Introduction to Plastics Engineering
Abstract Industrial and consumer products made of plastics are ubiquitous in our daily lives. Converting raw plastics into useful parts is a scientific and technological challenge that has been progressively overcome in the past several decades. This expansive monograph authored by one of the leading experts with vast experience as an academic at IIT-Kanpur and a practitioner while at GE Corporate R&D tackles this huge subject by expounding aspects of transforming modern plastics into useful day-to-day items based on principles of mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics. It weaves together complex issues related to the mechanics, mechanical design, fabrication, and assembly of engineered plastics. In doing so, the book distinguishes itself from others by emphasizing not just the material science and ‘build-and-test’ approach embraced by the plastics industry, but by adopting approaches from engineering science and materials science synergistically to address practical issues of part design, size, cost, development cycle, and assembly, among others.