Plastics Expert Witnesses
What is a plastics expert witness?
Plastics expert witness candidates are typically professional engineers with areas of expertise in materials science, polymer science, and/or chemical engineering. The selected expert could be a member of an industry organization such as the Plastics Industry Association, or the International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD). Plastics expert witnesses must have a deep understanding not only of the target technology, but also of market trends, market growth, market segments, and competitive landscape. It is also essential that an expert witness possess the ability to provide expert testimony in such a manner that a jury and judge can understand the factual evidence.
What types of cases require a plastics expert witness?
A plastics expert witness often provides expertise in intellectual property matters, such as a patent infringement or a trade secret dispute. A plastics subject matter expert could also be called in on a product liability case involving materials failure, or a consumer safety or personal injury matter.
What litigation support work might a plastics expert witness be expected to perform?
Litigation support by a plastics expert witness could include materials testing, failure analyses, depositions, and courtroom testimony. In addition, clients may seek a plastics or materials expert for pre-litigation consultant work.
Cahn Litigation Services has been approached by numerous clients to locate expert witnesses to support plastic technology matters. Whether the case involves a medical device, injection molding, polymer characterization, polymer processing, rheology, rotational molding, polymer synthesis, tooling, coatings or thermoplastics, Cahn Litigation Services has the experience required to turn a search for a plastics expert witness around quickly, providing the right balance of expertise and testimony experience.
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Plastics Expert Witness - Representative Bios
Please Note: All Cahn Litigation expert witness searches are customized to attorneys' precise specifications and preferences. Attorneys are encouraged to discuss search parameters with a Cahn search specialist.
The below expert witness bios represent a small fraction of those Plastics experts known by Cahn Litigation Services. These bios are provided to give lawyers a sense of the Plastics landscape.
Expert Witness #214975
This expert is the founder and CEO of a highly successful consultancy specializing in plastics. This expert has spent many years in the Plastics Industry as a leading authority on plastic and composite part failure. This expert worked for a plastics product manufacturer as a leading Principal Scientist. This expert is a world-renowned scientist and author as evidenced by many awards. This expert is a member of ASM International (a society of Material Scientists), the American Chemical Society Polymer Chemistry and Polymeric Materials Divisions, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, the National Association of Subrogation Professionals, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, the Failure Analysis Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers, the Institute of Packaging Professionals, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. This expert has provided expert services in over 150 litigations involving plastics and composites. This expert is one of the top plastic failure experts in the world having analyzed hundreds of plastic and composite parts including, pipes, food packages, bottles, tanks, latches, toys, medical devices, exercise equipment, automotive parts, pulleys, chairs, and stools. This expert has authored >100 scientific papers, >60 US Patents, a book, and several encyclopedia articles on chemicals and plastics.
CONSULTANT AND EXPERT WITNESS ON CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS
- Forensic analysis/testing of plastic and composite parts
- Manufacturing processes for plastic bottles including extrusion blow-molding, injection blow-molding, and stretch
- Blow-molding
- Root cause analysis of CPVC fire suppression system failures
- Exercise equipment failure
- Plastic piping products including ABS, PVC, CPVC, PEX, PP, PVDC, and HDPE
- Additives for plastics including antioxidants and UV stabilizers
- Design of plastic parts to meet the requirements of the application
- Fracture mechanics of plastic materials and composites
- Chemical resistance/degradation of plastics and elastomers
- Discoloration and loss of clarity of plastics
- Plastic part and package design and stress analysis
- Polymer blends and compounding
- Polyolefin based resins and applications
- Additives for improved adhesion in polymer blends and composites
- Chemicals and Plastics R&D
- Monomer stabilization and polymerization
- Molding and extrusion of plastics including foams and films
- UV, thermal, and environmental degradation of chemicals and plastics
- Plastic flammability and plastic flame retardant formulations
- Migration of chemicals and additives from plastics
- Chemicals and plastics for medical use
- Composite and nanocomposite materials including carbon fiber composites
- Permeability (vapors and odors) of plastics
- Plastics used in medical applications
- Abrasion resistance of plastics and elastomers
- Material Selection (choosing the right plastic for the application)
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #231361
This expert is a licensed professional engineer and expert witness who holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. This expert has many years of professional experience in mechanical engineering, consumer product design, research and development, forensic investigation and litigation support. Additionally, this expert holds over twenty patents.
Prior to focusing on work as a forensic mechanical engineer and serving as an expert witness, this expert led an accomplished engineering career designing and developing innovative mechanical components and high-pressure equipment and conducting failure analyses over a broad variety of situations, most of which led to patents. This included designing and developing high-volume machined metal and injection-molded plastic parts, low-pressure seals, springs and stampings as well as manufacturing processes for composites, plastics and adhesive bonding. Working in research and development for major corporations in the aeronautical, petroleum, fluid power and automotive industries, as well as serving for over a decade as a forensic expert witness, this expert draws on a comprehensive background of diverse engineering experience to assist clients with cases involving evaluations of consumer products and commercial, industrial and agricultural equipment for products liability issues and patent disputes, including significant deposition and courtroom testimony experience.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #251009
This expert is a globally recognized polymer technology expert and industry leader with many years of experience with an outstanding record of achievements in the research and development of vinyl and non-vinyl polymers, color concentrates, and the establishment of industry standards. As the Principal of a technical consultancy, this expert is highly sought-after for expertise in problem solving, product innovation in vinyl plastics, thermoplastics, and processing. The holder of several patents in the area of weather resistant plastic composite technologies for outdoor exposures, this expert provides technical support to manufacturing plants and customers and represented companies in industry organizations. This expert has assisted manufacturing plants in developing quality control procedures and optimization of manufacturing processes for improved performance. Additionally, this expert has investigated and successfully resolved numerous customers' technical problems, physical properties retention, product distortion problems in end use exterior applications; extrusion problems including poor surface characteristics, brittleness during profile cutting and fabrication, extruder overload, and compounding problems, such as inconsistency in compound performance. This expert has also performed raw materials evaluations, dimensional stability studies, and field failure analysis. Further, this expert has performed weatherability testing including, heat build-up, dimensional stability, long term performance, degradation, stabilization, impact modification, and reinforcement. This expert has served as an Expert witness in multiple product, material, compounding, and application patent / intellectual property cases. This expert has been deposed and testified.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #251555
This expert is the founder and President of a highly successful consultancy, and provides a wide range of knowledge-based solutions in the plastics injection molding industry including consulting services & training. Specializing in molding part design review and materials selection, this expert and team bring many years of experience in Scientific Injection Molding Processing, Training, Material Selection, Part Design Review, In-Mold Instrumentation, Project Management and Equipment Selection. In addition to industry consulting, this expert also provides training in the areas of injection molding techniques, parts design, defects and failures, machine set-up, processing and troubleshooting. This expert has served as an expert in several litigation matters, and has been deposed.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #258779
This expert is the Chief Technical Officer of a highly successful materials engineering and manufacturing firm specializing in flexible body armor technologies as well as other related items. This expert began a design/manufacturing career with plastic products. This expert’s firm performs design engineering to develop products, create turn-key production lines, or manufacture, including an advanced materials systems for weapon components including polymer and ceramic. This expert’s research extends from armor and munitions to Composite Reinforced Ceramic Technology (CRCT) machinegun barrels. Materials utilized include advanced engineering ceramics, self-reinforced thermoplastics, thermoset resins, and advanced composite structures.
This expert created a start-up plastics manufacturing company that evolved into a leading regional injection molding, engineering and mold-making company. Manufacturing technologies included: design engineering, toolmaking, injection molding, thermoset molding, thermoset composite forming, thermoplastic composite fabrication, assembly and packaging. This expert invented and led the development of novel patent-pending mold-making technologies, and added a "paperless" engineering and toolmaking protocol that integrated 3DCAD/CAE/CAM with Quality Assurance and Marketing. This helped the company to earn a high vendor rating and excellent "LEAN" percentage from U.S. government prime contractors. This start-up served a major OEM manufacturer of grips, stocks and other components for US and European firearms manufacturers.
This expert’s expertise goes well beyond design engineering and manufacturing:
- an active designer, licensed firearms dealer, owner/operator of a retail gun store, licensed firearms manufacturer, registered armaments exporter and writer
- an inventor of 11 issued patents including several having to do with plastic components for armaments.
- researched, written and filed patents and participated in the patent examination process.
- is familiar with the MPEP, and has visited the USPTO to personally interact with examiners.
- has utility patents, and filed a design patent application for ergonomic firearm grips
- was retained during an examination to prepare an Expert Declaration regarding description of technology and lexicon used for a “Section 102” rejection.
- was firearms training officer for a Highway Patrol department which included instructing handgun, shotgun and rifle. This expert performed armorer duties for police, sheriff, and state agencies, as well as federal agencies located. This included building specialized weapons, such as sniper rifles, for law enforcement use.
- crime scene reconstruction and analysis of shooting incidents. This expert provides expert witness consulting and testimony for major felony cases.
In addition to prior work as an expert in criminal matters, this expert has served as a subject matter expert for patent, Trade Dress, and Trademark matters. This expert has prepared expert declarations on Post-Grant Review, and worked with attorneys on Ex Parte Reexamination and Inter Partes Review.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #260507
This expert is recognized as an expert in chemistry, hazardous materials, metallurgical and plastics failure analysis and fire and explosion investigations. This expert is the founder and chief technologist for a nationally recognized fire science and forensic laboratory and specialized burn facility, equipped with among other apparatus, fabric flammability test cabinets, instruments used to characterize fabric density, warp/weave and composition (synthetic, cotton, blend, FR etc.), and a cone calorimeter which is a standard test method to characterize the fire performance of materials.
This expert performs investigation according to recognized and professional standard practices and methodologies for engineering failure analysis and fire investigation with results supported by testing, analysis, codes, standards and literature. Familiar with existing test methods on soft furnishings as well as changes in regulations with respect to fire retardants and fire testing, this expert often performs instrumented, modified standard or ad hoc fire tests on these materials.
This expert was the lead engineer that developed tests and criteria for assessing the burning rate hazard of solid chemical oxidizers based on research and testing at bench and intermediate scales that was accepted by the fire codes. This expert has training in Regulatory Fire Tests and is a principal member on a technical committee which addresses room fire hazards including fuel loads like furniture. This expert is also very familiar with other industry guides including the SFPE.
This expert has training in hazard assessment methodologies, failure analysis and hazardous waste operations and emergency response. This expert serves on hazardous chemical, combustible metals and combustible dust technical committees as well as on technical panels overseeing research related to hazards associated with combustible dusts, antifreeze in home sprinkler systems and separation distances.
This expert has been retained as a consulting and testifying expert by numerous law firms, insurance companies and corporations.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #266379
This expert has a background in electronics, software, and systems design. This expert’s career journey includes designing lab instrumentation, medical devices, smart battery systems, ultrasonic welding and cleaning, and semiconductors. This expert’s engineering consultancy worked in multiple industries with varied applications: including LED lighting, sensors and motor control, medical devices and consumer devices. Every job change has been an industry change: from lab instrumentation to medical devices, from ultrasonic plastics welding to smart batteries, from sensor design to semiconductors. This expert’s varied experiences and interests give a unique and valuable perspective on problem solving both technically and in business. This expert has spent most of a career in OEM product development, focused on embedded systems, experiencing the role of engineering in many different markets: from consumer electronics to industrial controls, from medical products to LED lighting, and much more. This expert is a named engineer on 5 patents and has done his masters work in Computer Science, holds a Six Sigma Black Belt, and is a certified Scrum Master.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #234546
This polymer engineering expert holds a doctorate, is a Fellow of a prominent plastics engineering society, and is a Professor Emeritus in mechanical engineering at a major public university, with teaching experience in polymer processing, designing with polymers, and polymer composites processing. This expert also founded and co-directed a polymer engineering center at that university.
Research in polymer engineering includes modeling and simulation in polymer processing, engineering design with plastics, sustainability, and biopolymers. This expert has held honorary professor roles in plastics technology at international universities, has authored over 400 papers in the field and multiple books on polymer science, polymer processing, injection molding, and plastics, and serves in a senior technical advisory role for a silicone-parts company.
This expert has extensive expert witness experience in polymer engineering litigation, including patent litigation.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #276745
This plastic parts and products design and manufacturing expert holds a PhD and is an emeritus professor and former department chair in plastics engineering at a well-regarded public university. This expert is an active researcher and consultant in plastics processing and design and has authored many publications and patents, including a textbook on plastic part design.
This expert is a member of several engineering societies, including a prominent plastics engineering society, where this expert has served in regional and divisional leadership roles. This expert has received major education and lifetime achievement awards from professional and academic institutions and has been recognized by a plastics industry hall of fame.
This expert has over 40 years of experience as a plastics engineering educator and researcher. This expert has taught over 100 undergraduate, graduate, and corporate education courses and has served as thesis advisor for over 90 graduate students.
This expert consults in product design, injection molding, polymer processing, and recycling of thermoplastics for companies and organizations across consumer products, technology, automotive, and medical device industries.
This expert holds over 20 U.S. and European patents, has been a principal or co-principal investigator for over 70 funded research projects or grants, and has authored or co-authored over 70 technical papers. This expert has also served as founding editor of a professional journal on injection molding technology and has authored books on plastic part design for injection molding and thermoplastic injection molding.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #277657
This mechanical and metallurgical engineering expert holds a PE credential and is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states, with experience spanning mechanical and metallurgical engineering, including plastics. This expert provides forensic and consulting engineering services to attorneys, insurance professionals, and manufacturing companies. Experience includes over 30 years in manufacturing in the metals-processing industries, over 30 years performing failure analyses, and over 25 years investigating claims.
This expert has experience with plastic furniture claims, including plastic rolling office chair matters involving personal injury, failure analyses involving plastic materials, burn-injury matters involving polypropylene products, and failure-analysis education through a professional plastics engineering association.
This expert is an experienced expert witness and litigation consultant. Testimony experience includes a wide variety of matters involving personal injury and property damage in both state and federal court. Expert opinions have never been excluded. This expert has testified by deposition more than 150 times and in court more than 15 times, and testimony has never been excluded.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #277657
This mechanical engineering, cable, boiler, and pipe expert is a mechanical and metallurgical engineer with experience investigating stranded wire cable failures involving cranes and winches in marine, industrial, and oilfield applications. These investigations were mainly associated with insurance companies and subrogation. This expert previously worked at a manufacturing plant making pneumatic hoists and winches and served in quality engineering management and heat-treating supervision.
This expert also has boiler-related experience from work investigating claims involving personal injury and property damage for over 10 years. This expert has testified in matters involving fires and explosions and multiple times in claims involving OSHA requirements. This expert is familiar with various methods for cutting pipes and can address mechanical or metallurgical issues, as well as requirements for warnings and instructions.
This expert has testified by deposition over 150 times and in court over 15 times, with no testimony excluded. This expert has testified in state and federal court in both property damage and personal injury cases, including matters involving fatalities and damages in the multi-millions of dollars.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #286176
This chemistry, materials, and injection molding expert is a prestigious university-educated PhD chemist with over 30 years of experience in the chemical industry, over 10 personal US patents, and over 25 additional patents granted to groups this expert led. This expert led research and development initiatives internationally, serving in scientific, global research leadership, and senior technology executive roles for major chemical companies. This expert has strong expertise in research leadership and management, new business development, business and commercialization strategy, litigation research, and innovation involving polymers, plastics, materials, and adhesives.
This expert spent over 30 years in the plastics industry performing and supervising the development of new and improved plastics, many of which were targeted for injection molding applications. Injection molding was used to prepare many test samples. This expert also oversaw a technical support group that worked with customers to troubleshoot injection mold designs and processes for applications including automotive lighting and trim, medical parts, and consumer goods.
This expert has experience with functional behavior issues involving polymer parts, including factors such as modulus and strength, ductile or brittle failure behavior, and notch sensitivity.
As a technical expert, this expert has worked with attorneys to secure numerous patents and to reach favorable resolutions in high-value litigation. This expert also has experience in scale-up, manufacturing, and marketing, served in a board role for a prominent industry association, and served as a judge for industry innovation awards.
As a senior scientist and leader of multiple R&D groups, this expert led programs for the development and commercialization of numerous new products with cumulative sales exceeding two billion dollars. These products have widespread use in automotive, aerospace, medical, construction, packaging, display, and optical applications.
This expert's experience includes acrylics, PMMA, polycarbonate, polyester, polyurethane, composites, aerosols, adhesives, thermoplastics, polymer degradation, product liability, and product failure. This expert provides consulting and expert witness services in polymers, plastics, materials, and adhesives.
This expert also has extensive experience as an expert witness, including matters involving coatings, inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, and patent infringement and non-infringement issues.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #291958
This product design expert currently runs a consulting firm focused on product design and engineering services and has broad experience in patent infringement matters, including litigation and inter partes review proceedings, representing both defendants and plaintiffs.
This expert has designed various kitchen-associated goods and has knowledge of plastics and metal design. This expert has IP and patent litigation experience, including direct litigation and IPR actions, and has experience generating arguments regarding invalidity and non-infringement.
This expert is a named inventor on over 20 patents.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #298667
This plastics/polymeric expert group includes a processing and materials expert with over 30 years of experience in the plastics/polymeric parts industry, focusing on root cause and failure analysis and product development. This expert holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from a well-regarded engineering university and holds over 5 issued patents.
This expert group also includes a materials expert specializing in plastics and forensic failure analysis of plastic parts, including PEX, PP, CPVC, PVC, PP-R, PA, ABS, and PC/ABS products. This expert holds a Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. in chemistry.
This expert group has experience as expert witnesses and litigation consultants.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #299991
This injection molding expert holds a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering and has extensive experience in the development, formulation, scale-up, quality testing, and large-scale industrial manufacturing of polymers and plastics. This expert is familiar with EVA and EVA-containing polymers, including their synthesis and processing.
This expert has previously provided testimony regarding injection molding matters and has experience as an expert witness and litigation consultant.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #305130
This materials science expert holds BS and MS degrees in Plastics Engineering, founded a technical consultancy focused on plastics and other materials, and has litigation support experience. This expert has written about plastics failures and forensic engineering.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #305184
This materials science expert holds a Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and is a faculty member in a university plastics engineering department, with experience involving polyethylene, fibers, and degradation of polyethylene.
This expert also holds a B.S. and a Masters in Chemical Engineering from academic institutions, including a prestigious university. This expert worked as an Advanced Engineer in R&D for a materials manufacturer and has prior litigation support experience.
Start Plastics Expert SearchExpert Witness #1242469
This polymer expert has over 50 years of experience in polymers and is a named inventor on numerous U.S. patents involving commercialized plastics, including protective headgear, enhanced energy absorption for protective headgear and equipment, and household products.
This expert has authored over 125 publications and presentations. Current areas of professional focus include head and brain protection in sports and recreation, personal injury accidents and litigation, and reconstruction of sports injuries across a variety of recreational and sports activities, amusement parks, sports facilities, products, and vehicles.
This expert has presented seminars on polymers and their commercial applications to a senior mechanical engineering class at a prestigious university and is well published in plastics, safety engineering and design, sports safety, and household and industrial product safety.
Start Plastics Expert Search