The video-training program SPC IN EXTRUSION, developed by Rauwendaal Extrusion Engineering, Inc. for the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc., is designed for extruder operating personnel, process engineers, technical service people, and quality control personnel.

The program consists of six videotapes with accompanying participant workbook and answer guide.  The goal of the program is to teach the concepts of statistical process control and their application to the extrusion process in an integrated fashion.  All of the material in the course is contained in the book “Statistical Process Control in Extrusion” written by Chris Rauwendaal.

Each tape covers one chapter of the accompanying manual.  Questions are located at the end of each chapter to test comprehension and review the concepts taught; a separate guide provides answers.  The first four chapters teach SPC concepts and chapters five and six are related specifically to extrusion.  Since chapter pages are easily removed from the three ring binder, several participants can use different parts of the program at the same time.  The program can be used as a self-study platform or can be instructor led.

Program Objectives

To provide people involved in extrusion operations with a thorough understanding of extruders and how they work.  Also, to teach the main principles of statistical process control and how to apply these to extrusion operations to make them more efficient.  Teaching SPC and extrusion process technology in an integrated fashion allows people not only to implement SPC more effectively, it also enables more efficient problem solving and process optimization.

Program Chapters

• Chapter 1 -  Introduction to Statistical Process Control, covers the history of SPC, how to implement SPC, and basic statistical concepts.
• Chapter 2 - Data Collection, Analysis, and Problem Solving, discusses attributes vs. variables data, important aspects of data collection, diagrams for problem solving, Pareto diagrams, histograms, scatter diagrams, recording data, and sampling.
• Chapter 3 -  Control Charts, covers basic ideas behind control charts, control charts for variables data and attributes data, and sampling.
• Chapter 4 -  Process Capability, discusses the concepts behind process capability, how to determine process capability, different measures of process capability, tests for normality, and process capability for non-Normal distributions.
• Chapter 5 -  Measurement, covers the basic sources of measurement error, how to quantify measurement variation, and important measurements in extrusion.
• Chapter 6 - Extrusion Technology, covers introduction to the process, a description of the major functions performed in an extruder, efficient machine design, and efficient process operation.

The program includes six videotapes, one participant workbook, and answer guide.  A preview kit is available at no cost.  The book “SPC in Injection Molding and Extrusion” is available separately .