Chapter 8 Behavior and Characteristics of Manufacturing Materials
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to develop products that will sell better than those
offered by the competition. For example, one type
of sunblock cover for dog pens that is purchased by
many consumers is made of lightweight blue plastic.
These covers are less costly than engineered synthetic
or canvas covers. The problem is that the low-cost cov-
ers often will not withstand continued exposure to
severe weather conditions, and may deteriorate faster
than covers made of other materials. What is popular
may not be best.
Often, engineers need to look at different types
of products to get new ideas for materials to be used
in the product they will be making. Selecting the
best materials for the job is one of the most impor-
tant things a firm can do in the quest to make great
products and generate profits. Material selection is
one thing that should not be hurried to get a product
out the door.
There is more to the story than just using
materials and processes to make great products.
There are requirements that must be addressed in
dealing with materials. Materials have to be effec-
tively stored before use. Waste materials produced
during manufacturing must be stored or disposed
of. Treatment of these materials may have special
requirements in terms of handling. Many of these
requirements are controlled by laws addressing safety
in the workplace. All of these things are important to
people working in the field of materials engineering.
The Field of Materials
Engineering
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes many
different types of engineers who are involved with
the extraction, development, processing, and test-
ing of materials used in manufacturing. Engineers
dealing with the behavior and composition of metals
are called metallurgical engineers. Some engineers
are concerned with specific materials such as ceram-
ics, polymerics (plastics, woods, and elastomers),
Figure 8-3. Innovations in late-model vehicles enhance vehicle safety. (Ford)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW).
Detects vehicles ahead and cautions
driver of impending collisions
Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Reduces
wheel slip during cornering maneuvers.
Lane Departure Warning (LWD).
Monitors lane marking on the road and
cautions driver of unintentional lane drift
Rear-view Cameras. Help
eliminate blind spots behind vehicles