TOPCON 2005
18-19th September 2005
Chicago, Illinois
The TOPical CONference of the Rotational Molding Division of The Society of
Plastics Engineers was held in conjunction with the Rotoplas and Annual
Conference of the Association of Rotational Molders International at The
Rosemont Center in Chicago.
There were 201 registrants for the event but the attendance in each of the
sessions varied between 75 and 120 people at any one time - people went back and
forth between the Rotoplas booths and the various papers that they wanted to
hear.
Unfortunately, I missed the papers due to being at the Rotoplas show but the
general feedback was good. Well done to Larry, Barry and Glenn as moderators!
DESIGN SESSION
Moderator: Larry
Schneider, Schneider Plastics, Inc.
Sunday, September 18, 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
PREDICTING STRENGTH OF PLASTIC PARTS USING
COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING, Chuck Milton,
Tennant Company
CREATING EXECUTION THAT RESULTS IN
"WOW" FACTOR DESIGNS, Mark Dziersk,
Herbst
LaZar Bell Inc.
ACHIEVING CUSTOMER REQUIRED FEATURES &
MOLDABILITY FOR THE
ROTATIONAL MOLDER, Gregory
Stout, Blue-Reed, LLC
DESIGN AS A TOOL FOR MOLDER GROWTH, Jack
Avery, Avery Plastics Consulting
COLOR TRENDS AND CONSUMER PREFERENCES,
Patricia Verlodt, Color Services &
Assoc., Inc.
MATERIALS SESSION
Moderator: Barry
Aubrey, Cyclics Corporation
Monday, September 19, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
ROTOMOLDING RESINS - THEN AND NOW, AN IMPORTANT
INDUSTRY CHALLENGE, Einar
Voldner, Synergy Polymers Inc.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN POLYPROPYLENE FOR
ROTOMOLDING, Dr. Nick Henwood, Matrix
Polymers
CYCLIC POLYESTER THERMOPLASTICS AS NEW
REACTIVE ROTATIONAL MOLDING COMPOUNDS, Steven
Bahr, Cyclics Corporation
HIGH PERFORMANCE FLUOROPOLYMER ROTOMOLDING
MATERIAL, Ted Hutton, Arkema, Inc.
ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR POLYMER TESTING, Annette
McManus, Lyondel Chemical Co.
NEW COLORS FOR ROTATIONAL MOLDING, Jon
Ratzlaff, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
PANEL DISCUSSION
Moderator: Glenn
Beall, Glenn Beall Plastics, Ltd.
Monday, September 19, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENT, Dr. Promod Vohra, Dean,
College of Engineering & Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois
University
THE “WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT” PANEL
This is your chance to learn from a panel with
over 200 years of experience. Two customers, two industry consultants and a
product designer, will share their positive and negative experiences with the
rotational molding process. The panelists purchase molded parts or represent
companies that do. Each will describe what customers want the industry to do in
the future. Attendees are encouraged to question the panel.
PANELISTS
Paul Arato,
President - Arato Design Associates, Inc.
Dave Berg,
Senior Project Engineer - Tennant Company
Scott Jarman,
Project Engineer - John Deere Turf Care, Inc.
Ken Pawlak,
President - Pawlak Engineering Company
Dr. James Throne,
President - Sherwood Technologies, Inc.
More details on the papers can be seen at www.RotoPlas.org 
