This area is for people interested in thermal products and processes related to the plastics industry. Click on the items below.  

• Case studies
• Improving energy efficiency
• Consultants
• Industry guides
• Organisations 
• Projects
• Temperature measurement 
• Thermal property data 
• Useful links (modelling, safety, quality, training, reference materials)

Case studies

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Consultants

Rapra Technology (UK) provides consultancy, technology and information services for the polymer industry and industries using plastics and rubber in any component, product or production process. Undertake materials identification and characterisation etc. using a range of chromatographic, spectroscopic and thermal techniques (DSC, TGA).

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Industry guides

IRCON supply instrumentation for temperature measurement and have free illustrated guidance documents for the plastics industry.

The polymer web pages of the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College, London, provide an excellent overview of commercially significant polymer molecules.

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Organisations

BASA (British Adhesive and Sealant Association) is the UK trade association representing adhesive and sealant manufacturers, industry suppliers and allied industries.

BPF (British Plastics Federation) is the leading trade association of the UK plastics industry.

FEICA (Association of European Adhesives manufacturers) is the multinational association of the European adhesives industry. It comprises 15 national associations who altogether comprise 480 member companies.

FEMS (Federation of European Materials Societies) is a non-profit umbrella organisation  serving 24 national materials societies in 22 countries, with over 25,000 members in Europe engaged in the production, utilisation, and development of metals, ceramics, polymers and composites.

MRS (Materials Research Society) is a not-for-profit organisation bringing together scientists, engineers and research managers from industry, government, academia and research laboratories to share findings in the research and development of new materials of technological importance.

SFCA (Syndicat Français des Colles et Adhésifs) is the French trade association representing adhesive and sealant manufacturers, industry suppliers and allied industries.

Research on thermal properties is carried out in metrological institutes (e.g. LNE, NPL) and academic institutions (University of Oxford Department of Materials).

ACMA (American Composites Manufacturers Association) claims to be the world's largest trade association serving the composites industry.

AICO (Associazione Italiana Compositi fibrosi) promotes the development and application of fibre-reinforced polymers in the construction industry.

E-Composites, Inc provide business solutions, market reports, recruiting solutions and marketing tools for the composite materials industry (fibre glass, carbon composites, aramid composites and MMCs).

EuCIA (European Composites Industry Association) represents about 15,000 European composite manufacturers.

WCSE is a worldwide composite search engine for advanced composite materials: honeycomb, prepreg, film adhesives, fabrics; and related industry services. Claims to be the largest database of composite industry related websites on the internet.

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Projects

Information about European Union-funded projects may be found at CORDIS (Community Research & Development Information Service). And you can try to find specific projects here.

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Temperature measurement

Infrared (non-contact) temperature measurement equipment and related resources (like training, calibration & industry application notes) can be found at the sites below:

FLIR Systems
IRCON
Land Instruments International
Mikron Infrared
Raytek
Wintronics

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Thermal property data

Firstly, try the evitherm data centre, where you might find the data you need and, if it's pay-for, more cheaply.

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Useful links

ChemWeb was launched in April 1997 and is now the largest online chemical community in the world, offering a wide range of information for those in research chemistry, the chemicals industries and related disciplines. Membership free.

Reference materials

NPL provides reference materials for various thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, diffusivity, emissivity etc.) and material types (metals, ceramics, insulation, etc.)

NIST provides reference materials for chemical composition, engineering and physical properties.

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