4. Plate and specimen production: choosing the right processing method

Plastics processing is a matter for specialists with the necessary knowledge, experience and equipment. Even seemingly simple processes do not tolerate improvisation. There are many different methods of processing plastics, as shown in figure 4 for thermoplastics, figure 5 for thermosets, and figure 6 for composites, without claiming to be exhaustive. Not all methods are applicable to a given plastic material and, moreover, when several methods can be used for a given material, they rarely give the same results, pressure, for example, playing an important role.