Research Guide - Plastics Engineering Technology

Axe Online Catalog & Other Book Sources

• Axe Library Catalog

Other Book Sources

• NetLibrary
• Library Catalogs Online
• WorldCat

Journal & Other Databases

Primary Databases

• Applied Science and Technology
• Chemical Abstracts
• Compendex (Ei Village 2)
• Thomson-Dialog PLASPEC Materials Selection Database This is a passworded database. Please see a Reference Librarian for assistance.
• RAPRA: Rubber and Plastics
• SciFinder (registration required)

Secondary Databases

• INSPEC

Multidisciplinary Databases Covering Plastics Engineering Technology

• With Full Text
  • Academic OneFile
  • ABI/INFORM
  • Academic Search Premier
  • Expanded Academic ASAP
  • Research Library
  • Sage Journals Online
• Indexing, abstracts, and occasional links to full text
  • Business and Company ASAP
  • Google Scholar

"Serials Solutions"

Search by title, title keyword or subject group. The category "Engineering and Applied Sciences" includes the subjects of "Materials Science", "Chemical Engineering", and "Technology, General".

Online Reference Sources

Dictionaries, Glossaries & Encyclopedic Sources | Company Directories | Supplier Directories | Acronyms & Abbreviations

• ReferenceUniverse

Dictionaries, Glossaries & Encyclopedic Sources

• Access Science
• Gale Virtual Reference Library
• High Performance Composites
• TestloPedia: the Plastics Testing Encyclopedia

Company Directories

• Business and Company Resource Center
• ReferenceUSA
• ThomasNet.com (Thomas Register)

Supplier Directories

• Plastics Technology Machinery Specifications Database
• Plastics Technology Materials Selection Database
• Plastics Search (Plastics and Rubber News / PRW.com) - a unique, on-line directory of company and other internet web sites relevant to the plastics industry on a global scale.
• Plastics Technology Suppliers Database

Acronyms & Abbreviations

• Plastics Acronyms (plastics.com)
• Standardized polymer abbreviations (Department of Mechanical Engineering - University of Utah)

Selected Sources in Axe/KTC Library

• ANTEC 2001: plastics, the lone star: Dallas, Texas, May 6-10: conference proceedings
• Concise encyclopedia of polymer science and engineering
• Concise polymeric materials encyclopedia
• Condensed encyclopedia of polymer engineering terms
• Encyclopedia of polymer science and technology
• Handbook of applied polymer processing technology
• Handbook of elastomers
• Handbook of plastics analysis
• Handbook of plastic and rubber additives: an international guide to more than 13,000 products by trade name, chemical, function, and manufacturer
• Handbook of polycarbonate science and technology
• Handbook of polyethylene: structures, properties, and applications
• Fundamentals of polymer engineering
• Handbook of polymer testing: physical methods
• Handbook of polyolefins
• Handbook of polypropylene and polypropylene composites
• Handbook of thermoplastics
• Plastics additives handbook
• Plastics materials
• Plastics materials and processes: a concise encyclopedia

Related subject headings:

• Plastics
• Plastics industry and trade
• Polymers

Associations and Societies

• American Plastics Council (APC) - A major trade association for the United States plastics industry working to ensure that plastics are recognized as a preferred material by actively demonstrating they are a responsible choice in a more environmentally conscious world.
• Automotive Composites Alliance (ACA) - is a business unit of the Composites Fabricators Association (CFA), is a trade association of 26 plastics material suppliers and molders that provide the automotive and truck industries with composite products.
• International Cast Polymer Alliance (ICPA) - represents over 300 members including manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators, and installers of cultured marble, cultured granite, cultured onyx, and solid surface kitchen and bath products. ICPA is dedicated to promoting recognition and demand for cast polymer products, representing the industry on legislative and regulatory issues, and maintaining high standards of quality in cast polymer products. The ICPA is part of the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA)
• Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) - An international professional member society, provides information on new materials and processing technology either via technical forums, journal publications, or books in which professionals in this field can exchange ideas and air their views. As the only technical society encompassing all fields of endeavor in materials and processes, SAMPE provides a unique and valuable forum for scientists, engineers, and academicians.
• Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) - A network of plastics professionals around the world promoting the knowledge and education of plastics and polymers. Our goal at SPE is to help you increase your knowledge and value as a plastics professional.
• Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) - a trade association of over 2,000 members representing all segments of the plastics industry in the United States
• The Vinyl Institute (VI) - A U.S. trade association representing the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl additives and modifiers, and vinyl packaging materials. Founded in 1982, the Institute has a dual charter to promote and protect the industry and the markets it serves. The Institute is a division of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.

For more information, see the KTC page on Organizations in Technology

Selected Web Sites

Comprehensive Web Sites | Plastics Engineering Technology Search Engines | Web Directories | Technical & Government Reports | Patents | Business & Industry | Materials | Plastics News | Education

Comprehensive Web Sites

• GE Plastics Engineering Plastics Applications
• Dupont Advanced Fibers Systems
• plastics.dupont.com (Registration required)
• Plastics.org (American Plastics Council)
• Solvin: the Partner in Vinyls

Plastics Engineering Technology Search Engines

• Worldwide Composites Search Engine
• (SPI) Directory and Buyers Guide (Society of the Plastics Industry)

Web Directories

• ChemIndustry.com "The worldwide search engine of the chemical industry"
• Google > Science > Technology > Materials > Polymers (also contains "Plastics" as a sub-folder)
• RAPRA Polymer Search on the Internet
• A1 Plastic Part & Product Database - directory of plastic product manufacturers.

Technical & Government Reports

• Catalog of U.S. Government Publications - a finding tool for federal publications that includes descriptive records for historical and current publications and provides direct links to those that are available online. Users can search by authoring agency, title, subject, and general key word, or click on "Advanced Search" for more options.
• Science Accelerator - combines three resources: The Department of Energy's Information Bridge of full text documents, The EPrint Network containing preprints in all science areas, and the Science Conference Proceedings, providing access to proceedings from over 20 science associations, some full text and some abstract only.

Patents

• USPTO - The United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Business & Industry

• International Trade Administration (ITA) (Department of Commerce) - Helps to coordinate Government export promotion and trade policy.
• Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) - a trade association of over 2,000 members representing all segments of the plastics industry in the United States
• TIC: the Trade Information Center (U.S. Department of Commerce) - provides tariff and tax information levied on U.S. products exported to other countries.

Materials

• Acoustic Material Tables (Onda Corporation)
• Composite Materials Handbook (MIL-17 Organization)
• Composites.com (Beaufort Composite Technologies, Inc.)
• Definitions of plastic resins
• MatWeb Materials Property Data Data for over 40,000 metals, plastics, ceramics and composites.

Plastics News

• plastics.com - Plastics news and industry events.
• Plastics Molders and Manufacturers Association of SME (PMMA/SME) - Industry trends, gives plastics manufacturing news.
• Plastics Industry News (Plastics and Rubber News / PRW.com)
• PlasticsTechnology News
• Polysort's Plastics and Rubber Industry News

Education

• Macrogalleria "a cyberwonderland of polymer fun"
• PReP "The Plastics Resource for Educators Program"
• teachingplastics.org "Your Virtual Plastics Classroom" - Good site for beginning plastics education. Includes a Glossary of plastics terms.

Course Related Web Sites

PSU Department of Engineering Technology - Plastics Engineering Technology

PSU Majors & Minors in Engineering Technology. Links to course listings.