This book contains analysis of reasons that cause products to fail. General methods of product failure evaluation give powerful tools in product improvement. Such methods, discussed in the book, include practical risk analysis, failure mode and effect analysis, preliminary hazard analysis, progressive failure analysis, fault tree analysis, mean time between failures, Wohler curves, finite element analysis, cohesive zone model, crack propagation kinetics, time-temperature collectives, quantitative characterization of fatigue damage, and fracture maps. Methods of failure analysis are critical to for material improvement and they are broadly discussed in this book. Fractography of plastics is relatively a new field which has many commonalities with fractography of metals. Here various aspects of fractography of plastics and metals are compared and contrasted. Fractography application in studies of static and cycling loading of ABS is also discussed. Other methods include SEM, SAXS, FTIR, DSC, DMA, GC/MS, optical microscopy, fatigue behavior, multiaxial stress, residual stress analysis, punch resistance, creep-rupture, impact, oxidative induction time, craze testing, defect analysis, fracture toughness, activation energy of degradation.Many references are given in this book to real products and real cases of their failure. The products discussed include office equipment, automotive compressed fuel gas system, pipes, polymer blends, blow molded parts, layered, cross-ply and continuous fiber composites, printed circuits, electronic packages, hip implants, blown and multilayered films, construction materials, component housings, brake cups, composite pressure vessels, swamp coolers, electrical cables, plumbing fittings, medical devices, medical packaging, strapping tapes, balloons, marine coatings, thermal switches, pressure relief membranes, pharmaceutical products, window profiles, and bone cements.

Plastics failure, to a certain extent, is the result of a phenomenal increase in the number and variety of applications in relatively few years. The focus of this book is on actual field and product failures. The treatment is comprehensive, emphasizing cause and prevention. The concept of the interdependence of material, design, and processing is applied to all examples and cases. The "how to" of prevention is brought out as a logical extension of the cause of failure. Contents: Nature, Causes, and Consequences of Plastics Failure. Fundamental Materials Variables Affecting Processing and Product Performance or Failure. Failures Related to Design and Material Selection. Examples. Processing-Related Factors to Failure. Failure Related to Service Conditions. Failure Analysis and Test Procedures. Quality Control. Legal Aspects of Plastic Product Liability and Failure. Examples of Failures in Various Applications

Written in easy-to-read and -use format, this book provides a strong training resource and reference for product designers using plastics in their products – helping them identify, quantify, and confirm whether problems are related to product design or process. • Updates coverage of data analysis techniques and examples and expands coverage of failure analysis, key because of increased litigation related to product liability • Overviews plastic testing methods and the framework to investigate causes of plastic part failure • Provides a strong training resource and reference for product designers using plastics in their products • Features a video tour of a plastics testing labroatory on a companion website and has a separate manual of problems and solutions that are appropriate for college professors using the book as a class textbook

The selection and application of engineered materials is an integrated process that requires an understanding of the interaction between materials properties, manufacturing characteristics, design considerations, and the total life cycle of the product. This reference book on engineering plastics provides practical and comprehensive coverage on how the performance of plastics is characterized during design, property testing, and failure analysis. The fundamental structure and properties of plastics are reviewed for general reference, and detailed articles describe the important design factors, properties, and failure mechanisms of plastics. The effects of composition, processing, and structure are detailed in articles on the physical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Other articles cover failure mechanisms such as: crazing and fracture; impact loading; fatigue failure; wear failures, moisture related failure; organic chemical related failure; photolytic degradation; and microbial degradation. Characterization of plastics in failure analysis is described with additional articles on analysis of structure, surface analysis, and fractography.

Plastics failure, to a certain extent, is the result of a phenomenal increase in the number and variety of applications in relatively few years. The focus of this book is on actual field and product failures. The treatment is comprehensive, emphasizing cause and prevention. The concept of the interdependence of material, design, and processing is applied to all examples and cases. The "how to" of prevention is brought out as a logical extension of the cause of failure.

With 588 full-color images and associated analyses for identification and avoidance of damage to plastics, this manual is aimed at both professionals and students. Technical terms and colloquial descriptions are explained and interconnected with the images and each other, assisting the reader in determining and describing the exact type of damage of a given sample. The images--from microscopic quality and damage analysis of molding materials, semi-finished products, and molded parts-- are divided into 74 subject areas of plastics processing and application and classified based on an alphabetical glossary of over 2,620 industry-standard technical terms. The analyses were performed with various light microscopes and a scanning electron microscope. This comprehensive book offers expert advice based on Kurr's 35+ years of experience in both teaching and research and development.