Engineering Materials Selection
5 weeks · 0 milestones
Perform a structured materials selection exercise for a specific engineering application, documenting the full selection process from requirements to final recommendation. The exercise must include: translation of functional requirements into material property targets (at least 4 performance indices with calculated values), screening using an Ashby property chart or equivalent to eliminate unsuitable material classes, ranking of at least 5 candidate materials using a weighted decision matrix (criteria weights justified, not arbitrary), a documentation of supporting information searched for each shortlisted material (manufacturer datasheets, standards, published test data), and a final recommendation with an explicit cost-vs-performance trade-off discussion. The application must be real or physically grounded — not abstract. Accessible alternative: free Ashby chart resources from open mechanical engineering textbooks (Ashby's Materials Selection in Mechanical Design is in many university open-access repositories); CES EduPack student version is free. Proof artifacts: the decision matrix and screening analysis (analysis artifact) and the materials selection report with recommendation (documentation artifact). Verification: a mechanical engineer or materials specialist challenges the decision matrix weighting — 'if fatigue life was 3× more important than density, would your recommendation change?' — requiring you to defend your criteria priorities.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Identify the component or structure that requires material selection — a structural bracket, heat exchanger tube, gear, housing, or similar. Define the design requirements: mechanical loads (stress, fatigue), thermal environment (operating temperature range), chemical exposure (corrosive media), manufacturing constraints, and cost targets. Translate these into quantitative material property targets (minimum yield strength, maximum thermal conductivity, maximum density, etc). Clear property targets prevent the most common selection error: choosing a material that meets some requirements while failing others.
Proof required
Submit your requirements document (≥500 words): the component description, service conditions (loads, temperatures, chemical exposure), manufacturing constraints, and a table of quantitative material property targets with justification for each.
What gets checked
- Property targets are quantitative — 'minimum yield strength ≥ 250 MPa' not 'strong enough'
- At least four distinct property targets are stated covering mechanical, thermal, chemical, and cost/manufacturing requirements
- Each target is justified by reference to the service condition that drives it