To truly master 3D printing with plastics, a necessary step is to better understand the materials used in the process. The goal of this module is to broaden your understanding of the different polymers used in the various processes and how their material properties are exploited to make the various 3D printing processes possible. Ultimately, 3D printing with plastics is part of the large field of polymer processing.

We will use the first 3 chapters of the 2^nd Edition of Understanding Polymer Processing by Professor Tim Osswald of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, to build a cursory understanding of polymeric materials. As you are already familiar with 3D printing, read the book with an eye to how the various topics covered might be significant for 3D printing. For example, in Chapter 1 - Introduction - you will read about thermoset materials. Hopefully, this will trigger you to think about the SLA process. Additionally, do not worry about too much about the equations presented in the text, obviously, if you are curious, you are encouraged to learn more. But for the purpose of this module, focus on discovering and gaining a cursory understanding of the concepts presented.

You can access an electronic copy of the textbook through the library's website. https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9912433768702121

Read Chapters 1, 2 & 3

Note: If the information you learned from this textbook is interesting, you might greatly enjoy Material Science for Engineers also by Professor Tim Osswald. The course ME418 is based entirely on this textbook.