A basic understanding of material properties and processing options will help pinpoint the right polymer for complex plastic parts. The uninitiated may find the expanding volume of data for engineered plastics challenging to sort through and a bit confusing. The pressure put on plastic suppliers to constantly develop new materials only makes the material-selection process more daunting. Designers must wade through an expanding array of improved mechanical and physical properties. They must also gain a good understanding of which process - injection molding, extruding, thermoforming, laminating, casting, and blow molding - will be the optimum choice for transforming a new polymer into the latest complex part. No discussion about high-performance engineering plastics can begin without a basic understanding of plastics and how they are produced. The term plastic covers a wide range of materials that contain different combinations of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and other organic and inorganic compounds.
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