final Flashcards
are plastics non-synthetic?
yes
Small molecules from which plastics are made are called _____.
monomers
The process by which the above molecules are combined is called _____.
polymerization
- true or false?
A crystalline polymer structure has crystal like (orderly) regions that when heated become amorphous.
true
- true or false?
Van der Waals forces are more electrical in nature and weaker than chemical (atomic) covalent bonds.
true
What molecular structure best describes a thermoset?
cross linked
Formation of side chains of the basic polymer backbone is ____________.
branching
- true or false?
Amorphous polymer structure materials have a sharp melting point.
false
In typical plastic product costs, about 75% of cost is attributed to…
material
What are the advantages of using plastic?
- relatively less energy to process
- good strength to weight ratio
- electrical insulation
- true or false?
Generally plastic grocery bags are heavier than paper for a given capacity
false
The EPA suggests four methods to deal with solid waste. Which is the least desirable?
landfill
______ is the most used method of disposing of municipal solid waste in America today.
landfilling
Which of the following has the highest BTU content (potential heat energy)?
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
- true or false?
Properly designed landfills act as a compost pit allowing biodegradable materials to return to their natural state.
false
- true or false?
According to the EPA, plastics account for the biggest portion of Municipal Solid Waste by weight in the landfill
false
- true or false?
Thermoset plastics can easily be heated and reformed into a new shape.
false
- true or false?
Epoxy adhesives are an example of a thermoset material.
true
Which plastics ARE considered to be in the polyfin family?
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
This high impact polymer is often used for appliance housings and helmets.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
This “slippery” material (low coefficient of friction) is often used for gears and fibers, but one drawback of this material is its high water absorption rate.
nylon
This is by far the most used plastic material.
polyethylene
This polyolefin material is often used in applications of “living” or integral hinges.
Polypropylene
Often “foamed” for insulation and packaging, this material is also transparent.
polystyrene
Siding, gutters, wire coating, and hoses are common uses of this material.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
A plastic surgeon may select this material to reshape your nose.
silicone
The billiard balls and the handle on your fry pan are likely to be made of this material.
phenolic
A unique thermoplastic, having extremely high heat resistance and a low coefficient of friction, originally used to coat frying pans is…
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
- true or false?
Casting processes produce parts with little to no built in stress.
true
- true or false?
Casting is a good process to make varying shapes such as Sheets, Tubes, Rods, Tooling, Foams and other objects.
true
- true or false?
One difference between a casting process and a molding process could be the amount of force that is applied to the material.
true
Casting is considered a low cost method to produce low volume parts because…
- molds can be very inexpensive
- low volume production economy
- thermosets can be cast
In rotational molding, thermoplastic powder material joins together because it is…
self-fusing
Even distribution of the material to the mold surface in rotational casting is accomplished by using a…
biaxial rotation
- true or false?
Cast acrylic sheet can be produced by casting between panes of glass.
true
Which of the following casting processes would be used to produce a hollow coin bank with a detailed exterior surface?
slush casting
What is an advantage of rotational molding?
size range of parts
Which state has the highest rotomolding plants?
!! OHIO !!
Rotational Molding can use which of the following form of materials?
powder
liquids
pellets
The most used material in rotational molding is…
polyethylene
What mold material is often used for rotational molding?
aluminum
The Industrial breakdown of Rotational Molding shows that the largest percentage of products are…
toys
- true or false?
The PVC Welding we did in the lab creates a cohesive bond of the material
true
- true or false?
The PVC welding process we performed in the lab utilized a filler rod of PVC
true
- true or false?
You should wear safety glasses while in the plastics lab
true
Wear what gloves when fiber glassing?
latex
The plastics is industry the _______ largest manufacturing industry in the United States, providing significantly to the nation’s economy.
third
The U.S. plastics industry employs more than ______ million workers.
1.1
The U.S. plastics industry creates $______ in annual shipments.
$279 billion
There are nearly ______ plastics facilities in the United States.
18,500
Since 1980, U.S. plastics industry shipments have grown _______ percent per year.
3.4%
Over the past _____ years, productivity in plastics manufacturing has grown _____ percent per year, which is faster than productivity growth for manufacturuing as a whole.
26
2.3%
No.1 state for plastics employment?
California
No.2 state for plastics employment?
Ohio
LOWEST typical plastics product costs?
space (1%)
What are the FOUR main characteristics or plastics?
- typically organic
- typically hydrocarbon
- synthetic (manmade)
- capable of being formed by heat and/or pressure
Who invented the first thermoplastic and when?
John Hyatt in 1868
What was the first thermoplastic?
Cellulose Nitrate (Celluloid)
Today, most paint & glues are _______.
plastics
What is stress?
amount of effort/force applied per unit area
What is strain?
deformation (change in length) to original length
What is tensile strength?
ability to withstand stress in tension
What is elasticity?
ability to return to original length
What is plastic?
pliable/deformed
What is the yield point?
stress at which deformation starts plastically
What is the modulus of elasticity?
(also called Young’s Modulus)
ratio of stress to strain
What is compressive strength?
ability to withstand squeezing/pressing
What is fatigue strength?
ability to withstand cyclic loading
What is impact resistance or toughness?
ability to absorb impact/shocks
What is flow/creep?
deformation upon prolonged load
What is shear strength?
separating by tearing
What is ductility?
ability to bend stretch or distort without failure
What is hardness?
ability to resist scratch or dent
All ______ compounds are covalent bonded.
organic
Oxygen needs ______ electrons.
two
Van der Waals have the ______ bond strength.
weakest
What is Metallic?
delocalized sharing of free electrons between a lattice of metal atoms
What is Ionic?
opposite charged ions attract
What is Covalent?
gain or share electrons non metals and common in plastics (strong strength)
What does ‘poly’ mean in Greek?
many
What does ‘meros’ mean in Greek?
part or unit
What does ‘mono’ mean in Greek?
one
What does polymer mean?
many units
What does monomer mean?
one unit
What is polymerization?
combining monomers into polymers
What are thermoplastics?
materials that become soft when heated and solid when cooled to room temperature (can be repeated many times)
What are thermosets?
materials that become may be heated and formed one time
Heat reactions for thermoplastics?
- similar to candle wax
- can be heated and softened many times
Heat reactions for thermosets?
- similar to concrete
- cannot be re-softened
- chemically cures once
What does transparent mean?
- light passes thru clearly
- may be colored
What does translucent mean?
light passes thru but is not clear
What does opaque mean?
no light passes thru
crystalline vs amorphous…
Which one do chemicals attack?
amorphous
crystalline vs amorphous…
Which one has a sharp melting point?
crystalline
Crystalline has a ______ shrink rate, while amorphous has a ______ shrink rate.
high
low
crystalline vs amorphous…
Which one has good lubricity?
crystalline
What kind of order does amorphous have?
no order
What kind of order does crystalline have?
crystal-like orderly regions
Is Linear thermoplastic or thermoset?
thermoplastic
Is Cross-linked thermoplastic or thermoset?
thermoset
Is Branched thermoplastic or thermoset?
thermoplastic
Any branching with HDPE?
no
Any branching with MPDE/LLDPE?
slight
Any branching with LDPE?
long branches
As density increases, so does ________, ________, & ________.
melt temperature
viscosity
strength
Heating/melting does not break covalent bonds, but ________.
weakens
When heat is removed, molecules
________.
remain in place
What is MSW?
municipal solid waste
(trash or garbage)
no. 1 material in MSW?
paper and paperboard (32.7%)
Lowest waste management in America?
(landfill vs incinerate vs recycle)
recycle (13%)
About how many landfills in 1988?
8000
About how many landfills in 2007?
1700
What percentage of waste management is discarded?
54%
What percentage of waste management is combustion with energy recovery?
12.6%
What is the EPA Hierarchy for integrated solid waste management?
1) Source Reduction
2) Recycling
3) W-T-E Incineration
4) Landfilling
Three focuses of Source Reduction?
- Material Replacement Creating Less Waste
- Materials Engineering Using Less material
- Recycling At The Source
!! For the Plastics Coding System, what is 1?
polyethylene terephthalate (PET/PETE)
!! For the Plastics Coding System, what is 2?
high density polyethylene (HDPE)
For the Plastics Coding System, what is 3?
vinyl
For the Plastics Coding System, what is 4?
low density polyethylene (LDPE)
!! For the Plastics Coding System, what is 5?
polypropylene (PP)
!! For the Plastics Coding System, what is 6?
polystyrene (PS)
For the Plastics Coding System, what is 7?
other
For recycled Coke bottles, what is the highest RPET Product Category?
fiber
W-T-E Incineration reduces MSW volume by ______%
80-90
______% of U.S. MSW is incinerated
15
High energy content in plastics allow “______” to be burned.
wet waste
Heat can produce steam to produce electricity. This can save over ______ million barrels of oil per year.
30
What has the lowest BTU content (potential heat energy)?
food waste (2600 btu/lb.)
What is the average BTU content for MSW?
4500 btu/lb.
What is the #1 item in landfills?
paper (35%)
What item has the lowest volume in landfills?
glass (2%)
Plastics account for ______% of Natural Gas and ______% of Petroleum Consumption per year
7
2
no. 1 Natural Gas and Petroleum Consumer?
transportation (62%)
What is the the myth regarding
biodegradability?
Properly designed landfills block out sunlight, moisture, and air which are necessary for biodegradation.
- true or false?
The Plastics Packaging Industry voluntarily stopped using fully-halogenated CFCs in 1988.
true
What is branching?
- polymerization at high temp and pressure
- carbon-hydrogen bond breaks, and hydrogen leaves
What is the no. 1 usage of LDPE?
film
What is the no. 1 usage of HDPE?
blow molding
What was the no. 1 usage of polypropylene?
extrusion sheet/fiber
What is the second most used plastic?
polyvinyl
- true or false?
Polyvinyl can breathe (aka, it’s porous to oxygen).
true
What is the no. 1 usage of PVC?
extrusion
- true or false?
Polyester has great solvent resistance.
false. it has poor solvent resistance.
What is the no. 1 usage of PET?
blow molding
What is the no. 1 usage of polystyrene?
extrusion
ABS is about ______% higher than the cost of polystyrene
20%
What is the no. 1 usage of phenolics?
bond plywood
- true or false?
A common usage of phenolic is pool billiard balls.
true. balls hehe
What is the hardest plastic?
melamine
What is the no. 1 usage of polyurethane?
flexible foam
What is the four-step process of rotational molding?
1) Load Material
2) Heating Phase
3) Cooling Phase
4) Unload Product
Biaxial rotation has rotations from _____ to
_____ rpm
7 to 20
Name some advantages of rotational molding.
- Seamless hollow parts
- Size Range of parts
- Multiple & varied parts
- Nearly stress-free parts
- Complexity of shapes
- Inexpensive tooling
- Consolidation of parts
- Decorating possibilities
- Time to market
Name some disadvantages of rotational molding.
- Single sided surface detail
- Wall thickness variation
- Long heat cycles
- Mold & material must be cooled
- Limited materials
- self fusing
- Material prep cost (pulverizing)
- Shrinkage = warp, twist, dimensional problems
How many arms do individual-arm styles have?
1-arm to 4-arms
What is the lowest usage of rotationally molded plastics?
playground equipment (2.3%)
What is the lowest typical plastic material used?
Fluorocarbons (0.1%)
Name the five examples of molding/casting materials.
- Cast Aluminum
- Fabricated Aluminum
- Machined Aluminum
- Fabricated Mild Steel
- Fabricated Stainless Steel
What is fabricated aluminium fabricated from?
sheet stock
What is cast aluminum produced from?
pattern (idk what this means.)
What are monomers?
liquid resin thermosets
What are modified monomers?
partially polymerized sort chain polymers, TP or TS
What are powders?
fully polymerized thermoplastics
What are plastisols?
solvent solutions of plastics
What are ways to dip-cast? (i actually dont totally know what im asking here)
1) Heat dip
2) Cool (cure)
3) Strip/remove
What plastic are drill bodies commonly made out of?
ABS
What plastic are integral hinges commonly made out of?
polypropylene (PP)
What plastic are trashbags commonly made out of?
polyethylene (PE)
What plastic would Boeing787s be commonly made out of?
carbon fiber epoxy
What plastic are fishing lines commonly made out of?
nylon
What % of the market does packaging take up?
75%
What are some advantages of thermoforming?
Low Machine Costs
Low Temperature
Low Mold Cost
Low Pressure
Large Parts
Fairly Fast Cycles
What are some disadvantages of thermoforming?
High Raw Material $
High Scrap (trim)
Limits Part Geometry
Only One “Good” Side
Wall Thickness Variation
Internal Stresses
What is the top material used for thermoforming?
polystyrene
When thermoforming, the sheets must be thermoplastic or thermoset?
thermoplastic
What are the two major issues with thermoforming?
- sheet thickness
- size limits
What are the four forming forces in thermoforming?
- mechanical (matched die forming)
- air (pressure forming)
- vacuum (straight vacuum forming)
- any combination (drape, plug assist, etc.)
What is the #1 tool in thermoforming?
aluminum
What is a straight vacuum (cavity) in thermoforming?
limited force, one “good side,” heat comes from the top and there are vent holes in the mold (idk man just look at the pics on the presentations)
What is a drape (plug) in thermoforming?
mechanical stretch before vacuum, plastic is pressed down onto mold
What is straight pressure in thermoforming?
uses high force air pressure from the top and forces the plastic down into the mold
What is straight mechanical in thermoforming?
high mold cost and high force, the male mold presses the plastic into the female mold
What is plug assist in thermoforming?
a plug pushes a hot sheet in a clamp frame into the mold and vacuum secures it
Compression produces ________ molded parts.
thermoset
For a high pressure process, how much PSI of a projected area does it take?
1-3 tons
For compression molding, what is a positive type mold?
the core side presses down into the part against the cavity (no flash)
For compression molding, what is a flash type mold?
the core side presses the part down into the cavity side, and excess material (or “flash”) squeezes out
For compression molding, what are the five most common materials?
- phenolic
- melamine
- polyester
- epoxy
- silicone
- true or false?
Compression molding has good heat and chemical resistance.
true
Extrusion is a ________ process for forming ________ materials into three products.
continuous
thermoplastic
What are the three products that extrusion forming forms?
- profile shapes
- films / sheets
- wire / cable coverings
For extrusion, what is a die swell?
the flow of polymer goes into the die, it’s extrudated in the gap, and then goes between a sizing plate and a cooling tank
A common dye to produce sheets is referred to as the __________.
coat hanger die
What is blow molding?
plastic formation process-manufacture of bottles and hollow-shaped parts
What is a parison?
a cylinder or tube
What is parison programming?
the changing of parison thickness during the blow molding process
What is machine sizing when injection molding?
- 2-10 tons per square inch
- this varies w amount of material used
What is sprue?
sprue gets molded with the part and then must be trimmed off with the gate and runner afterwards
For injection molding, what is “shot”?
the amount of plastic it takes to make the part and any material that is anywhere else
For injection molding, what is a gate?
an opening that allows the plastic to enter the mold cavity
For injection molding, what is a runner?
a channel cut into the mold that allows plastic material to flow from the nozzle to the cavity
For injection molding, what is the feeder system?
directs molten plastic from the injection machine’s nozzle into the mold cavity
For injection molding, what does the toggle clamp do?
opens and closes the mold
For injection molding, what does the hydraulic clamp do?
uses hydraulic pressure to forcefully close the mold together
What are flouroplastics?
- polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE or TFE)
- highly crystalline
- low friction and low strength
- no known solvent
What are some examples of flouroplastics?
- anti-stick coatings
- tape
- lubricants
- gasket Material
- plates, pads, bushings
What is pultrusion?
manufacturing process that converts fibre reinforcements and resin matrices into finished composite parts
What is blown film?
to extrude thin film, air is forced into an extruded sheet and then either pinched or cut
For co-extrusion, how many extruders are required?
3
What is potting?
the ‘filling in’ or encapsulating of a space with an adhesive
What are cast acrylic sheets?
acrylic sheets made when acrylic liquid is pumped in between a mold of two pieces of glass and submerged in warm water
What is dip casting?
the mold is heated, dipped into plastic, and then heated to fuse
What is slush casting?
the hot mold is filled, the mold sets up with the material around the wall of the mold, and then excess is poured out
What is solid casting?
material poured into mold (open or closed) forms to the mold (like the coasters we made in lab)
What is rotational cast molding?
material poured into mold and then cooked while spinning in an oven
What is ultrasonic welding?
a process that uses high-frequency sound waves to join materials together
What is hot gas welding?
uses a stream of heated gas, usually air, to heat and melt both the thermoplastic substrate material and the thermoplastic welding rod
What are adhesives?
substances specifically designed to bond different plastic materials together
What are cohesives?
it sticks to itself readily, essentially creating a self-adhering quality without the need for additional adhesives to bond to another surface
What are cellulosics?
- acetate (CA)
- acetate butyrate (CAB)
Charcateristics of cellulosics?
- non-petrochemical
- very tough
- poor solvent resistance
- clear
A plastic material, often formed by casting, which has better optical qualities than glass
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
Bathroom faucets plated to look like “chrome” are most likely made from…
polyacetal
Coke bottles are made from what?
polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- epoxy
thermoset
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- cellulosics
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- ABS
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- acrylic
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- PVC
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- phenolic
thermoset
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- polystyrene
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- PET
thermoplasic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- polyethelyene
thermoplastic
thermoplastic or thermoset?
- melamine
thermoset
What material might be used in manufacturing clear police shields?
polycarbonate
- true or false?
Mixing virgin plastic with recycled plastic could affect physical properties such as optical clarity
true
While thermoforming, the plastic material is heated to its….
softening temperature
The plastic materials selected for thermoforming is because of their what?
wide softening range
- true or false?
Straight vacuum thermoforming can use either a cavity or a plug type tool.
true
- true or false?
Straight pressure forming uses air pressure to force the sheet into the mold to help get more detail.
true
- true or false?
Thermoforming using straight mechanical methods with a matched die uses higher force compared to a vacuum forming and has higher mold costs
true
What thermoplastic would process best for thermoforming?
acrylic
- true or false?
Polyurethane can be foamed to be rigid or flexible and it could also have open or closed cells
true
- true or false?
Injection molds have small vent holes so excess plastic could escape.
false
Material enters the mold through the…
spruce bushing
- true or false?
A non-returning valve is located in the front of the screw on a reciprocating screw type injection molder to prevent hydraulic oil from flowing backward in the system
false
- true or false?
In injection molding, thermoplastic granules are plasticized by heat generated from the barrel, and frictional heat and compression of materials as the screw turns
true
An injection molder commonly will utilize one of two clamping designs. Which of the following better describes the toggle type when compared to the hydraulic?
faster speed of motion
What 3 things are most likely to increase flash in the injection molding process?
- increase material temperature
- increase injection pressure
- reduce clamping pressure
The junction between the runner system and the cavity in an injection mold is normally bridged by a ____ which increases material velocity as well as facilitates part removal from the runner system.
gate
- true or false?
In a reciprocating screw injection molding machine, the screw arguers the material into the mold using the flutes on the screw.
false
Plastics are referred “Green” if they exhibit one or more of the what properties?
- renewability
- biodegradability
- environmentally friendly processing
Advantages of green plastics?
- reduction in petroleum dependency
- biodegradability / compostability
- reduced use of toxic chemicals in plastics manufacturing
Disadvantages of green plastics?
- costs
- biodegradation = green house gasses
- contamination of recycling system
- use of agricultural land
- potential shelf life issue for packaging