Technology & Engineering

This unified approach to polymer material science covers the wide range of underlying principles: from molecular structure to material properties; from the relationships between part design, processing and performance to mechanical properties and failure mechanisms. The book stands out with many full-color graphs and figures that visually convey what polymers can--and cannot--accomplish in a world that relies on this class of materials in basically all aspects of modern life. Real-world examples and a variety of problems help the reader apply their knowledge and sharpen their problem-solving skills. Materials Science of Polymers for Engineers 3E covers the 6Ps: polymers, process, product, performance, profit, and post-consumer life (sustainability). There are three major sections in the book. •Basic Principles—covering historical background, basic material properties, molecular structure, and thermal properties of polymers. •Influence of Processing on Properties—tying processing and design by discussing rheology of polymer melts, mixing and processing, the development of anisotropy, and solidification processes. •Engineering Design Properties—covering the different properties that need to be considered when designing a polymer component from mechanical properties to failure mechanisms, electrical properties, acoustic properties, and permeability of polymers.

This book covers the fundamental unit operations involved in processing of thermoplastic and thermoset nanocomposites. The processing methods include extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, and thermoforming. Also covered are nanoparticle dispersion, distribution, and compatibilization, and applications of polymer nanocomposites. Nanocomposites have been of high research interest in the past decades and a number of practical applications are now emerging, such as in the automotive sector. Although there have been previous works on nanocomposites, they are not as current as this one and they do not have the emphasis on processing found here. Edited and written by leading experts in the field, this book is a major contribution to a growing and exciting area of research.

Successful coloring of plastics is a challenging exercise, requiring deep understanding of chemical, physical, and technological factors, as well as national and international regulations. Customer and regulatory demands are often very high, concerning toxicity, environmental factors, color specification/matching, stability, and cost, among others. This book enables the reader to identify the right color preparation for a particular product application, accounting for material and design.

Injection molding is the most versatile, flexible, and dynamic plastics production operation. It has been used to manufacture products from practically all thermoplastic polymers, blends, composites, and nanocomposites. A critical aspect for the success of the process depends on understanding and control of the various steps of the injection molding process and the thermo-mechanical history experienced by the polymer throughout the process. Moreover, it is important to understand the impact of this history on the characteristics of the final product. As many of the above interactions and concepts are complex, it is very important to develop a monitoring strategy that permits the identification of the status and responses of the critical process variables. Overall, a successful injection molding process must be coupled to a successful process monitoring, optimization, and control strategy. Injection Molding Process Control, Monitoring, and Optimization represents a major contribution to the science and practice of injection molding by satisfying the critical needs of injection molding machine manufacturers, mold and product designers, and molders. Moreover, the book will be helpful to researchers and teachers in the fields of injection molding and process control.

This book is a clear and concise guide to Additive Manufacturing (AM), now a well-established valuable tool for making models and prototypes, and also a manufacturing method for molds and final parts finding applications in industries such as medicine, car manufacturing, and aerospace engineering. The book was designed as a supporting material for special courses on advanced manufacturing technology, and for supplementing the content of traditional manufacturing lessons. This second edition has been updated to account for the recent explosion of availability of small, inexpensive 3D printers for domestic use, as well as new industrial printers for series production that have come onto the market.

This book unites the two sides of additive manufacturing: 1) the technical aspect of 3D printing of very different materials and 2) the disruptive consequences for value chains between producers, intermediaries, and customers due to modern business models. This is because 3D printing breaks with many existing business models: companies take over functions from their previous suppliers (following the "do-it-yourself" trend), intermediaries lose their livelihood (so-called "disintermediation"), manufacturers move their production to decentralized locations (e.g., retailers, car dealerships, or hospitals, so-called "decentralized production"), and (end) customers become much more intensive "prosumers" than marketing (as creator of this term) could ever imagine.

The business models of many existing companies from very different industries are becoming toxic, i.e., threatening their very existence, as in logistics and warehousing, industry, services, retail, or customer service. Conversely, there are also many opportunities for modern, existence-securing business models, which the book discusses in more detail. In this way, this book not only shows to a broad range of readers the dangers of disruptive 3D printing technology, but also offers solution approaches and procedural models for identifying new economic livelihoods and competitive advantages. Thanks to the collaboration of the two authors, a profound knowledge of already existing references and management models can be drawn upon.