Kistler Instrument Corporation and FimmTech have launched a strategic collaboration aimed at combining cavity pressure measurement technology with practical education in injection molding. Under the partnership, Kistler's cavity pressure sensors and process monitoring systems have been directly incorporated into the seminars run by FimmTech. As a result, training participants can work simultaneously with scientific molding methodology and with measurement tools used in the production environment. According to the companies, this approach is intended to help processors reduce waste, improve repeatability, lower costs, and better respond to growing requirements related to traceability and production digitalization. The collaboration is also intended to address the skills gap in plastics processing plants, where the availability of equipment does not always go hand in hand with the knowledge needed to use it effectively.
Suhas Kulkarni, President of FimmTech, pointed out that in practice processors often have equipment but lack sufficient process knowledge to use it effectively, or conversely, they have the knowledge but lack the right tools. As he said, "We have seen firsthand how processors sometimes struggle when they have the equipment but not enough process knowledge to use it effectively, or when they have the knowledge but lack the tools. This partnership provides both simultaneously for deeper process understanding and effective use of the technologies." He also added that cavity pressure technology is particularly important in precision molding, including medical applications, where some dimensions must achieve CpK values above 1.33. In his view, for molded parts with a very narrow process window resulting from part geometry or mold design, the use of this technology is the right solution.
Measurement technology in the training program
The central element of the collaboration is the integration of Kistler's cavity pressure sensors and process monitoring systems into FimmTech seminars and technical workshops. During practical sessions, participants work directly with professional measurement equipment and learn to apply data-based process control in the context of scientific molding principles. Kim Pfluger, General Manager at Kistler North America, emphasized that cavity pressure monitoring has long proven effective in reducing scrap and improving process stability, but the company's goal is for this technology to be more than just a tool. As she stated, "We want it to become a fundamental part of how molders think about their process." She also added that the partnership strengthens relationships within the plastics processing community, which matters just as much as the technology itself.
During the sessions, participants observe real-time cavity pressure curves and learn how to interpret them in terms of molded part quality. Based on actual data, they practice switchover point optimization, seeing directly how small adjustments affect the entire process and how to determine the optimal transfer point. Analysis of process variation and stability across successive cycles, in turn, makes it possible to understand what a controlled and repeatable process looks like in practice. Due to the growing importance of traceability in modern manufacturing, participants also learn how to capture, store and structure process data for documentation and compliance requirements. Kistler also contributes technical knowledge and application expertise to the program, so that the measurement data is not merely displayed but interpreted within the broader context of scientific molding principles.
Real-time process data is delivered directly from inside the mold by cavity pressure sensors from Kistler, forming the foundation of data-driven quality control.
Program built on industrial experience
The seminars are intended for a broad group of specialists involved in the injection molding process, including process engineers, technicians, tooling engineers, quality personnel, program managers and production managers. Although the methodology is particularly widespread in medical device manufacturing, according to the organizers it is applicable wherever consistent, high-quality molded parts are required. FimmTech instructors have an average of about 35 years of hands-on industry experience, and the curriculum covers the full spectrum of injection molding topics, from scientific molding and design of experiments to polymer materials, melt preparation, part and mold design, and quality control. The most popular format is a four-day seminar devoted to the development of robust molding processes.
Referring to the significance of the collaboration, Kulkarni said: "Partnering with Kistler allows us to strengthen our commitment to a data-driven approach to process control. Integrating live cavity pressure monitoring into our seminars gives participants a direct understanding of what is happening inside the mold, and that understanding is transformative. In this way, we enable the next generation of molders to shift from reactive troubleshooting to predictive control." As he added, the effects of the training are visible directly on the shop floor. "We regularly hear from attendees who go back to work and solve in a few minutes problems that previously took them all day. That is exactly what this kind of education should do."
Before the partnership was formed, specialists from more than 100 companies from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, China, Costa Rica, New Zealand and India had participated in FimmTech seminars. Classes are offered mainly in person in Southern California, but they are also held regularly in other parts of the United States, including at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where Kulkarni serves as adjunct faculty. Seminars can also be organized at customer locations worldwide, and online and hybrid formats are also available. All courses are fully recorded and made available on the FimmTech website.
Summing up the partnership, Pfluger stated: "This partnership reflects our shared commitment to long-term industry transformation toward data-driven quality assurance. The demand for such solutions exists, and together we are ready to meet it."
Kistler and FimmTech have joined forces to incorporate cavity pressure monitoring into injection molding training, equipping processors with the knowledge and tools necessary to reduce scrap, improve repeatability, and meet the demands of modern manufacturing.
