In the project seminar "Designing with Plastics", which is offered annually as part of the Bachelor's programme at the KTP, participating students have the opportunity to work in groups on a comprehensive task for the design and conception of a plastic component. In addition to the planning, design and economic analysis of the customer order, the participants also have the opportunity to set up a corresponding injection moulding machine in the KTP laboratory and design it to meet the required considerations. The seminar lasts five working days (Monday to Friday) and is worth three ECTS credits. This year, in the week from 19 to 23 May 2025, five students from the Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering and Management degree programmes came together in a group and took on the challenge of the project task. They planned the purchase of an injection moulding machine for their imaginary company in order to supply a fictitious customer from the automotive industry with an organisation system for vans consisting of plastic boxes. Cost accounting, planning and time management methods were applied in practice. Furthermore, the students were given the opportunity to independently produce small plastic boxes in laboratory tests on an injection moulding machine at the KTP and to optimise these in the ongoing process with regard to component quality and production time. This preliminary work enabled the project to be planned further and a corresponding offer to be drawn up for the customer. The results were presented in an interim presentation on Tuesday and a final presentation on Friday, before the project seminar ended with the traditional barbecue and cold drinks at the KTP.
