding issues related to both classical and additive manufacturing and describes various polymer processing techniques, including emerging methods. The aim is to provide the students with the tools to understand the relationships between the molecular characteristics of polymers, their processing methods, and the resulting properties of the manufactured products.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching provides basic theoretical and practical knowledge about the manufacturing of polymers. Upon completion of the lectures, the student will know the principles governing different manufacturing techniques and will have gained practical experience on the processes. Specifically, the student will study how the structure of different polymers affects their properties and processability in classical industrial manufacturing processes such as extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, and in emerging 3D printing techniques, with a specific focus on fused deposition modelling and digital light processing technologies. In the hands-on exercises, the student will learn to correlate the effect of processing conditions and material formulation on the properties of the polymer product. They will acquire detailed knowledge on the different technologies and will learn to define pros and cons as well as uses of the technologies for different applications. The students will finally be able to correlate the properties of manufacts with the experienced processing conditions and the material’s features.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims at providing basic theoretical and practical knowledge of plastics processing. Students will study how the structure of different polymers influences their processability and the final properties of the manufacts in different industrial processes such as extrusion, injection moulding, blow moulding, thermoforming, and in additive manufacturing ones, including fused deposition modelling, stereolithography, and selective laser sintering. During the laboratory activities, students will learn to correlate the effect of processing conditions and material formulation with the properties of the manufactured product.

At the end of the teaching, students will master the principles behind manufacturing techniques and will have gained practical experience with some of these processes. Furthermore, for a given product, they will be able to identify the most suitable manufacturing technique, select the appropriate polymeric materials, and address relevant process issues.

PREREQUISITES

To achieve the teaching goals successfully, a preexisting basic knowledge of polymer properties is requested.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching is organized in 40 hours of class lectures focusing on basic concepts related to polymer physical properties, the processability of thermoplastic and thermosets materials, and the working details of the main classical and additive manufacturing techniques. Following the theoretical lectures, there will be four laboratory practical activities, for a total of about 13 hours. During these sessions, students will be divided in small groups to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in the first part of the teaching. They will directly use different manufacturing technologies, familiarize themselves with the required software and explore the effect of processing parameters on the final properties of the products.

At the end of the teaching, students will master the principles behind manufacturing techniques and will have gained practical experience with some of these processes. Furthermore, for a given product, they will be able to identify the most suitable manufacturing technique, select the appropriate polymeric materials, and address relevant process issues.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Lectures:

1. Introduction to polymer processing
2. Thermosets and thermoplastics
3. Semicrystalline polymers
4. Rheology and mechanical properties of polymers
5. Extrusion
6. Injection moulding
7. Rotational moulding, blow moulding and thermoforming
8. Fiber spinning
9. Mixing and compounding
10. Film casting and film blowing
11. Polymer composites manufacturing
12. Introduction to Additive Manufacturing (AM)
13. Workflow for AM
14. Fused deposition modelling
15. Stereolithographic techniques
16. Selective laser sintering
17. Final remarks on AM
18. New manufacturing technologies

Laboratory Activities

1. Manufact prototyping (CAD design and g-code generation)
2. Injection molding and extrusion
3. FDM and mechanical properties of 3D printed specimen
4. Photocuring kinetics

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• N.G. McCrum, C.P. Buckley, C.B. Bucknall, Principles of Polymer Engineering , Oxford University Press (1997)
• Baird, Donald G., Polymer processing : principles and design, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey (2014)
• The 3D printing handbook, B. Redwood, F. Schöffer, B. Garret (3D fans)
• Polymers: Chemistry and Physics of Modern Material, I.M.G. Cowie

• For students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities, please refer to the FURTHER INFORMATION section

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

DARIO CAVALLO (President)

PAOLA LOVA (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Second semester: tentatively, last week of February/first week of March. For further details/updates, please check https://easyacademy.unige.it/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test covering the topics discussed during the teaching. It will include both multiple-choice questions, which will account for approximately 60% of the final mark, and short open questions, which will account for the remaining 40%.

In case of emergency and only according to specific indications by the University of Genoa, the assessment method for the exam might be changed, including the possibility of an online procedure.

For students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities, please refer to the FURTHER INFORMATION section

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The aim of the exam is to verify the achievement of the intended learning objectives. If these objectives are not met, the student will be encouraged to further study the topics, with the support of the teacher’s explanations, and attempt the exam again. During the laboratory classes, teachers will assess the extent of students' participation and their capability in conducting experimental work. The exam will ascertain whether the student has attained an adequate level of knowledge on the teaching topics, with particular reference to polymer processing and the correlations between manufacturing conditions and properties.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.