Students have the opportunity to learn about properties and uses of selected non-metallic materials by using laboratory equipment to process those materials into prototype products.

Instruction in the plastics and composites materials laboratory focuses on student design and construction of tooling which is needed for their subsequent production of plastics and composites products on laboratory sized equipment. Materials used for tooling include pattern making wood, tooling gypsum, aluminum, and epoxy/metal powder composites. Materials used for plastics and composites product manufacture include commonly used thermoplastics, thermosets and polyester/glass fiber composites.