Packaging Machinery & Processes Online Training Course

Packaging involves the use of materials, methods, design concepts and machinery to develop and produce the packages that protect and preserve a product, help market the product and instruct the consumer in its proper use. Virtually every product, whether grown or manufactured, must be packaged so that it reaches the consumer in an acceptable condition. With the quantity and variety of products produced in the world, it is easy to understand that packaging is a dynamic, multibillion dollar industry in need of trained professionals.

Packaging Machinery & Processes is a course that will provide a comprehensive overview of leading packaging machinery and line processes, such as extrusion, injection, and blow molding, flexible packaging, thermoforming, bottles, and closures. In addition, participants will be introduced to many of the management functions associated with the design, development, production and use of packaging materials and components.

After completing Packaging Machinery & Processes, students will be equipped with a basic understanding of the following:

• basics of packaging processes
• extrusion molding
• flexible packaging processes
• thermoforming
• injection molding
• blow molding
• bottle design criteria
• closures

This course is an intended for people working in packaging production, materials supply, and other industries which supply to or purchase from packaging manufacturers. Newcomers to these industries, or people who have had no formal technical training, managers and professionals in areas such as sales, marketing and other roles where a knowledge of packaging materials and processing technologies would improve confidence and communication, with customers, suppliers and colleagues.

No prerequisites are required.

 Students will be assigned 5 homework assignments, and 1 final exam. 

Extrusion Molding

• Plasticating extruders
• Cast and blown plastic film and sheet
• Co-extruded and oriented plastic films

Flexible Packaging

• Aluminum foil properties and applications
• Vacuum metallizing process
• Metallized paper and film applications
• Structural, barrier, sealing and aesthetic properties
• Basic form-fill-seal machines
• High barrier constructions
• Wet bond, dry bond, and extrusion laminating
• Specifying plies, caliper, and roll orientation
• Laminate constructions

Thermoforming

• Common thermoforming methods and materials
• Thermoform packaging applications
• Extruded profiles and typical packaging applications

Injection Molding

• The injection molding process
• Injection molds, tooling costs
• Sprues, runners, gates and undercuts
• Part characteristics and packaging applications

Blow Molding

• The extrusion blow molding process
• Parisons and parison programming
• The injection blow molding process
• Injection stretch blow molding
• Extrusion and injection blow molding compared
• General bottle design considerations

Bottle Design Criteria

• General design elements
• Decorating options
• Special bottle designs
• Environmental stress cracking

Closures

• Closure selection criteria
• Container finish standards and thread styles
• Closure dimension designations
• Closure liner functions and types
• Common plastic closure designs
• Metal continuous thread, lug, roll-on, press-on and crown closures
• Child-resistant and tamper-evident designs

 This course is Instructor-led and delivered through our award-winning online Learning Management System.