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Plastics engineer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical plastics engineer skills. We ranked the top skills for plastics engineers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.0% of plastics engineer resumes contained sigma as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a plastics engineer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 plastics engineer skills for your resume and career

1. Sigma

In Greek alphabets, sigma is the 18th letter that means "to sum up". In statistics, the lower case symbol of sigma is the unit of measurement for standard deviation which is used to assess the variability in a given set of data. While the upper case symbol is for summation notation means to add up all the given numbers in the data set.

Here's how plastics engineers use sigma:

Provide process improvement facilitation and expertise to corporate process initiatives as a certified Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt.
Provided design modification on existing tooling to incorporate Six Sigma and ergonomics concepts, which improved productivity and reduced job-related injuries.

2. Project Management

Here's how plastics engineers use project management:

Manage new projects from concept through development utilizing a blend of project management and engineering skills.
Project management from quoting to production.

3. Extrusion

Here's how plastics engineers use extrusion:

Designed and implemented improvements to existing extrusion machinery.
Introduced extrusion of micro-array sockets into volume manufacturing.

4. CAD

Here's how plastics engineers use cad:

Provided tooling support to design teams for plastic parts utilizing a combination of good working knowledge and CAD tools.
Design and analysis of customer products utilizing I-DEAS CAD and Mold Flow analysis software.

5. Lean Manufacturing

Here's how plastics engineers use lean manufacturing:

Lean Manufacturing facilitator and trained Kaizen leader, specializing in 5-S events and quick change of molds (reduced downtime).
Worked in developing Lean Manufacturing techniques for process improvements beginning with material and processes to overhauling floor layout and equipment upgrades.

6. Product Design

Product design can be described as a process of imagining, creating, and iterating products that solve user's problems and talk about the specific needs of users in the market. Product design is an engineering disciple and it is the basic design and idea that goes before the mass production of the product.

Here's how plastics engineers use product design:

Worked with product designers and manufacturing engineers in the development of new designs and the validation of materials and processes.
Specified all Tooling and Injection Molding Equipment, based on the product design requirements.

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7. Cost Reduction

Here's how plastics engineers use cost reduction:

Received -Bulls eye award for cost reduction William A.J.
Developed programs to streamline production, cost reduction, operational efficiency analysis and implemented production systems to enable accurate business forecasting.

8. Plastic Injection

Here's how plastics engineers use plastic injection:

Managed a 3.5 million dollar the vertical integration project of all plastic injection and compression molding.
Design and update tool drawings for the production of plastic injection molds for the communication industry.

9. Technical Support

Technical support or tech support are the services provided by any hardware or software company to users. They help in solving the technical difficulties the customers face with their products or services. Moreover, the tech support employees maintain, manage, and repair the IT faults. They are also responsible for resolving the network problems, installing and configuring hardware and software.

Here's how plastics engineers use technical support:

Evaluated and selected mold-makers and molders, and provided technical support to purchasing.
Provided technical support and training for molding and assembly.

10. Solidworks

Here's how plastics engineers use solidworks:

Review and redesign current product offerings utilizing SolidWorks; identifying product flaws or anomalies to improve upon overall design features.
Operated CADKEY and SolidWorks design software to increase manufacturing and quality of mechanical products by utilizing advanced designs.

11. Product Quality

Product quality is the basic element of a business. It means to add features in a product or service in such a way that it meets the needs and wants of the customers. Enhancing the product quality also means improve the goods from any existing defects to ensure customer satisfaction.

Here's how plastics engineers use product quality:

Reduced GP risk for high volume resins by identifying cost effective alternates without sacrificing product quality.
Coordinated Quality Improvement activities between JVC's global factories ensuring a resolution and preventative action for Service and Product Quality matters.

12. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how plastics engineers use product development:

Contributed to cross-functional new product development teams with tooling and design engineers.
Managed new product development from concept through production launch on a hand held printer and a blood platelet separation device.

13. DFM

Design for manufacturability, or DFM, is an engineering methodology used to create a product that is easy to both manufacture and use. When taking DFM into consideration, engineers look into the relevant processes, information about the product, and ways to make future upgrades easy. For designers, engineers, or other experts who use DFM, their main goal is to create a product that is easy to produce at a reasonable price. This can be done with carefully aligned steps and compromise throughout the design process to create a product design that maximizes utility and minimizes cost.

Here's how plastics engineers use dfm:

Conducted DFM part design with internal and external stakeholders optimizing designs and manufacturing processes for flawless production launch
Led Design for Manufacturing (DFM) initiatives to ensure successful product launch

14. SPC

SPC stands for "statistical process control," a method that uses statistical tools and charts to analyze a process or procedure over time. This could reveal an error in production or an internal system by highlighting data points outside the expected results. These anomalies, likely caused by outside sources, can then be studied and remedied.

Here's how plastics engineers use spc:

Demonstrated proficiency in statistical process control (SPC), analyzed data and calculated capability study using SQC pack software.
Collaborated with assemblers to implement manufacturing and assembly improvements, using Lean Manufacturing and Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods.

15. Plastic Part Design

Here's how plastics engineers use plastic part design:

Created Plastics Training class that covered; plastic part design, plastic materials, injection molding and mold construction.
Performed mechanical design, plastic part design and managed the manufacture of equipment for making plastic parts.

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List of plastics engineer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a plastics engineer resume and required skills for a plastics engineer to have include:

Sigma
Project Management
Extrusion
CAD
Lean Manufacturing
Product Design
Cost Reduction
Plastic Injection
Technical Support
Solidworks
Product Quality
Product Development

DFM
SPC
Plastic Part Design
Design Reviews
Plastic Components
Plastic Material
Injection Molds
FDA
Material Selection
DOE
Quality Issues
Mold Design

R
Lean Six Sigma
Design Changes
Prototyping
Engineering Changes
RJG
Analysis Software
Runner Systems
Assembly Line
Process Improvement
CNC

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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