This document discusses different types of plastics used in manufacturing. It describes thermoplastics, which can be reshaped when heated, and thermosets, which cannot be reshaped once formed. Common thermoplastics used in injection molding include ABS and PETE. Injection molding involves injecting molten plastic into a mold cavity to form solid parts. Important considerations for plastic component design include adding ribs for stiffness and strength, designing bosses for mounting, and creating holes using core pins. Maintaining a uniform wall thickness can help avoid defects during the molding process. The document also outlines the SPI plastic identification coding system.