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IME 2500 - Plastics
Properties and Processing
Catalog Description:
Effects of polymer chemistry, additives, plasticizers, fillers, and reinforcements on the properties of plastics. Molding, forming, extrusion, casting, lamination, coating, welding, and decorating of thermoplastic and thermoset materials.
Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisite: Recommended, CHEM 1100/1110.
Credits: 3 hours
Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: (2 to 3)
Prerequisites by Topic:
Working knowledge of the periodic table, chemical reactions,
compound formation, valence and bonding. (CHEM 110 - General Chemistry
I)
Course Objectives:
At the end of the semester the student should be able to:
- Identify a logical potential polymer for a well-defined application. (D)
- Perform experiments with major forming, casting and molding processes found in the plastics industry. (C)
- Define the dependent and independent processing variables found within plastics processes. (C & F)
- Identify the relationship between the chemical make-up of selected plastics and certain of their resulting physical and mechanical properties. (A & B)
- Function as a member of a team to collect and present information about industrial plastics processing in local industry. (E & G)
- Correctly identify the plastics process used to manufacture a product from the attributes of the part.
(A & F).
The letters in the parentheses at the end of each objective refer to the TAC of ABET ET2K criteria
Performance Criteria:
The student should be able to:
Objective 1
- List of series of appropriate polymers for a given well-defined application. [3, 6]
Objective 2
- Operate bench top plastics processing equipment by manipulating the process variables to produce plastics products. [1]
- Perform the safe operation of processing equipment by producing sample parts without causing injury to anyone present. [1]
Objective 3
- Correctly differentiate between dependent and independent variables in write-ups of the laboratory experiments in this class. [1, 7]
- Correctly identify which independent variables will affect a given dependent variable in a plastics process studied in the laboratory. [1]
Objective 4
- Determine the molecular weight of a mer given a chemical diagram of a polymer. [4, 5]
- Define the relationship that additives, fillers and reinforcements have on a polymer's properties. [3, 5]
Objective 5
- Participate as an equal team member in the process of gathering information at a plastics processing plant. [2]
- Prepare display materials for the public that explains the relationship between polymer materials, process design and product design. [2]
Objective 6
- Correctly determine the process used to produce a plastic part, through deductive reasoning based strictly on product design attributes. [8]
Numbers in brackets refer to the method of evaluation as listed in the previous section.
Textbooks:
Lokensgard, E. (2004). Industrial Plastics - Theory and Application, 4th Edition, Delmar.
Engelmann, P. (2006). Plastics Properties and Processes. (Lecture/lab Manual)
Course Coordinator:
Paul Engelmann, Ed.D.
Departmental Chair
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Western Michigan University
F-259 Parkview Campus
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5336
Phone: (269) 276-3350
Email: paul.engelmann@wmich.edu
Revision Date: Spring 2009