2026 SPE On Demand Workshop

Failure in Plastics
 

 

  Summary

This 4-part workshop series will cover a considerable range of topics important in understanding, diagnosing, and preventing plastic component failure. The most efficient and effective approach to plastic component failure is by performing a systematic failure analysis. Someone once said, “If you don’t know how something broke, you can’t fix it,” highlighting the importance of a thorough understanding of how and why a product has failed. This workshop will cover information required to gain this understanding.

At the end of the workshop, the attendees will understand:

• Essentials of how and why plastic components fail
• The process for conducting a failure investigation and methods for understanding the mode and cause of product failure
• The five factors affecting plastic part performance
• The major plastic failure mechanisms
• The importance of ductile-to-brittle transitions and their role in plastic component failure

The workshop will focus on practical problem-solving techniques and will utilize case studies to illustrate key aspects of plastic failure and prevention. Through the course we will explore efficient and effective methods for responding to a failed plastic component.

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  Agenda

  Session 1: Defining Failure - Understanding Failure Rate

Duration: 2 Hour

  Session 2: Thermoplastics - Failure Mechanisms A

Duration: 2 Hour

  Session 3: Failure Mechanisms B - Failure Analysis Methods

Duration: 2 Hour

  Session 4: Failure Analysis Testing - Case Illustrations

Duration: 2 Hour

  On Demand Information

SPE Premium Member	$720
SPE Members	$800
Nonmembers	$1,000

  Purchase On Demand Now

Not an SPE member? Join today and purchase this workshop at a discounted rate!

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  Workshop Pack

Strengthen your team’s skills and take advantage of group savings with a Failure in Plastics On-Demand Workshop Pack.
Go here for more information.

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4 Sessions

 

Level: Intermediate

 

Total Hours: 8 Hours

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  Instructor

Jeff Jansen
Engineering Manager
The Madison Group
Linked 

(Click for more information)

Jeffrey A. Jansen is the Engineering Manager and a Partner at The Madison Group, an independent plastics engineering and consulting firm. Jeff is a proven plastic professional with more than 30 years of experience solving problems and addressing opportunities related to polymeric materials. He specializes in failure analysis, material identification and selection, as well as compatibility, aging, and lifetime prediction studies for thermoplastic materials. Jeff has performed over 5,000 investigations, both for industrial clients and as a part of litigation. He is a regular presenter on the SPE webinar series, covering a wide range of topics related to plastics failure, material performance, testing, and polymer technology. Jeff is a graduate of Carroll College and the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

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  Questions? Contact:

For questions, contact Iván D. López.

Who Should Purchase On Demand?

Target audience are those responsible for the design and quality of plastic components and equipment using plastic parts. This includes automotive, medical, appliance, aerospace, electronics industries. Typical titles would be plastic engineers, engineering managers, quality engineers, reliability engineers, and design engineers.

Why Should You Purchase On Demand?

• Are you dealing with an increasing number of product recalls that hurt your company’s reputation and bottom line?
• Do you rely on plastic components whose unexpected failures interrupt production or damage customer trust?
• Have you spent time and resources trying to fix recurring plastic part issues without lasting results?
• Are you a designer, engineer, or consultant seeking to anticipate and prevent failures before they occur?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, this workshop is for you.

Everyday Problems You’ll Address:

• Why do plastic parts fail unexpectedly—even when processed or designed within specifications?
• How can I determine whether a failure was caused by design, material, processing, or service environment?
• What are the key failure mechanisms in plastics and how can I recognize them in real-world cases?
• How do temperature, stress, or environmental exposure contribute to ductile-to-brittle transitions?
• What’s the best way to conduct a structured failure investigation that leads to clear, actionable results?
• How can failure analysis prevent future issues, saving both time and money?

Why This Workshop Matters:

Understanding how and why plastic components fail is essential for preventing costly downtime, warranty claims, and reputational damage.
This 4-part workshop offers a structured, science-based approach to failure diagnosis and prevention, combining theory with real-world case studies.

Participants will strengthen their ability to interpret failure data, recognize common mechanisms, and apply systematic analysis methods to uncover true root causes.
By mastering these fundamentals, organizations can move from reactive problem-solving to proactive design and process decisions—ensuring reliability, performance, and long-term success.