F - Polymer Processing Glossary of Terms
Feed zone - Zone on injection screw directly below hopper. Plastic is pre-heated in this zone, not melted. Filler - A substance added to the plastic to make it less costly. Some fillers also improve mechanical properties. Finish - The ultimate surface of a plastic part. Flash - The thin, surplus web of material which is forced into crevices between mating surfaces during a molding operation, and which remains attached to the molded article. Flow lines - Wavy surface appearance caused by improper flow of the resin into the mold. Fluorescent - Organic dyes or pigments which may be blended into inks to provide a luminescent or fluorescent appearance typical of the "neon" colors. Frictional heating - See Shear Heating