The selection and testing of plastics is important for any product, from bio-medical items, consumer items such as white goods, lap tops, computers and peripherals, all forms of transportation vehicles, and in building & construction.

Manufacturers are continually searching for materials and processes which improve the product, and reduce costs.

A common theme to using plastics is the increasing demand for high strength versus weight ratios, for example; to reduce fuel consumption in all areas of transportation, (including deliveries of consumer goods).

Measuring all of this is the job of the materials engineer, who will be involved in every area; Product Design and Enhancement, Quality and Process Control, and Research & Development. It’s a fascinating and vitally important job and the road towards it begins in the classroom.

Good quality plastic specimens are essential to achieving accurate, reproducible test results when determining the mechanical properties of the material.

However, to ensure valid and consistent test results, certain criteria should be met;

• The test specimen shape and dimensions should be in accordance with a recognised standard (BS EN ISO 6892, ASTM E8)
• Use a calibrated tensile test machine (tensometer) of sufficient load and displacement capacity with means to record the X-Y data
• Choose suitable specimen holders giving good alignment throughout the test
• Maintain a constant speed of test throughout

Universities and Colleges run specific modules which cover materials testing within their courses and these modules can have a variety of titles such as: Engineering Materials, Materials and Construction, Materials Engineering, Materials Properties, Materials Science, Materials Testing, Mechanical Properties of Materials, Polymer Engineering, Polymer Science, Properties of Materials, Strength of Materials.

The modules are found in the following courses:

• Aeronautical Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering
• Architecture, Design and the Built Environment
• Building Technology
• Chemistry and Process Engineering
• Civil Engineering and Materials Science
• Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
• Construction and Engineering (continued)
• Design and Technology
• Engineering, Design and Mathematics
• Engineering and Materials Science
• Engineering Science and Technology
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering and the Built Environment
• Engineering and Computing
• Engineering and Design
• Engineering and Physical Sciences
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Marine Engineering
• Maritime and Technology
• Materials
• Materials Engineering
• Mathematics, Computing and Technology
• Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
• Mechanical and Automotive Engineering
• Mechanical, Bio-Medical and Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Design and Manufacture
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering and Management
• Mechanical and Polymer Engineering
• Mechanical and Systems Engineering
• Medical and Bio-Engineering
• Metallurgy
• Polymer Science & Engineering
• Polymer Science & Technology
• Polymer Technology
• Science, Engineering and Computing
• Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM)
• Structural Engineering