Plastics Engineering and Technology Minor

Overview for Plastics Engineering and Technology Minor

The plastics engineering and technology minor provides students with a foundation in the professional study of plastic materials and their applications. This minor provides a broad perspective in plastics and polymer engineering/technology including the preparation of polymeric materials and polymer composites, their characterization, and the design and processing of these materials into useful products. The minor also includes a plastics characterization laboratory experience.

Notes about this minor:

Posting of the minor on the student's academic transcript requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the minor.
Notations may appear in the curriculum chart below outlining pre-requisites, co-requisites, and other curriculum requirements (see footnotes).

The plan code for Plastics Engineering and Technology Minor is PLSTCET-MN.

Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Plastics Engineering and Technology Minor

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

View Printable Curriculum

Course
Required Courses
CHMG-131	General Chemistry for Engineers* This rigorous course is primarily for, but not limited to, engineering students. Topics include an introduction to some basic concepts in chemistry, stoichiometry, First Law of Thermodynamics, thermochemistry, electronic theory of composition and structure, and chemical bonding. The lecture is supported by workshop-style problem sessions. Offered in traditional and online format. Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring).
Choose one of the following options:
MCET-210	Foundations of Non-Metallic Materials This course will cover the process of selecting a best material for a given design application with a focus on polymeric materials. To support this process material families, strengthening mechanisms, and degradation mechanisms and prevention will be studied. The materials selection process will include economic, ecological, and ethical considerations. An emphasis is placed on the interrelationship of structure, process, and properties. This class expands upon concepts presented in MCET-110. (Prerequisites: C- or better in (CHMG-131 or CHMG-141 or CHEM-151) and (MCET-110 and MCET-111) or (NETS-110 and NETS-111) or (MECE-304 or MECE-305 and MECE-306) or equivalent courses. Corequisite: MCET-211 or equivalent course.) Lecture 2 (Fall, Spring).
MCET-211	Characterization of Non-Metallic Materials Lab This course will consist of laboratory experiences which focus on property characterization of the properties of polymeric materials. (Co-requisites: MCET-210 or equivalent course.) Lab 2 (Fall, Spring).
or
PACK-211	Packaging Metals & Plastics The study of packaging materials from extraction through conversion and production, physical and chemical properties and uses. Emphasis is on plastics and metals used in packaging and other component materials. Recognized standard testing procedures are presented and students gain practical experience in the operation of various testing instruments, interpretation of results, and evaluation of properties and performance characteristics. (Co-requisites: PACK-101 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring).
MCET-574	Plastics and Composites Materials Study of advanced polymeric materials including their preparation, processing and application design. Topics will include both long and short fiber reinforced composites. Industrial modification of polymers into plastics compounds including polymer blends and additives will also be discussed. Students may receive credit for only this course or MCET-674, not both. (Prerequisites: MCET-210 or equivalent course. Students cannot take and receive credit for this course if they have taken MCET-674. Corequisites: MCET-575 or equivalent course.) Lecture 2 (Fall).
MCET-575	Plastics and Composites Materials Laboratory Laboratory exercises involving polymeric materials (e.g. composites, polymers blends) including their preparation, processing and application design. Students may receive credit for only this course or MCET-675, not both. (Students cannot take and receive credit for this course if they have taken MCET-675. Co-requisites: MCET-574 or equivalent course.) Lab 2 (Fall).
MCET-580	Plastics Manufacturing Technology The course introduces fundamentals in plastic materials and processing technology to manufacture various plastic products in plastics industry. The course emphasizes new materials and process selections for engineering applications and design. (Prerequisites: MCET-210 or equivalent course and this class is restricted to students in MCET-BS or EMET-BS or MFET-BS or RMET-BS.) Lecture 3 (Fall).
MCET-583	Plastics Product Design The study of design guidelines for plastic products based on the interrelationships between design, the material selected, the manufacturing process selected, and the tooling to be used. Students may not take and receive credit for this course if they have already taken MCET-683. (Prerequisites: MCET-210 and MCET-211 or equivalent courses. Students cannot take and receive credit for this course if they have taken MCET-683.) Lecture 3 (Spring).

* General & Analytical Chemistry I (CHMG-141) may be used as an equivalent course.