PSE370 Pulp and Paper Products and Markets is a new 3-credit hour course offered by the Paper Science and Engineering Program in the Department of Forest Biomaterials (College of Natural Resources). This course is designed to increase students’ understanding of major growth sectors in the pulp and paper industry and to put their engineering problem solving skills into practice. The corrugated board industry, in particular, is omnipresent in the U.S. and with the growing E-commerce market, sustainable alternatives to corrugated boxes are needed.
With support from the STEM initiative, the lab sessions will be designed to mirror real-world problems in the packaging industry through an integrated educational-engineering project, where the students will take an active role as problem-solvers confronted with a structured problem by applying the theoretical knowledge learned in class. Specifically, the students will develop engineering strategies and novel designs that address particular customer specifications, such as improving the reusability of the box, reducing cost and amount of waste, or minimizing weight while maintaining structural integrity. The students will also learn how to create a box prototype using computer-aided-design software and cutting table. In addition, students will participate in a two-day visit of packaging converting facilities in North Carolina.