Stock Shapes of Engineering

Plastics
Manufacturing Process
Applications
Design Considerations
Fabrication Techniques
 EMERGENCE OF PLASTICS AS
ENGINEERING MATERIALS
• Plastic materials display properties that are
unique when compared to other materials.
• Wide variety of possible conversion processes
requiring relatively low capital cost.
• Possibility of enhancing specific property
requirement.
• Will perform functions at a cost that other
materials can not match.
• Introduction of new materials.
• Developments in property enhancements
(Alloys/Blends/Additives/Reinforcements)
• Sophistication in processing equipments
(Microprocessor based control systems)
• Increased requirement for materials with
low weight to performance ratio
 Stock Shapes of Engineering
Plastics
• Rods
• Tubes
• Blocks
• Plates
• Sheets
STOCK SHAPES
RODS
TUBES AND RODS
Standard Stock Shape Materials

PP PES
PE UHMW PSU
PE HD PPSU
PVC PEEK
PA 6 / 66 / 11 / 12 PI
PETP PPS
PBT PPO
POM TPE
PMMA PVDF
PC PTFE
 Conversion Processes to make
Stock Shapes
• Extrusion
• Casting
• Compression Moulding
• Ram Extrusion
REACTIVE CASTING
 Extrusion
• Raw Material in granular form
• Drying
• Feeding in the screw
• Melting
• Metering
• Hot die
• Forming
• Post extrusion stress relieving
EXTRUDER
EXTRUSION LINE
ROD EXTRUSION IN PROGRESS
PERFORMANCE RANKING

PI 300°C

170°C PEI PEEK 260°C

PPSU
160°C PSU PTFE
DETP 110°C
120°C PC
PPO POM PA 100°C
ACRYLIC UHMW PE
85°C ABS PP 80°C
PS HDPE
PVC LDPE
AMORPHOUS CRYSTALLINE
 Applications of Engineering
Plastics
• Machine building
• Materials handling
• Transportation (Rail, Marine, Air)
• Food and Pharmaceutical
• Chemical
• Electronics/Electrical
• Medical equipments
• Steel, Cement, Paper
• Power generation
• Pollution control equipments
• Automobiles
• Oil exploration
SPROCKET WHEEL
TIMING PULLEY
ROLLER
WIRE ROPE SIEVE
PULLEY
SUCTION PULLEY
WEAR LINER
SLIPPER PAD
CYCLONE
DUCTING
ROLLER
COUPLING
 Synthetic materials are different from metals

Property PA 6 POM PEEK Bronze Steel Aluminum

Density 1.13 1.41 1.32 8.8 7.84 2.70

gm/cm3

Tensile 85 70 95 156 255 215

Strength
MPA
Relative 2.27 1.52 2.2 0.54 1.0 2.42
strength to
weight ratio
Steel = 1
Coefficient of 8 10 5 .016 .009 .020
linear
thermal
expansion
10^-5 1/K
 Important considerations

• Plastics are softer and less stiff compared to metals.

• Plastics have higher thermal expansion than metals.
• Tensile properties of many plastics decline with increase
in temperature.
• Moisture absorption tends to alter dimensional stability of
certain plastics.
• Plastics show larger deformation under long term load or
stress compared with short term ones.
• Cyclic loading tends to induce fatigue.
• Although generally weather resistance, UV effect has to
be taken into account for outdoor applications.
• Chemical resistance
• Radiation withstanding capacity
 Fabrication Techniques

• Engineering plastics can be readily

machined using standard metal working
machines like Lathe, Milling, Drilling,
Shaping etc..
• High speed tools and carbide tipped tools
have been found successful for machining
plastics.
• Maintaining tolerances require careful
machining.
 Guidelines for machining

• Use moderate clamping on the job

• Keep unsupported length to minimum to avoid vibrations
• Use coolants to avoid heat build up

• Best results are obtained with

High cutting speed, Moderate feed and Sharp tools.

Details on tool geometry and post machining stress

relieving are available to achieve desired tolerances.
TURNING OPERATION
DRILLING
VINIT PERFORMANCE POLYMERS PVT. LTD.
Thank you