Plastics and their machining: A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/0924-0136(95)01917-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Many different families of plastics are used in industry. The demand for the machining of plastics has recently increased. In most cases, traditional metal machining techniques and tools are being used in the machining of plastics. The present paper reviews the conventional mechanical machining of plastics. The cutting phenomena as indicated by the types of chips formed under various cutting conditions, and the cutting forces for the single-edge cutting of two broad types of plastics are discussed. When drilling plastics, the type of chip produced, the torque, and the thrust are considered. A general idea about the milling of plastics is shown. The possibility of grinding thermosets and thermoplastics using an open grinding wheel is discussed with reference to bond type, grit type, grit size and porosity.

References (35)

  • A. Kabayashi
  • Additives and modifiers

    J. Plastics Compounding

    (1991)
  • Additives 1991

    J. Plastics Eng.

    (1991)
  • Fillers and reinforcements

    J. Plastics Compounding

    (1991)
  • H.M. Mack

    Continuous compounding of colour masterbatches

    J. Plastics Eng.

    (1991)
  • C.N. Merle

    Metallurgy and plastics for engineers

    (1976)
  • H. Saechtling
  • Cited by (81)

    • Rethinking plastics

      2023, Rethinking Polyester Polyurethanes: Algae Based Renewable, Sustainable, Biodegradable and Recyclable Materials
    • Efficient removal of nano- and micro- sized plastics using a starch-based coagulant in conjunction with polysilicic acid

      2022, Science of the Total Environment
      Citation Excerpt :

      The overproduction of plastic products has exploded in the past 60 years, and the world's annual plastic production is estimated to exceed 368 million tons (Lapointe et al., 2020; Lv et al., 2019; Wright and Kelly, 2017). This situation will continue in the future due to the low-cost, low density, and mechanically stable advantages of plastics (Alauddin et al., 1995; Wiesinger et al., 2021). Plastics are inevitably left in the soil and water bodies during the application processes, and microplastics (MPs) can be derived from their decompositions in light, heat and organisms (Lebreton et al., 2017; Thompson et al., 2004; Welden, 2020; Wright et al., 2013).

    • On the degradation of (micro)plastics: Degradation methods, influencing factors, environmental impacts

      2022, Science of the Total Environment
      Citation Excerpt :

      Since microplastics are plastics with a smaller size that are broken down or made from plastics as the main raw material, some basic classification methods of microplastics are the same as those of plastics. For example, according to the different types of polymer materials, there are polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.; according to the different types of raw materials of synthetic plastics, they are divided into petroleum-based plastics and bio-based plastics; according to the difference in strength and toughness, they are divided into thermosets and thermoplastics (Alauddin et al., 1995), thermoplastics including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid (PLA) etc. (Chamas et al., 2020), thermosetting plastics include epoxy resin, phenolic resin, etc.; according to their chemical composition, they are divided into biodegradable microplastics and non-biodegradable microplastics. According to the chain structure of its polymer materials, it is divided into aliphatic (linear main chain) and aliphatic/aromatic (contains ring in the main chain) polyester (Larraaga and Lizundia, 2019).

    • A Review of Plastics Processing From Raw Materials to Finished Products

      2022, Encyclopedia of Materials: Plastics and Polymers
    • Critical evaluation of biodegradation studies on synthetic plastics through a systematic literature review

      2021, Science of the Total Environment
      Citation Excerpt :

      New approaches are needed to cope with this extensive environmental issue, and microbial degradation is one promising strategy (Shah et al., 2008; Jacquin et al., 2019; Malachová et al., 2020). The most commonly used polymers that end up as plastic debris in the environment are polyethylenes (PEs, including; linear low density [LLDPE], low density [LDPE], medium density [MDPE], high density [HDPE]), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyurethane (PUR) (Alauddin et al., 1995). Most of these are thermoplastics (polymers built of long carbon chains), which makes them highly resistant to degradation or hydrolytic cleavage of chemical bonds.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text