Causes Of Plastic Failure


Failure or deformation of plastic is a common concern for various industries that are dependent on this material. Though various advanced techniques have been perfected by plastic manufacturers, there are still instances of failure of plastic. In order to avert such problems, it is essential to understand the causes behind the plastic failure.

How to Analyze Plastic Failure?

These days, there is equipment available in the market that helps in the identification of plastic failure. Highly evolved microscopic systems are useful in measuring the infrared absorption of organic material. These systems can detect contamination or deformation of plastic easily. Certain instruments are also helpful in studying the effects of temperature, chemicals, and additives on plastics.

What are the main factors responsible for plastic failure?

Plastic failure can be attributed to 4 main factors:

  • Material selection: Choice of poor quality material is the most common factor responsible for plastic failure. Many times, the manufacturer is not aware of the basic properties and distinctive features of plastic material, and hence they end up selecting poor material.
  • Design: If the plastic product is not designed as per its application, it can cause early deformation. Similarly, if the basic properties of the material are ignored during designing, it might lead to plastic failure.
  • Process: Factors like welding, molding, and moisture content in the material are to be considered during the manufacturing process of plastics. Any flaws can lead to failure like stress cracking.
  • Service Conditions: Many times, the end-users do not follow instructions as per the user guide and manuals leading to deformation of plastic material.

What are the types of plastic failure?

Based on the effects of different factors on plastics, there are different types of failures:

  • Mechanical Failure: If strong force (more than the yield strength of the material) is applied to the plastic structure, it can lead to deformation of the structure.
  • Thermal Failure: Failure of plastic in extremely hot or cold environments is a common phenomenon. Melting, twisting, or burning of plastic under high temperature causes the material to deform. On the other hand, extreme cold temperature can cause the plastic to get brittle.
  • Chemical Failure: Excessive exposure to any chemical can lead to plastic failure.
  • Environmental Failure: Unfriendly environmental factors such as heat, microbes, pollution, UV rays, etc. can cause the plastic to deteriorate.

How does Brogan & Patrick Mfg.Corp. help in the analysis of plastic failure?

Brogan & Patrick Mfg.Corp. is an industry-renowned plastic supplier. We provide cost-effective solutions to analyze plastic failure.

Need more information? Please get in touch with our Customer Representatives through the Contact Us page.