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)

Working knowledge of the periodic table, chemical reactions, compound formation, valence and bonding. (CHEM 110 - General Chemistry I)

At the end of the semester the student should be able to:

1. Identify a logical potential polymer for a well-defined application. (D)
2. Perform experiments with major forming, casting and molding processes found in the plastics industry. (C)
3. Define the dependent and independent processing variables found within plastics processes. (C & F)
4. Identify the relationship between the chemical make-up of selected plastics and certain of their resulting physical and mechanical properties. (A & B)
5. Function as a member of a team to collect and present information about industrial plastics processing in local industry. (E & G)
6. 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

The student should be able to:

Objective 1

1. List of series of appropriate polymers for a given well-defined application. [3, 6]

Objective 2

1. Operate bench top plastics processing equipment by manipulating the process variables to produce plastics products. [1]
2. Perform the safe operation of processing equipment by producing sample parts without causing injury to anyone present. [1]

Objective 3

1. Correctly differentiate between dependent and independent variables in write-ups of the laboratory experiments in this class. [1, 7]
2. Correctly identify which independent variables will affect a given dependent variable in a plastics process studied in the laboratory. [1]

Objective 4

1. Determine the molecular weight of a mer given a chemical diagram of a polymer. [4, 5]
2. Define the relationship that additives, fillers and reinforcements have on a polymer's properties. [3, 5]

Objective 5

1. Participate as an equal team member in the process of gathering information at a plastics processing plant. [2]
2. Prepare display materials for the public that explains the relationship between polymer materials, process design and product design. [2]

Objective 6

1. 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.

Lokensgard, E. (2004). Industrial Plastics - Theory and Application, 4th Edition, Delmar.

Engelmann, P. (2006). Plastics Properties and Processes. (Lecture/lab Manual)

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