COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal

Is the experimental stress analysis is feasible in plastic industry?If it is not then

why not?If it is then how and what parameters can be necessarily modified as
compared to metal industry??

Submitted to
Dr. Muhammad Rizwan
Assistant Professor
CIIT, Sahiwal

Submitted by
Danish jalil
Fa11-BME-B3-020

Grade----------------------Checked By ---------------

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Introduction
Plastic parts often fail because they were not design properly. Mechanical stresses placed
upon a part can cause a part to fail if the part is not designed appropriately to distribute the
stresses evenly across the part. If a part contains areas where stresses can concentrate, the part
will likely fail. When failure occurs, our experts can analyze the situation and provide expert
witness services regarding improper part design. Our computerized part design capabilities allow
us to vividly explain why a particular part failed due to improper part design[1].

Is experimental stress analysis is feasible in plastic industry?

Yes experimental stress analysis is feasible in plastic industryNormally in plasicindustry
thematrerials are mostly plastic type and Photoelasticity is an experimental technique for stress
and strain analysis that isparticularly useful for members having complicated geometry,
complicated loading conditions,or both. For such cases, analytical methods (that is, strictly
mathematical methods) may becumbersome or impossible, and analysis by an experimental
approach maybe more appropriate.While the virtues of experimental solution of static, elastic,
two-dimensional problems are nowlargely overshadowed by analytical methods, problems
involving three-dimensional geometry,multiple-component assemblies, dynamic loading and
inelastic material behavior are usuallymore amenable to experimental analysis[2].
Material Selection

Occasionally the material selected for manufacture of the part does not have sufficient
mechanical strength or chemical resistance properties needed for the part to stand up to the
demands of an application in which the part is being used. When failure of a plastic part occurs
because the wrong material was used, out experts can explain why the material was wrong and
what material should have been used to manufacture the part [3].
.

Material Contamination

In todays world, because of global competition, many plastic parts are manufactured in
third world countries. Third world countries often lack good manufacturing practices (GMP)
including poor quality control (QC) practices. As a result, poor plastic part quality including
material contamination, are leading causes of failure. Our experts utilize the latest forensic
analysis technology including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), digital imaging technology,
gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy
(EDS) to identify root causes of failure of materials and the role material contamination and poor
manufacturing practices may have played in causing a plastic part to fail.

Normally in plasicindustrythematrerials are mostly plastic type and Photoelasticity is an

experimental technique for stress and strain analysis that isparticularly useful for members
having complicated geometry, complicated loading conditions,or both. For such cases, analytical
methods (that is, strictly mathematical methods) may becumbersome or impossible, and analysis
by an experimental approach maybe more appropriate.While the virtues of experimental solution
of static, elastic, two-dimensional problems are nowlargely overshadowed by analytical methods,
problems involving three-dimensional geometry,multiple-component assemblies, dynamic
loading and inelastic material behavior are usuallymore amenable to experimental analysis[4].

The name photoelasticity reflects the nature of this experimental method: photo implies the use
of light rays and optical techniques, while elasticity depicts the study of stresses and
deformations in elastic bodies. Through the photoelastic-coating technique, its domain has
extended to inelastic bodies, too.Photoelastic analysis is widely used for problems in which
stress or strain information isrequired for extended regions of the structure. It provides
quantitative evidence of highly stressedareas and peak stresses at surface and interior points
ofthe structure and often equallyimportant, it discerns areas of low stress level where
structural material is utilized inefficiently.This chapter is intended to introduce the basic concepts
to emphasize those elementsthat are fundamental to the photoelastic method. The details
involving characteristics of specificphotoelastic materials their formulation, optical and
mechanical properties, machiningtechniques, etc. and the details involved in the use of
specialized auxiliary instruments andaccessories are not included. While such information is
vitally important to the student ofphotoelasticity, it quickly becomes obsolete and is better
disseminated by current technical papersand current manufacturers' literature [5].
6.2. PHOTOELASTIC BEHAVIOR
The photoelastic method is based upon a unique property of some transparent materials,
in particular, certain plastics. Consider a model of some structural part made from a photoelastic
material. When the model is stressed and a ray of light enters along one of the directions of
principal stress, a remarkable thing happens. The light is divided into two component waves,
each with its plane of vibration (plane of polarization) parallel to one of the remaining two
principal planes (planes on which shear stress is zero). Furthermore, the light travels along these
two paths with different velocities, which depend upon the magnitudes of the remaining two
Principal stresses in the material.
Photoelasticity is an experimental method to determine the stress distribution in a
material. The method is mostly used in cases where mathematical methods become quite
cumbersome. Unlike the analytical methods of stress determination, photoelasticity gives a fairly
accurate picture of stress distribution, even around abrupt discontinuities in a material. The
method is an important tool for determining critical stress points in a material, and is used for
determining stress concentration in irregular geometries[6].

Two-dimensional photoelasticity

Photoelasticity
Photoelasticity can be applied both to three-dimensional and two-dimensional state of
stress. But the application of photoelasticty to the three-dimensional state of stress is more
involved as compared to the state of two-dimensional or plane-stress system. So the present
section deals with application of photoelasticity in investigation of a plane stress system. This
condition is achieved when the thickness of the prototype is much smaller as compared to
dimensions in the plane. Thus one is only concerned with stresses acting parallel to the plane of
the model, as other stress components are zero. The experimental setup varies from experiment
to experiment. The two basic kinds of setup used are plane polariscope and circular polariscope.
The working principle of two-dimensional photoelasticity allows the measurement of
retardation, which can be converted to the difference between the first and second principal stress
and their orientation. To further get values of each stress component, a technique called stressseparation is required.Several theoretical and experimental methods are utilized to provide
additional information to solve individual stress components[7].
Destructive and Non destructive both are studied in Experimental stress anlaysisN.D.T can some
be possible to some extent as follows:
N.D.T In plastics:
Although it is possible to judge some defects in plastics using NDT techniques (like
infrared thermography) but to scan the entire specimen in detailed manner, destructive testing is
used.

.Inability of Plastics !!!:

The inability of plastics to respond different non-destructive testing techniques is due to
non-crystalline structure of plastics.

For example, in liquid penetrant inspection (technique of NDT), we can judge the extent
of crack along a particular dimension, but still we are not able to judge the further progress of
crack within the plastic. Unlike metals, which behave uniformly in all directions under specific
condition, plastics are unable to respond uniformly under a specific type of loading. So we have
to perform destructive testing to judge the overall effect of deficiencies in case of plastics. [8].

Application
Photoelasticity has been used for a variety of stress analyses and even for routine use in
design, particularly before the advent of numerical methods, such as for instance finite elements
or boundary elements. Digitization of polariscopy enables fast image acquisition and data
processing, which allows its industrial applications to control quality of manufacturing process
for materials such as glass and polymer. Dentistry utilizes photoelasticity to analyze strain in
denture materials[9].

Photoelastic model to validate the stiffener model. Isochromatic fringe patterns around a steel
platelet in a photo-elastic two-part epoxy resin.

Photoelasticity can successfully be used to investigate the highly localized stress state
within masonryor in proximity of a rigid line inclusion (stiffener) embedded in an elastic
medium. In the former case, the problem is nonlinear due to the contacts between bricks, while

in the latter case the elastic solution is singular, so that numerical methods may fail to provide
correct results. These can be obtained through photoelastic techniques[10].

Parameters modified in plastic industry as campared to metal industry:

More factor of safety:
In plastics more factor of safety should be kept so that our material becomes safe and
sound.
High tensile strength

High tensile strength with proper structural design are required in it.

Less Weight Effective

Reduced part weight

less scrap

Highly repeatable in processing (less scrap)

Coats Effective

Lower manufacturing costs

Flexibility

Greater design flexibility (part consolidation)

Less packing Coast

Lower packaging and shipping costs

Tool life

Up to six times longer tool life.

Metal-to-PlasticTedency

Current metal-to-plastic trends focus on reducing weight, improving strength and

corrosion resistance, and consolidating multiple metal parts into one plastic part. Plastic parts can
be just as tough as metal parts and achieve the same tight tolerances, with fewer secondary
operations. In general, companies can expect to achieve an overall cost savings of 25% to 50%
by converting to plastic parts[11].

A comparison of the specific gravity values of metals to plastics shows how dramatic
the difference in weight can be.

Design Freedom
Converting to plastic parts gives manufacturers more freedom in product design,
including greater variety in material selection and being able to create more complex geometries.
It is much easier to produce complex shapes out of plastic than metal, due to injection molds
allowing for under-cuts, threads, ports, and tight tolerances allowing a net shape to be produced
to the finish level specifications.Plastics can be made to flow to produce thin-walled parts with
uniform wall dimensions, replacing the more costly thicker-walled design features of most diecast metal parts, says Ken Glassen, vice president of engineering for Kaysun Corporation, an
injection molder in Manitowoc, WI. Multiple metal parts can be replaced by one injectionmolded part made of tough engineered plastic, eliminating the need for fasteners and
assembly.Plastic parts can actually be stronger than metal parts by using engineering-grade
materials with proper structural design. The ability to mold in features for structural strength
such as ribs, bosses, and gussets when the part is originally produced (instead of fastening,
welding, and gluing afterwards) can increase the total strength of the assembled part as well as
reduce additional costs.There are many more options available for materials and additives/fillers

when using plastic instead of metal, adds Glassen. Converting from metal to plastic gives
designers the ability to produce final net shape and dimensions, all in one process [12].
Key considerations for type of plastic are:

Crystalline vs. amorphous: evaluate requirements such as chemical resistance, impact,

flow, processing, etc.

Additives: additives will affect strength, stiffness, temperature performance, appearance,

package requirements, and cost.

Carbon and stainless steel fillers improve conductive and/or shielding properties.

Lubricant fillers improve wear and friction properties.

Mineral fillers improve electrical performance, weighted feel, sound dampening, and
higher specific gravity and improve dimensional stability.

Impact modifiers improve toughness.

Acknowledgment
I am thankful to Dr. Muhammad Rizwan for assigning me such assignment which prove
to be very interesting and helped in increase of my knowledge from industry point of view and
about modern processes inuse for useful purposes.
Conclusion
In order to compete in today's very competitive environment, manufacturers put a lot of
emphasis on product differentiation while maintaining good margins and low cost. This
differentiation is done by design, visual appearance or by development of new functionalities
requiring miniaturized or more sophisticated systems. Part rationalization is another significant
trend in industries such as automotive, appliances, electronics and medical, as it increases end
product reliability and decreases inventories.For these reasons the use of plastics to replace metal
and other traditional materials is becoming a key strategy in many markets.This trend is
expanding rapidly due to the multiple benefits provided by plastics compared to metal. All of
them lead to significant productivity improvements and/or product differentiation. Experimental

stress analysis provide its applications for every type of materials whether it was metals and
plastics.

References
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