Structural Foam

From conception and design to tooling and production of molds -- and for each critical step in the purchasing of structural foam -- this concise, well-illustrated guide is the only source you need for practical understanding of this unique plastic material form. Structural Foam is your quick route to important information you can rely on in your work. This convenient, easy-to-use resource describes structural foam and how it can be utilized in various applications ... explains how structural foam is produced, and how to choose the materials best suited for your needs ... sets forth key tooling and design criteria, emphasizing elements unique to structural foam ... examines the purchaser-molder relationship, detailing responsibilities of both parties and stressing the need for coordination ... and much more, including secondary operations and quality control procedures. Backed by the author's extensive experience in the field, this invaluable desktop reference serves the needs of all professionals involved with designing, selling, or purchasing structural foam, including design, plastics, and mechanical engineers; plastic product designers; sales personnel; and purchasing personnel in any industry using plastic or structural foam products. Moreover, the volume is an ideal reference for professional seminars on structural foam. Book jacket.

I am pleased to present the Fifth Edition of the Plastics Engineering Handbook. Last published in 1976, this version of the standard industry reference on plastics processing incorporates the numerous revisions and additions necessitated by 14 years of activity in a dynamic industry. At that last printing, then-SPI President Ralph L. Harding, Jr. anticipated that plastics pro duction would top 26 billion pounds in 1976 (up from 1.25 billion in 1947, when the First Edition of this book was issued). As I write, plastics production in the United States had reached almost 60 billion pounds annually. Indeed, the story of the U.S. plastics industry always has been one of phenomenal growth and unparalleled innovation. While these factors make compilation of a book such as this difficult, they also make it necessary. Thus I acknowledge all those who worked to gather and relate the information included in this 1991 edition and thank them for the effort it took to make the Plastics Engineering Handbook a definitive source and invaluable tool for our industry. Larry L. Thomas President The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.

An outstanding and thorough presentation of the complete field of plastics processing Handbook of Plastic Processes is the only comprehensive reference covering not just one, but all major processes used to produce plastic products-helping designers and manufacturers in selecting the best process for a given product while enabling users to better understand the performance characteristics of each process. The authors, all experts in their fields, explain in clear, concise, and practical terms the advantages, uses, and limitations of each process, as well as the most modern and up-to-date technologies available in their application. Coverage includes chapters on: Injection molding Compression and transfer molding Sheet extrusion Blow molding Calendering Foam processing Reinforced plastics processing Liquid resin processing Rotational molding Thermoforming Reaction injection molding Compounding, mixing, and blending Machining and mechanical fabrication Assembly, finishing, and decorating Each chapter details a particular process, its variations, the equipment used, the range of materials utilized in the process, and its advantages and limitations. Because of its increasing impact on the industry, the editor has also added a chapter on nanotechnology in plastics processing.

This book provides information on complexities, peculiarities, and limitations of various molding processes, and the comparative advantages and disadvantages of the possible plastic products manufacturing techniques, to permit an ideal match of good design and processing.

No detailed description available for "Integral/ Structural Polymer Foams".

Integral, or structural, foams are one of the most remarkable materials that have been developed over the last fifteen years. As with all rapidly growing fields, the terminology seems to have grown even faster. Thus there are two names for the material structure itself. In the United States and in Japan the term for these plastics is Structural Foams, whereas in Europe and the USSR the term used is usually Integral Foams. We have adhered to the European term in the text and hope our colleagues will bear with us. Integral foams have a specific structure: a cellular core that gradually turns into a solid skin. The skin gives the part its form and stiffness, while the cellular core contributes to the very high strength-to-weight values of the material. These are higher than those of some unfoamed plastics and metals. The sandwich-like structure with its unique mechanical properties was prompted by nature. Wood and bone are strong and light-weight natural materials having a cellular structure. Since the sandwich-like structure of the integral foams resembles that of natural wood, the foams are often referred to as artifical wood or plastic wood, thereby emphasizing not only the formal structural similarity of these materials, but also one of the main functional applications of integral foams - replacement of wooden articles in various fields of engineering and construction.