Applied Engineering Materials

SUB. CODE- CUTM1009

Polymers

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➢ Mechanism of polymerization and
synthesis of polymers
➢ Copolymerization
➢ Viscoelasticity
➢ Elastomers-structure
➢ Conducting polymers and applications
➢ Fabrication and moulding of polymers
➢ Synthesis, properties and uses PMMA,
formaldehyde resins, melamine-
formaldehyde-urea resins

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 Compounding

Compounding is a process of melt blending plastics

with other additives. This process changes the
physical, thermal, electrical or aesthetic characteristics
of the plastic. The final product is called a
compound or composite. Compounding starts with a
base resin or polymer

Various additives :
reinforcing fillers, and coupling agents;
plasticizers;
fibers,colorants; stabilizers (halogen stabilizers,
antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, and biological
preservatives); processing aids (lubricants, and flow
controls); flame retardants, peroxides; and antistats.

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 Compounding

Compounding is usually done by extrusion.

The hopper feeds the begin of the screw which transports
the resins towards the die.
The screw is confined in a barrel that has different zones
that can be heated according to the resins properties.
Co-kneaders and twin screws (co- and counter rotating) as
well internal mixers are the most common used
compounders in the plastic industry.
The extrudate which look like long plastic strands, are then
cooled in a water bath, or by spraying as the conveyor belt
moves it to the granulator.
The granulator breaks the strands into the desired pellet
sizes.

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Compounding

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 Moulding

1. Compression
moulding
2. Injection moulding
3. Blow moulding
4. Rotational moulding

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 Compression moulding

Compression molding is the process of

molding in which a preheated polymer is placed
into an open, heated mold cavity.
The mold is then closed with a top plug and
compressed in order to have the material contact
all areas of the mold.

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 Compression moulding

Thermoset composites are the most common type

of
material used in compression molding.

Advantages of compression molding:

- Extremely low to zero residual stress left in stock
shape.
- Can economically provide large parts.
- Tooling costs are relatively low.
Disadvantages:
- Flask may require trimming, can be sharp.
-Cycle times can be slow, a factor
in producing larger volume orders.
- Can be higher priced than extruded products
(when 8
 Injection moulding

Injection molding is a method to obtain molded

products by injecting plastic materials molten by heat
into a mold, and then cooling and solidifying them.
The method is suitable for the
mass production of
products with complicated shapes.
The process of injection molding is divided into 4 major
steps as shown below

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 Blow moulding

Blow molding is a specific manufacturing

process by which hollow plastic parts are formed
and can be joined together.
It is also used for forming glass bottles or other
hollow shapes.
In general, there are three main types of blow
molding:
extrusion blow molding, injection blow molding,
and injection stretch blow molding.

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 Extrusion Blow
moulding
In Extrusion Blow Molding (EBM), plastic is melted
and extruded into a hollow tube (a parison). This
parison is captured by closing it into a cooled metal
mold.
Air is blown into the parison, inflating it into the shape
of the hollow bottle/container. After the plastic has
cooled sufficiently, the mold is opened and the part is
ejected

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 Injection Blow moulding

In the IBM process, the polymer is injection molded

onto a core pin; then the core pin is rotated to a blow
molding station to be inflated and cooled. This is
typically used to make small medical and single serve
bottles. The process is divided into three steps:
injection, blowing and ejection.

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 Rotational moulding

The rotational molding process is a high-

temperature,low-pressure plastic- forming process that
uses heat and biaxial rotation (i.e., angular rotation on two
axes) to produce hollow, one-piece parts.
Rotational molds are significantly
cheaper than other types of mold

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 Thermoforming

Thermoforming is a plastic molding technique that

results in a variety of highly usable products.
During this manufacturing process, thin
plastic sheets
are heated in order to make them easy to manipulate

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Vacuum forming uses heat and pressure to draw plastic
sheets into its final configuration. Once a sheet is heated and
placed over a mold, a vacuum is used to manipulate it into its
desired shape.

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