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Plastics are a subset of materials called polymers.
Polymers are high molecular weight molecules that consist of repeating
units called monomers. The development of a variety of polymers combined
with the ability to blend or mix different polymers has made available a
wide selection of plastics. This range of choices allows product
designers to tailor the materials they use to possess specific
properties, processing characteristics and costs.
How Are Plastics Used
Plastics offer extraordinary advantages in product manufacturing.
Because they are easily softened or melted, they can be molded into almost
any shape. Plastics have replaced traditional materials like metals and
wood in countless applications because of their cost effectiveness
and property attributes.
Plastics can be divided into two processing groups, thermoplastics and thermosets:
Thermoplastics are heated to a state where they flow and
then are processed by pressure or vacuum forming, extrusion through
a die or injection into a mold. Thermoplastics solidify by cooling to ambient
temperatures.
Thermosets are heated until reactive agents compounded
into them cause the material to set up.
Both processes can be extremely cost effective, with high throughput
rates and part-to-part reproducibility.
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