24-651   Material Selection for Mechanical Engineers

This course provides a methodology for selecting materials for a given application. It aims to provide an overview of the different classes of materials (metal, ceramic, glass, polymer, elastomer or hybrid) and their properties including modulus, strength, ductility, toughness, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion in various environments. Students will also learn how materials are processed and shaped (e.g., injection molding, casting, forging, extrusion, welding, grinding, and polishing), and will explore the origins of the properties, which vary by orders of magnitude. The course accomplishes the materials selection objective in part through example applications and in part through the use of CES EduPack software (a visual way to explore the world of materials and processes). Topics include: Materials selection by stiffness, weight, strength, fracture toughness, corrosion and oxidation, and thermal properties. Materials at high temperatures, materials shaping. Phase diagrams and phase transformations.