A thermoplastic is a type of plastic made from polymer resins that becomes a homogenized liquid when heated and hard when cooled.
As similar as colonial iron manufacture was to that of medieval Europe, yet it differed greatly from the type of iron manufacture in eighteenth century early modern Europe. Existing conditions of natural resources greatly affected the development of technical innovation in the field of iron manufacture.
In 1708 Abraham Darby invented a process for making cast iron in large industrial quantities, suitable for making big structures such as bridges, heavy machinery, etc. His invention helped to start the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The earliest cast iron artifacts, found in China, date back to 513 BC.