It’s been almost 20 years since Professor Roy Crawford and I published our Practical Guide to Rotational Moulding book. Developed and based around Queen’s University’s popular ‘Hands-On Rotational Moulding Seminars’, a second updated version was published in 2012.
A third, revised and updated edition has just been published (by Elsevier). It continues to be very encouraging to see the way in which first two editions of this book have proved popular with readers throughout the world. The practical approach, with the extensive use of photographs to illustrate key points, has enabled a wide range of people to get access to simple and advanced technologies available within the rotational moulding industry today.
Since the publication of the first edition of this book, it has been very pleasing to note the continuing evolution of the industry worldwide. New market sectors continue to be developed, new types of products have emerged, and new and improved technologies and materials have become available to ensure better quality products can be offered to customers.
This third edition provides a step-by-step approach to rotomoulding, covering applications, moulds, machinery, materials, and design. The edition has been thoroughly revised to include the latest advances, including novel materials and moulds, new products, and automation.
The book begins with a chapter that introduces the rotational moulding process, analyses advantages and disadvantages, and explores common applications for rotomoulded products. The subsequent chapters provide detailed, methodical coverage of moulds, machinery, materials, and design for functionality, supported by clear illustrations and diagrams. Finally, challenges and future developments are discussed.
This hands-on technical guide helps engineers, designers and practitioners to understand all aspects of rotomoulding, with the aim of producing performant end products and parts, with uniform wall thickness and potentially in complex shapes. The book is also of great interest to professionals across the plastics industry, as well as researchers and advanced students in plastics engineering, industrial design, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and materials science and engineering.
I have also looked into the crystal ball again to predict some of the developments that will become available in the future – for example, greater levels of automation, increased use of robotics, etc. I am very grateful to people throughout the global rotomoulding industry who have had input to this third edition – by providing advice, photographs, data and encouragement. I hope that the third edition will continue to be useful to those who are new to rotomoulding, as well as those experienced in the industry and are striving to push back the boundaries of this extremely versatile manufacturing technology.
Lastly, I would like to thank the family of Prof. Roy Crawford for the opportunity, within this publication, to continue his legacy of education in rotational moulding. The book is available via Elsevier and at a range of online bookstores: Amazon, Google, etc .
Mark P. Kearns is the Senior Technology Manager of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Queen’s University, Belfast and Rotational Moulding Research Manager at Queen’s University, Belfast. A Chartered Chemical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, he has been active in rotational moulding research, industrial support and innovation projects for over 25 years. Mark has co-authored two textbooks, over 60 papers and has presented advanced rotational moulding technology seminars and keynote presentations worldwide.
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