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TLARGI Basic Rubber Technology Course 2026/2027
September 2, 2026 @ 5:30 pm - March 3, 2027 @ 7:30 pm
$850 before Aug. 1 / $950 after Aug. 1
Price Includes: Book, handouts, 1 year TLARGI membership, Oktoberfest Technical & Social Meeting (lunch & dinner included), graduation dinner with guest, certificate of completion
Location: WARCO, 1337 W. Braden Ct., Orange, CA 92868
Class Times: Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Class Dates:
- Fall: Sept. 2, 9, Oct. 14, 28
- Spring: Jan. 6, 20, Feb. 3, 17, Mar. 3
Graduation Dinner: Tentatively Mar. 10, 6-9 p.m., location TBD
Subjects: History, Polymer Types, TPEs, Compounding, Mixing, Extrusion, Molding, Bonding, Testing, Standards, Callouts
Styles: Interactive, listening, reading, homework, tests, teamwork, show-and-tell, networking
Guest Speakers: Two planned – Bonding and Urethanes
Optional Tours: Two+ locations (mixing, molding, mold making, extrusion, splicing, calendaring, LSR)
Book: R. J. Del Vecchio (Ed.), Fundamentals of Rubber Technology
Snacks: Provided each class
Who Should Attend:
Anyone new to rubber but also those wanting to expand their knowledge even after decades – operators, admins, buyers, engineers, managers, directors, sales, quality and others
Attendance / Requirements:
In order to receive a certificate of completion, students must participate in quizzes, group activities, homework, discussions and attend at least eight out of ten classes.
Instructor: Sam Porter, Rheologix
Sam Porter brings over 30 years of exploration, discovery, and problem-solving in the elastomer industry to his role as Area Director for the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society. A graduate of The University of Akron in Chemical Engineering (Polymer Specialized), Sam combines rigorous technical training with lifelong curiosity – fueled by books, seminars, technical papers, and hands-on experimentation. His mantra, “It’s not black magic – it’s Rubber Science!” reflects his drive to uncover answers, reveal correlations, and empower others to do the same. Sam volunteers as Education Committee Chairman for both the ACS Rubber Division and The Los Angeles Rubber Group Inc., and has taught the Basic Rubber Technology Course for TLARGI for the past three years. As founder of Rheologix, he consults across the elastomer industry – spanning automotive, medical, oil & gas, and aerospace/defense – leveraging best practices to bridge R&D and real-world manufacturing. He has mastered balancing the three pillars of elastomer success: compounding, tooling, and processing.