2-21-05
Behrend Offers RJG Master Molder Certification Series
Erie campus of Penn State is first place in tri-state region to offer certification courses
This spring and summer, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, will partner with plastics industry leader RJG, Inc., to become the first place outside of RJG to offer part of RJG's exclusive Master Molder Certification series. This certification is considered the standard of the injection molding industry.
"We are pleased to be able to partner with RJG, Inc. to offer Master Molder at Penn State Erie," said Peggy McCarthy, director of the Center for Corporate and Continuing Education (CCCE) at Behrend. "This certification is extremely desirable within the industry. This is a great boon for plastics companies in Erie, as well as for Behrend."
RJG, located in Traverse City, Mich., was founded in 1985 to provide the plastics industry with the ability to deliver quality parts to its customers by offering the industry comprehensive systems, a processing strategy, and in-depth training. RJG has been has been consigning equipment to Penn State Behrend's plastics processing lab for several years. They are a well-known leader in the injection molding industry. In addition to Master Molder, RJG has been responsible for many innovations in the plastics industry. Among these are the first Scientific Molding seminar, the first commercial strain gauge cavity pressure sensors, DECOUPLED MOLDING techniques, and the plastics industry's first digital data acquisition platform.
"Penn State Behrend's relationship with RJG helps keep us on the leading edge of new technology and techniques used for precision molding," said Brad Johnson, lecturer in the Plastics Engineering Technology program and coordinator of CCCE's plastics programs.
"Penn State Behrend's bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering Technology, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, is widely acknowledged as the premier degree in this field, and the Plastics Training Seminar program at Behrend has been providing quality training to plastics practitioners for more than ten years," said Dr. Robert Simoneau, director of the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. "The association with RJG is a very welcome opportunity to further enrich the programs at Penn State Behrend and the people we serve."
According to Johnson, "RJG's certificate program is unmatched in its comprehensive and integrated approach, with no other program in the industry coming close to RJG's Master Molder. Offering this program fits in perfectly with Penn State Behrend's objective of providing world-class plastics education and training."
RJG started offering the Master Molder Certification Series in 1998 and it quickly has become a standard for the injection molding industry. The Master Molder Certification Series is designed for the process technician, engineer or manager who needs to understand and demonstrate injection molding skills at the machine.
The training consists of three modules taken in a series. The first two modules will be available at Behrend, with the third offered at RJG's location. Upon successful completion of each module, students receive a technical certification from RJG, enhancing their industrial knowledge and marketability.
"Completion of all three modules of the Master Molder Series ensures students have the knowledge required to instruct others in their organization on the strategies and techniques they have learned and applied in the series," according to RJG's Web site.
For more information on the RJG certification or other plastics training programs, visit pennstatebehrend.psu.edu/cde/ or contact the Center for Corporate and Continuing Education at 814-898-6103.