Materials and component considerations - Revision history

Stcd11: /* 5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes */

2025-09-29T11:40:03Z

5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes

Stcd11: /* 5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes */

2025-09-29T11:37:50Z

5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes

Stsb11: /* Textiles */

2024-01-16T08:25:28Z

Textiles

Stsb11: /* 5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes */

2023-11-03T09:33:27Z

5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes

Stsb11: /* Textiles */

2023-11-01T16:17:39Z

Textiles

Stcd11: changed names on images

2023-03-21T16:09:08Z

changed names on images

Stcd11: Added images

2023-03-21T16:07:41Z

Added images

Stsb11: /* 5.1 Factors that influence the selection of materials that are used in engineered products */

2023-02-23T09:01:57Z

5.1 Factors that influence the selection of materials that are used in engineered products

Stsb11: /* 5.3 Considering the properties/characterisitocs of materials when designing and manufacturing products */

2023-02-23T08:56:37Z

5.3 Considering the properties/characterisitocs of materials when designing and manufacturing products

Stsb11: /* 5.3a Suitability of materials based on the following properties */

2022-12-13T07:41:26Z

5.3a Suitability of materials based on the following properties

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 Below are materials selection charts which provide comparative data on materials and their properties in an easy to use format.
 Young's modulus (E), or Young's Modulus, is a measure of a material's stiffness, defined as the ratio of tensile stress (force per unit area) to tensile strain (deformation per unit length) in the linear elastic region.
 Formula: E = σ / ε
-E = Young's modulus
+#E = Young's modulus
-σ (sigma) = stress = Force (F) / Area (A)
+#σ (sigma) = stress = Force (F) / Area (A)
-ε (epsilon) = strain = extension (ΔL) / original length (L)
+#ε (epsilon) = strain = extension (ΔL) / original length (L)
 [[File:youngs_vs_density.jpg|600px|thumb|center|Young's modulus vs density comparison]]

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 Below are materials selection charts which provide comparative data on materials and their properties in an easy to use format.
 [[File:youngs_vs_density.jpg|600px|thumb|center|Young's modulus vs density comparison]]
 [[File:strength_vs_cost.jpg|600px|thumb|center|strength vs cost comparison]]

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 ===Textiles===
 #Textiles are used for reinforcement and visually attractive coverings in civil engineering and construction.
 #Leather (made from cow hide) is hard-wearing, can have an attractive glossy or matte finish and can be wiped clean. This makes it a popular covering for furniture like sofas.
 #[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotextile Geotextiles] are fabrics that are used in civil engineering, construction or landscaping applications (e.g. roads, reservoirs and dams) to provide control of the ground. They are permeable which means that they allow water and gases to pass through them while blocking the larger particles of soil, silt or stones. Geotextiles can be used to:
 ##reinforce and stabilise the ground and prevent ingress from weeds and tree roots

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 #[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrous Ferrous metals] are those that contain [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron iron]. Steel, for example. All ferrous metals will rust over time, due to their iron content. All metals change their properties, dependent on how they are heated and cooled.
 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ferrous_metal Non-ferrous metals] are those which do not contain iron, such as brass.
-##A good conductor of electricity and heat, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium aluminum] is a light-weight metal, used in aircraft construction, for power cables, drinks cans and in cookware.
+##A good conductor of electricity and heat, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium aluminium] is a light-weight metal, used in aircraft construction, for power cables, drinks cans and in cookware.
-##[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium Titanium] is a very strong metal, used in making the strongest and lightest parts of modern fighter jet planes, as well as in high-performance sports equipment, medical implants and jewelry. It does not corrode, and has good resistance to sea water and chlorine.
+##[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium Titanium] is a very strong metal, used in making the strongest and lightest parts of modern fighter jet planes, as well as in high-performance sports equipment, medical implants and jewelery. It does not corrode, and has good resistance to sea water and chlorine.
 ===Metals Alloys===
 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass Brass]. Made since biblical times from copper and zinc, brass is used in low-friction applications (e.g. gears and locks), and has a golden colour. It is also used in musical instruments as it has pleasant acoustic properties.
 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze Bronze]. Made from copper and tin, this was the first alloy to be discovered. Bronze is used when it is desirable for parts to be able to last a long time, and not be corroded by air or water.
 #[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel Steel] is an alloy of iron and carbon and other elements. Because of its high tensile strength and low cost, it is a major component used in buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, automobiles, machines, appliances, and weapons.
 #Different [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel steels] are made by adding carbon to iron (0.02%-1.7% carbon). Steel is harder and stronger than iron alone; adding additional carbon results in harder and stronger steel, at the expense of it becoming increasingly brittle. It is used for car bodies, bridge construction, buildings and tools.

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 ===Textiles===
 #Textiles are used for reinforcement and visually attractive coverings in civil engineering and construction.
-#[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotextile Geotextiles] are materials designed to work with soil, such as membranes that allow water to pass through, but that resist weeds growing through them.
+#Leather (made from cow hide) is hard-wearing, can have an attractive glossy or matte finish and can be wiped clean. This makes it a popular covering for furniture like sofas.
-#Leather (made from cow hide) is hard-wearing, can have an attractive glossy or matte finish and can be wiped clean. This makes it a popular covering for furniture like sofas.
+#[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotextile Geotextiles] are fabrics that are used in civil engineering, construction or landscaping applications (e.g. roads, reservoirs and dams) to provide control of the ground. They are permeable which means that they allow water and gases to pass through them while blocking the larger particles of soil, silt or stones. Geotextiles can be used to:
 ===Composites===

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 ==5.2 Materials and components that should be selected when designing and manufacturing products and prototypes==
-#A systems engineer needs to know something about all aspects of Technology in order to produce the best work. One aspect of this is knowing what’s available when selecting materials to fabricate products with. For both the exam and your coursework, you will require a general understanding of the following groupings of materials. Links to external sites have been included throughout; it is strongly recommended that you read up on examples.
+#A systems engineer needs to know something about all aspects of Technology in order to produce the best work. One aspect of this is knowing what’s available when selecting materials to fabricate products with. For both the exam and your coursework, you will require a general understanding of the following groupings of materials. Links to external sites have been included throughout;
 ===Woods===

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 ==5.1 Factors that influence the selection of materials that are used in engineered products==
 #Understand that the selection of materials and components is influenced by a range of factors, including:
 ##functional performance
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 ##environmental considerations
 ##social, cultural and ethical factors
 #As an engineer or designer plans a new product or project, the question of what to make it from needs to be carefully considered.
-#In terms of electronic components, *functional performance* might refer to how much current a resistor can handle or how quickly a transistor can turn on and off.
+#In terms of electronic components, <i>functional performance</i> might refer to how much current a resistor can handle or how quickly a transistor can turn on and off.
-#With materials, *functional performance* might refer to how much compressive force a particular concrete can withstand before rupturing, the ductility of a metal or how hard-wearing a particular grade of steel is when designing gears.
+#With materials, <i>functional performance</i> might refer to how much compressive force a particular concrete can withstand before rupturing, the ductility of a metal or how hard-wearing a particular grade of steel is when designing gears.
 #Aesthetics concerns how a product looks. Not all clients will value this; someone wanting a robot arm for moving car chassis about a factory would want all design effort to be put into making the arm work as quickly, reliably, safely and cost-effectively as possible.
 #A company designing bottles for high-end perfumes would put *aesthetics* high on their list of considerations. Does the material allow the perfume to be clearly seen? Is the density of the glass sufficiently high to give a good tactile experience? Does it need a dye in the glass to further enhance it?

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 ##Carbon nanotubes are carbon molecules organised in a cylindrical structure. They have unique Mechanical, electrical, optical and thermal properties. They are not used extensively at the moment, but a number of potential applications have been identified (click [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube#Current][here]] for list)
-==5.3 Considering the properties/characterisitocs of materials when designing and manufacturing products==
+==5.3 Considering the properties/characteristics of materials when designing and manufacturing products==
 ===5.3a Suitability of materials based on the following properties===
 #When selecting materials for a particular task, it may be necessary to test different samples to ensure that they will need the product specification (e.g. for weight, cost, durability, etc). Many of the explanations here have been taken from the (linked) Wikipedia pages. These are worth a skim-read, as you will be able to then use these vocab words confidently in exam answers and coursework where appropriate.

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 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressive_strength Compressive strength] (resistance to deformation by a crushing load) can be measured by finding the amount of weight required to deform a material. Some materials rupture when the load exceeds their ultimate compressive strength (e.g. Concrete), whereas other materials (e.g. Wood and some plastics) deform. With non-rupturing materials, measurements can be taken of how much force is required to deform samples by 1%, 5%, 10%, etc.
 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardness Hardness] can be measured by taking samples of the different materials that are to be tested which have a sharp corner, and seeing which sample can scratch which material. By comparing all the materials, it will be possible to rank all the samples to establish which is the hardest.
-#[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughness Toughness] (impact resistance) can be tested by placing identical-sized samples of materials in a vice, then subjecting each one to an identical impact (e.g. a hammer blow set up by a jig, and dropped from the same angle each time), and measuring the angle the material is bent to. An [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izod_impact_strength_test][Izod]] test is a similar test (which destroys the sample) that is used in industry.
+#[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughness Toughness] (impact resistance) can be tested by placing identical-sized samples of materials in a vice, then subjecting each one to an identical impact (e.g. a hammer blow set up by a jig, and dropped from the same angle each time), and measuring the angle the material is bent to. An [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izod_impact_strength_test Izod] test is a similar test (which destroys the sample) that is used in industry.
 #[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusibility Fusibility] can be measured by heating samples until they melt, and recording the temperature at which this occurs.
 #[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density Density] is a material's mass per unit volume, calculated as ρ = m / V. Lead, gold and tungsten are increasingly dense metals. Balsa and cork are low-density woods.
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 #[https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malleability Malleability] is substance's ability to deform under pressure (compressive stress). If malleable, a material may be flattened into thin sheets by hammering or rolling (e.g. gold, iron, aluminium).
 #[https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ductility Ductility] is a material's ability to be drawn into a wire by being stretched.
 #[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinability Machinability] the ease with which a metal can be cut (machined) permitting the removal of the material with a satisfactory finish at low cost. Materials with good machinability require little power to cut, can be cut quickly, easily obtain a good finish, and do not wear the tooling much; such materials are said to be free machining.
 ===5.3b Costs and properties of materials===