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.

The Plastics Engineering Handbook provides a thorough description of all major plastics processing methods, including theory and practice. It offers a guide to materials selection, product design, and testing.

Tougher and cheaper than other materials, thermoplastic resins are used in applications ranging from aircraft frames to glass windows. This is the first authoritative source for building and evaluating new product lines. Written by a top team of international experts, this reference incorporates the chemical, mechanical, and physical data necessary to compare and evaluate existing product lines with new and emerging products.

A practical reference for all plastics engineers who are seeking to answer a question, solve a problem, reduce a cost, improve a design or fabrication process, or even venture into a new market. Applied Plastics Engineering Handbook covers both polymer basics - helpful to bring readers quickly up to speed if they are not familiar with a particular area of plastics processing - and recent developments - enabling practitioners to discover which options best fit their requirements. Each chapter is an authoritative source of practical advice for engineers, providing authoritative guidance from experts that will lead to cost savings and process improvements. Throughout the book, the focus is on the engineering aspects of producing and using plastics. The properties of plastics are explained along with techniques for testing, measuring, enhancing and analyzing them. Practical introductions to both core topics and new developments make this work equally valuable for newly qualified plastics engineers seeking the practical rules-of-thumb they don't teach you in school, and experienced practitioners evaluating new technologies or getting up to speed on a new field The depth and detail of the coverage of new developments enables engineers and managers to gain knowledge of, and evaluate, new technologies and materials in key growth areas such as biomaterials and nanotechnology This highly practical handbook is set apart from other references in the field, being written by engineers for an audience of engineers and providing a wealth of real-world examples, best practice guidance and rules-of-thumb