A Practical Course in Plastics JOSEPH 0. FRANK, State Teachers College, Oshkosh. Wisconsin and JOHN 0. FRANK, Oshkosh Industrial Laboratory, Oshkosh, Wisconsin The authors, on being called upon to teach classes i n plastics, were unable to find satisfactory published accounts of courses i n the subject. Considering the growing importance of plastics and the dearth of published descriptions of courses i n the subject, the authors hope to be helpful i n ofering this account of the courses they developedand the methods and rnateriak they used with the classes they conducted.
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IV HIS course was given in seven Wisconsin cities,' to a total of about 350 students during the winter The phenolics; the amine resins; Cellulose (regenerated), cellulose esters, and cellulose ethers; vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride. of 194344. It was a part of the ESMWT Program of vinyl alcohol, vinyl-aldehyde compounds, and vinyl copolymers; the U. S. Bureau of Education and given under the aus- vinvlidene chloride resins:. stvrene: . . cold molded nrcducts: pices and direction of the Extension Division of the casein and carein-l:ke rerinr; the nylons; rubber-like synthetic University of Wisconsin. The main objective of the compound~amlmixtures; othcr imponant plastics. course was the production of increased efficiency of Plastic substances u 4 a. adhesives; plastic substances in the workers in factories producing war materials of plastics coating% indu.tr); pla& stnlcttmnl materials; films, filaments, or plastic parts. A secondary objective, voiced by fihcrs, and fabrics of plrxics; impregnonts and high- and lowmany of the students, was preparation for postwar pressure laminated products work in the plastic industries, since many believe a VI +he design of molds and molded plastic objects; types of molds vast expansion in this field is inevitable after the war. Students matriculating for the course had to be able and molding machines; terms and d&nitions used in molding; advantages and disadvantages of various types of molding; the to meet ESMWT requirements. All had to be working relation of the plastic material used and the molding method; in plastics or expecting to work in plastics.when quali- sources of steel for molds; cost accounting in plastics manufacfied to do so. All were adults. Many were older than ture. VII the usual college students. Some were middle aged. ". decoratine. -. and fabricatina .molded, cast. Persons having had a t least one year of high-school Methods of finishihine. cxtrudcd pla\tir*. Metals, paints, dyes, and lacqucrs used chemistry or its equivalent and not enrolled in any ainn dthe decorstion d plasric ohjecrs. Nethods of identification other school were eligible, if they expected to work in of plastic materials. Methods and instruments used in testing the plastic field. plastics and plastic materials. The courses were given in classrooms provided by VIII the various city vocational and adult schools. Thirty- The trend of change in the plastic industry; kinds of skills resix clock hours of instruction (usually one evening quired and the training needed for various activities in the plasfield; sources of information needed by those preparing to meeting per week for 12 weeks) was concluded by a tics become molders. finishers, fabricators, decorators, salesmen, exthree-hour written examination covering the entire ecutives, etc., in the plastics field. course. A brief outline of the course follows. METHOD OF CONDUCTING THE COURSE ~~~
The course was conducted by means of lectures by the.instructor, talks by class members who were molding or fabricating plastics, textbook study, the showing "Plastics for I%durbialUse" of moving pictures, the showing and discussion of exhibits, demonstrations, laboratory work, and conferences I with individuals and groups. Plastics, their development and present place in industry. The Lectures. Each family of plastics was introduced by several varieties of plastics. Source materials. Methods of fabrication of the most important plastic materials. Terms and means of a lecture by the instructor covering the main aspects of production, properties, methods of fabricadefinitions used in the plastic industries. I1 tion, and uses. After a week of textbook study by the Basic chemistry needed in the study of plastics. Elementary students the subject was treated again in class. The treatment of the most important laws and theories. Definitions studehts were expected t o come with written questions of terms used in chemistry. Demonstrations of typical reactions. covering points not understood or about which furespeciallysynthesis of resins. . A review on the college level. . . ther information was desired. At each class meeting 111 A study of each of the more important familiesof plastics. Source the exhibits were shown, the literature from production materials, methods of preparation, properties, peculiarities, uses. firms shown and discussed, and all the work made as and limitations of the various plastic materials. Special instructions for fabrication and use, and the economic evaluation of each objective as possible. Clippings from popular and professional magazines were collected and shown by memimportant member of each family of plastics. bers of the class. Many of the most useful items used 1 Baraboo, Fond Du Lac, Janesville, Madison, Manitowoc, as exhibits were collected by members of the class. Oshkosh, and Shehoygan. OUTLINE OF
COURSE
Molds, molding presses, and various instruments used in testing plastics or intermediate or. raw materials were shown and demonstrated. Various books, magazines, pamphlets, pictures, catalogs, etc., were exhibited and discussed in class. Many of these were purchased by the city libraries or school libraries and made available for permanent use by the members of the class. A list of the most useful books and periodicals is appended. Exhibits. The exhibits consisted of samples of the raw materials from which the various plastics are made, intermediate products of manufacture, the finished resins, and articles of every possible type which are made from the resins. It also included examples of faulty manufacture. These items were shown to illustrate e r r o r e a s a point of departure for a discussion of causes and possible remedies. The exhibits made up the most important part of the illustrative materials used. About 7000 items were used in all. Most of these were obtained through the courtesy of the local manufacturers and from the large manufacturers of plastic resins throughout the nation. Many items were purchased, when they could not be obtained as gifts. Articles made of plastics were mounted on cards or panels about 14 by 20 inches in size, several cards usually being needed to display the most important types of articles made from one plastic material. Each item had a neatly typed or printed identifying account mounted with it. In illustrating laminated products and also the seven main types of synthetic, rubberlike materials, several cards 30 by 40 inches in size were used. About 50 illustrative panels of mounted exhibits were required for a complete coverage of the course. Exhibits showinr " the various ravons. and the fabrics made from them or which they h t a t e d , required specia1 treatment. The fibers and fabrics were shown together with cards showing name, properties, Special method of manufacture, and the fabric imitated. Many of these mounted display cards were ablaze with bright colors. Textbook Study. All students were required to buy the textbook adopted for the course. (DuBois. Described under references below.) Study exercises were developed for each chapter or subject treated. The study exercises were used as guides for textbook study by the stndents. The students were expected to bring difficult questions to class. These questions were discussed in class and the discussion was used as a point of departure for the lecture a t each class period. iMaring Pictures. Several excellent films are available for use in a course in Plastics. "The Fourth Kingdom," "Wonder World of Chemistry," and "Freedom Rides on Rubber" are typical of the 18-mm. black and white films, whiie "The Formica Story," "The Shape of Things to Come," and "The Magic of Modem Plastics" represent the most modern and best-made films in technicolor. All are with sound and may be obtained from any good film agency. Many can be obtained for the cost of transportation from the plastic manufacturers who produced the films.
Laboratory Work. Laboratory work was limited to one two-hour period devoted to methods used in the identification of the various plastic materials, and to short periods of group participation in experiments showing the production of resins by condensation and polymerization. Several experiments in the testing of plastics to determine physical, chemical, and electrical properties were carried out by individual students. More laboratory work in actual molding, fabricating, decorating, q d working plastics would be desirable. ' Reference Materials. A plentiful supply of good reference books and magazines is a necessity. Many books with names indicating a content dealing with plastics are merely popular accounts of new applications in the plastics field. Only a few of these are of value to stndents. In the list which follows, the most useful books, magazines, catalogs, etc., have been given. The brief comment with each indicates the authors' opinion of the item with reference to its use in this particular course and need not be taken as a complete description or an authoritative evaluation. It has not been possible to list the many hundred most useful pieces of literature issued by the various manufacturers of plastic resins, but these will be found extremely helpful. REFERENCES MOST USED -A.s.T.M. standards on plastics: b e r i c a n society for Test. ing Materials, Philadelphia. Oct., 1943. 431 pp. $2.00. Specifications,methods of testing, nomenclature, definitions. "Molding Technic for Bakelite and Vinylite Plastics," Bakelite - Corporation, New York City, 1941. 224 pp. 51.50. Treats all aspects of molding. 30 pages of useful tables. and data sheets. "The Fanwood Manual," Craftsman Supply House, Scottsville, New York. 2nd Ed.. 1940. Paper cover. 52 pp. 25 cents. Instructions for working cast phenolics. Also catalog of taols, materials, and accessories. A useful ~ ~~f~~~~~ ~ ~for ~iastics." d ~ Boonton Molding Company, Boontm. New Jersey. 1943. Paper cover. 66 PD. . 50 cents. Excellent accountof the problems of molding, the properties of the various plastics, and methods of fabrication. Several Dares of useful tables. -~~ .%me errors. ~-~ "General Plastics," RAWOND CHERRY.McKnight 81 McKnight, Bloomington, Illinois, 1941. Paper cover. 128 pp. $1.00. A practical manual. Directions, specifications, etc., for working out many plastic projects. "Plastics in Engineering,'' J. DELMONTE.Penton Publishing Company, Cleveland. Ohio. 2nd Ed., 1943. 600 pp. Cloth binding. $5.00. A good general reference, especially for the physical aspects of plastics and plastics production. " L a b o r a t q Manual of Plastics and Synthetic Resins," G. F. D'ALELIO. John Wiley and Sons. Inc.. New York. 1943. 134 pp. $2.00. 88 experiments in the preparation of plastics and synthetic resins. 26 tests and determinations. An excellent advanced laboratory manual. Special booklet of aids for teachers "Plastics," J. G. DnBors. American Technical Society, Chicago, 1943. Clothbinding. 435pp. $3.75. Well organized and illustrated. Up to date. Best all-purpose textbook for beginning classes. This was the textbook used in the course described above. "Scientific Methods of Varnish Manufacture," RALPHH. HUPP. American Paint Journal Co. 1940. 3713 Washington Ave., St. Louis, Mo. Cloth binding. 159 pp. $2.00. A very useful reference. Clarifies the chemistry of drying oils and many other aspects of coatingproblems.
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"Chemistry of Synthetic Surface Coatings," WILLIAMKRDMEHAAR. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 1937. Cloth hinding. 200 pp. $2.50. Much basic information on resin manufacture, resin properties, aqd manufacture of varnishes and lacquers. "Industrial Chemistry of CoUeidal and Amorphous vilaterials." LEWIS,SQUIRES,AND BROUGHTON. The ~ a c m i l l a n Company. New York, 1943. Cloth binding. 540 pp. $5.00. Advanced and theoretical. Much up-to-date information. A book for the chemist or advanced student of chemistry. "Plastics in, School and Home Workshop," A. J. LOCKXEY. D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc.. NewL*ork, 1940. Cloth binding. 229 pp. 8.50. Excellent instructions for workshop manipulations. Gives account of tools, operations, and projects for work with plastics. "Plastics-Problems and Processes," MANSPERGER AND PEFTER. International Textbook Company, Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1943. Cloth binding. 350 p p $2.50. Excellent instructions for the beginner in plastics. Describes tools, materials, projects, etc. Manytables. "Plastics Catalog," Publiihed yearly by the Plastics Catalog Corporation. New York City. 1944 Edition. Cloth binding. 989 pp. $5.00.
Always an up-to-date enc&$edia covering all phases of the subject. The most complete single reference. "Synthetic Resins and Rubbers," P. 0. POWERS. johh Wiley and Sons, Inc.. New York. 1943. Cloth binding. 296 pp.
$3.00. Especially good in presentationbf chemical dspects. "Handbook of Plastics," SIMONDSAND FXLIS. D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., New York. 1943. Cloth binding. 1083 pp. $10 . ~
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Best geneml reference. Practirally all aspects of plastics. "Plasrirs for Industrial Use," J O n N Snsso. hlcGraw-Hill Bmki Company, Inc.. New York, J94Z. Cloth binding. 229 pp. *? 5 , . v-.-".
Authoritative treatment of all important plastic materials. Especially good in its treatment of aspects of molding. Modern Plastics. Published monthlv bv Modern Plastics.. Inc.. New York Citv. $5.00oer v e x . Excellent &to-dath tr&tment. Deals with all phases of the plastics field. Many illustrations in color. As necessary as a textbook. Plastics World. Published monthly by Cleworth Publishing Cnmpany. Inc.. New York City. 8.00per year. Specializes in new equipment, materials, and applications. SDecial columns. UD-to-the-minutemarket news. The ~ l a s tics forum of questiois and aniwers. Veryusefnl.
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