TLARGI Basic Rubber Technology Course 2026/2027

$850 before Aug. 1 / $950 after Aug. 1

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

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.