SPE WEBINAR: The Hidden Cost of Manual Plastic Testing
Webinar
The Hidden Cost of Manual Plastic Testing
October 20, 2026 11:00 AM ET. Online
Sponsored by
Summary
Manual plastics testing involves more than the time spent running a test. Measurement, specimen preparation and positioning, gripping, data processing, and reporting can all require significant technician involvement and introduce opportunities for variation. This webinar explores the hidden costs of these manual steps and how an automated testing workflow can help laboratories improve consistency, recover technician time, and increase testing efficiency. Using practical examples and real CubeTen testing data, we will examine the role of automation in specimen measurement, gripping, deformation measurement, testing, data analysis, and reporting, while also addressing key technical considerations such as ASTM/ISO requirements, calibration, service and support, cybersecurity, and data integration.
If you can't attend one or several sessions live, or if you want to review some concepts, the recordings will be available after each session.
Khaled Boqaileh is the CEO of LabsCubed Inc., a company specializing in automated testing equipment for the polymer industry. He holds a Master's degree in Material Development and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on materials science. His graduate work with 3M on advanced materials for crash safety applications gave him direct insight into the rigorous testing demands facing materials engineers and laboratories. At LabsCubed, Khaled leads an exceptional team including some of the best engineers working on the CubeOne and CubeTen automated testing platforms. His core focus is identifying and solving the critical problems that limit testing consistency, efficiency, and throughput for laboratory professionals. Drawing on his materials engineering background and deep industry experience, Khaled ensures the team concentrates on delivering technology that meaningfully addresses customer challenges.
Quality control and quality assurance professionals
Laboratory managers and supervisors
Testing and characterization professionals
Technical and engineering managers
Professionals evaluating automation for plastics testing laboratories
Anyone looking to improve the consistency, efficiency, or throughput of their testing workflow
Why Should You Attend?
The true cost of manual plastics testing extends beyond the test itself. Technician time, repetitive manual tasks, workflow variability, data handling, and testing bottlenecks can all affect laboratory efficiency and consistency.
This webinar takes a practical, evidence-based look at these often-overlooked costs and explores how automation can address them. Attendees will see how an automation-first approach can transform the plastics tensile-testing workflow—from specimen measurement and gripping through testing, analysis, and data output—and will gain a practical framework for determining whether automation makes sense for their laboratory.
Why This Course Matters
At the end of this course, you will …
Identify the hidden costs and sources of variability associated with manual plastics tensile testing.
Understand how operator-dependent steps such as specimen measurement, positioning, gripping, and data processing can affect the testing workflow.
Identify which parts of a plastics tensile-testing workflow can be automated and how automation can reduce repetitive manual work.
Understand the difference between accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility, and why these distinctions matter when evaluating testing results.
Evaluate the potential impact of automation on technician time, testing consistency, and laboratory efficiency.
Review practical CubeTen testing data from polymer materials, including HIPS and polypropylene (PP).
Understand key considerations when implementing automated testing, including ASTM/ISO requirements, calibration, service and support, cybersecurity, and data integration.
This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.
Refund Policy
Full refund 14 days prior to the event start date. Please contact customerrelations@4spe.org for assistance with registration.
Copyright & Permission to Use
When you enter a SPE, a division of PLASTICS event or program, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, webcasts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by SPE and their affiliates and representatives. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of SPE. You release SPE, their officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or or sound recordings. By entering the event premises, you waive all rights you may have to any claims for payment or royalties in connection with any use, exhibition, streaming, web casting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such use, exhibiting, broadcasting, web casting, or other publication irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by SPE or the person or entity designated to do so by SPE. You have been fully informed of your consent, waiver of liability, and release before entering the event.
Anti-Trust Statement
No discussion among members, volunteers, or staff, which attempts to arrive at any agreement regarding prices, terms or conditions of sale, distribution, volume, territories, or customers;
No activity or communication which might be construed as an attempt to prevent any person or business entity from gaining access to any market or customer for goods or services or any business entity from obtaining services or a supply of goods;
No activity or communication which might be construed as an agreement to refrain from purchasing or using any materials, equipment, services or supplies of or from any supplier; or
No other activity which violates anti-trust or applicable laws aimed at preventing unfair competition.
This site uses cookies to recognize members so as to provide the benefits of membership. We may also use cookies to understand in general how people use and visit this site. Please indicate your acceptance to the right. Learn More..
