Changes being observed in Material Selection Pattern today

As discussed in Lecture 1, materials selection today are based on evaluating a series of performance characteristics, process characteristics, sustainability and business consideration related issues. To name a few under these categories, the following could be listed:

1. Price and Availability
2. Mechanical Properties: Density, Modulus, Damping, Yield Strength, Tensile Strength, Hardness, Fracture Toughness, Fatigue Strength, Thermal Fatigue Resistance and Creep Strength
3. Other functional properties: Thermal, Optical, Magnetic and Electrical Properties
4. Oxidation, Corrosion, Friction, Abrasion and Wear
5. Ease of Manufacture, Joining
6. Appearance, Texture, Feel

Due to the tremendous advances in material science, there is an increasing trend to use a combination of different materials in the form of composites. Mixing rules are developed to accurately simulate the outcome of mixing two materials at different proportions.

The other change is in terms of using multifunctional materials. For example, in automobile industry often preference is given to a material which has better electro-magnetic properties in addition to the mechanical properties. In the packaging industry, especially for computer hardware and drives, good shock absorption property along with the capacity of electro-magnetic-interference shielding are desired.

With the crunches in resource base, sustainability has become another key issue.
The new buzz word in design is ‘Eco-efficient Design’.