Plastic Conversion Processes: A Concise and Applied Guide

The explosion of plastic material development continues to generate a proliferation of conversion processes and variants of these methods. Unfortunately, most books on plastics conversion focus on a single process, such as injection molding, limiting their usefulness to readers without prior knowledge of the field. Few, if any, single-source texts adequately describe and compare each of the plastic conversion processes together.

Plastic Conversion Processes: A Concise and Applied Guide addresses that need. It provides a basic overview of each of the seven major conversion processes, which account for the creation of more than 97 percent of all plastics products today. This detailed guide assembles and integrates the wealth of information scattered throughout various literature, to provide a basic yet complete illustration of plastic conversion processes.

Learn Methods to Compare, Evaluate, and Select the Best Process for Your Product

This book is unique in that it employs an all-encompassing approach, offering more than a mere overview of basic theory and application related to each major process. Chapters begin with a process-attribute table to serve as a quick guide, and then briefly describe a particular conversion process. To ensure comprehensive understanding of each method and how it works, sections include a short history and detailed explanation of the particular equipment, tooling, and materials used, as well as general piece part design guidelines and case studies gleaned from real-life experience.

There is a plastic term for every letter of the alphabet, making it one of the most complex fields in science. A "quick reference" section at the end of the book includes an exhaustive collection of more than 350 terms, definitions, acronyms, and a key process characteristics comparison chart. Supplemented with photos, diagrams, and illustrations that bolster understanding of the material, this book characterizes the plastics industry in a way that makes it less intimidating, to help those new to the field fully grasp the entire spectrum of the field. With its uncommon consolidation of information, this volume quickly and effectively brings readers up to speed on plastic conversion processes.

Eric Cybulski graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering. He has held plastic product development and commercialization positions for more than 11 years in both the private and public sectors, accounting for revenues in excess of $1 billion. His unique understanding of plastic product development and conversion processes has resulted in the filing of 25 U.S. patents to date.