Page 111 - Module DMV20173

6.0 POLYMER PROCESSING

CHAPTER 6: POLYMER PROCESSING

6.0 INTRODUCTION

Plastics are made from fossil fuels-petroleum, natural gas, coal, wood and some plant
materials, air, water and sometimes other common materials. They are designed in many
different formulas for different purposes. Today plastics are taken for granted. They form part of
our everyday life to such an extent that it would be impossible to imagine being without them.

This situation has come about in the last 60 years or so. Products are now designed and made
form plastic materials because they offer property combinations not available with other
materials, such as lightness, resistance to corrosion colour, transparency and ease of
processing. In spite of their limitations their exploration is generally limited by the designer’s

inequity. “Well its made of plastic” it is statement that is often heard. The common high tonnage
plastics used are polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene. Figure 6.1
shows various products made of polymers.

Figure 6.1 Various products made of polymers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this unit are to:
1. recognize the type of polymer materials;
2. describe the injection moulding process;

3. distinguish the function of injection moulding systems;
4. select the right welding process to join or cut the right product.

BPLK 143 DMV 20173