Plastics Failure Analysis

Catalog description

Fundamentals of Plastics Materials Process and Design Failure Analysis. PL ET 464 Plastics Failure Analysis (3) This course is intended to give the student an introduction to failure analysis for plastic articles. Course objectives are to: provide methods for the identification of common failure problems associated with modern molded plastic parts, perform a causal analysis for each failure type, provide an introduction, instruction, and allow operation of several analytical tools used to establish failure mechanisms, and review the relevant polymer physics and chemistry concepts involved in failure analysis. During the course students will be using concepts studied earlier in plastic material properties and applications. Student competency is assessed by graded quizzes, examinations, homework, and special assignments. The course is offered once per year as a technical elective with an enrollment of 15 to 20 students.