Volume 1:

Material Selection in Mechanical Design and Product

Development

Materials in Mechanical Design and Product Design

1. REFERENCES:

Material Selection in Mechanical Design 4th Ed, Ashby

Material and Process Selection in Mechanical Design
Material Selection in Design, NPTEL

2. DESIGN:

Synthesis + Analysis + Creativity + Decision-making + Problem decomposition + complexity-tosimplicity

Design Process: Need Identification > Concept Generation > Embodiment > System Design > Detail
Design
Need Identification comes from customer, market need, etc.
Concept Generation development of multiple solutions to meet the need
Embodiment Design constraints: (1) Qualitative color, texture, etc. and (2) Quantitative weight, size, etc.

2.1 Product Realization:

Product realization involves material selection. Materials chosen based on:
Performance characteristics to meet functional requirements
Processing characteristics to meet manufacturing and processing constraints
Sustainability characteristics environmental impact constraints
Business considerations to meet business constraints relative to cost and availability
Mechanical design is the design of components that carry mechanical loading including tensile/compressive
forces and bending/twisting moments
Evolution of engineering materials from stone to ceramics, wood, plastics, iron, composites, etc.
2.1.1 Traditional materials:
- Wood good as a compressive and tensile load carrying material and has natural aesthetic beauty
- Ceramics based on sand (silica) is hard, abrasive, and a good thermal insulator
- Steel and aluminum are products of the industrial revolution (18th century)
Steel: Low Carbon, Medium Carbon, High Carbon, and stainless steel
- Low carbon steel (<0.25% carbon) used in structural reinforcements, car body panels, cans, and pressed
sheets
- Medium Carbon (0.25 0.50%) used in rail-road tracks and other low volume applications (cranks and
shafts)
- High Carbon Steel (0.5- 1.6%) used in tools, chisels, cables, and wires
- Stainless Steels: used in high end applications for high strength, corrosion, and high temperature
applications
2.1.2 Trends in material selection today:
- Increasing use of composites
- Increasing use of multifunctional materials: EMI interference, shock absorption, etc.
- Increasing use of plastics and polymer blends (more complex parts, design for assembly, etc.)
Materials in Mechanical Design and Product Design

2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5

2.1.6

Eco-efficient design and reduction in material weights: design based on competitively priced
goods/services with minimum environmental impact
o Seven eco design principles reduce material usage, reduce energy intensity, reduce toxicity,
enhance recyclability, maximize sustainability, extend product life/durability, increase service
life
Trends in material usage and reserves:
Iron, steel, and aluminum are most widely used materials today
Steel consumption is doubling every 20 years
Aluminum consumption is doubling every 9 years
Polymer consumption in increasing and doubling almost every 4 years
Copper, Silver, Tungsten, Tin, and Mercury are rarely available today (becoming scarce)
Impact on the Designer:
Material efficient design: use less material
Substitute to different material use more available material instead of scarce ones
Recycling: stress recyclable material like Aluminum
Classification of materials:
Metals & Alloys
Ceramics & Glasses
Polymers
Composites = mixtures of above
Metal and Alloys
Iron and Steel
o Modulus of Elasticity Range = 180 210 GPa (rate of stress to strain)
o Yield Strength Range = 250 2250 MPa
o Service Temperature = -70 to 600 deg Celsius
o Application: concrete reinforcement, bridges, cables, shafts, gears, springs, bearings, car-bodies,
machines, equipment, ect.
Aluminum and Alloys
o Modulus of Elasticity Range = 65 90 GPa (~1/3 that of steel)
o Yield Strength Range = 30 - 510 MPa
o Service Temperature = -270 to 200 deg C
o Application: lightweight to strength, excellent thermal and electrical properties, Aerospace, car
bodies, packaging, thermal and electrical applications
Copper & Alloys
o Modulus of Elasticity Range =
o Yield Strength Range =
o Service Temperature =
o Application:
Nickel & Alloys
o Modulus of Elasticity Range = 125 245 GPa (comparable to Steel)
o Yield Strength Range = 20 2100 MPa (comparable to Steel)
o Service Temperature = up to 1200 deg C

Materials in Mechanical Design and Product Design

2.1.7

o Application: high temperature application like turbine blades and aerospace

Titanium & Alloys
o Modulus of Elasticity Range = 90 140 GPa (slightly lower than Steel)
o Yield Strength Range = 170 1250 MPa (slightly lower than Steel)
o Service Temperature = -50 t0 500 deg C (good service temperature)
o Application: lighter than steel so used in aerospace applications and for nuclear applications
given its good irradiated properties
Polymers Thermoplastics, Thermosets, and Elastomers
Thermoplastics can be reused by melting
o Polyethylene (PE) elastic modulus = 0.03-1.4 GPa; service temperature limited to ~100 deg C;
PE fibre popular in composities, LDPE and HDPE are popular in containers
o Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA or Acrylic) transparent w/ higher elastic modulus than PE;
good stiffness and low density and good optical properties; tensile strength ~53 to74 MPa;
aerospace applications as cockpit canopies and in lenses and CDs
o Polymide (Nylon) good tensile strength and good for molding applications; tensile strength
~830 MPa; low coefficient of friction (bearing applications); service temperature between (-80 to
120 deg C)
o Polystyrene (PS) available in thin film, blended and foam forms; tensile strength ~ 30 to 60
MPa; widely used for disposable cups and utensils
o Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) cheap yet attractive polymer; similar strength to PS; good corrosion
resistance and UV resistance; used extensively in pipes, fittings, and floorings
Thermosets cannot be reused using heat
o Polyurethane (PU) generally available as foams; used in crash protection and vibration
dampening; low strength modulus; superior material for energy dissipation
o Epoxy used in mechanical joints; good strength and widely used in glass-reinforced and fibre
reinforced plastics
Elastomers superior strain resistance (good stretch-ability)
o Butyl Rubbers good energy dissipation; good resistance to abrasion and tearing; can be used @
temps up to 150 deg C; used for tubes, belts, and hoists
o Silicone Rubbers service temps up to 300 deg C; can be reinforced with fillers to improve
strength; used for seals, gaskets, o-rings, and food processing equipment

2.2 Relative Cost of Materials:

Material
CFRP
Tungsten
Cobalt
Titanium Alloy
Polyamide
PMMA
High Speed Steel
Nylon
GFRP
Stainless Steel
Polycarbonate
Aluminium Alloy

Relative Cost (x 10-4)

6060
787
521
385
306
160
121
96
100
93
77
73

Multiply index by $330, 000 (US$/ton) to get absolute

price ($330, 000 is cost of Boron Epoxy composite
previously used on the Space Shuttle designs.

Materials in Mechanical Design and Product Design

Epoxy
Rubber
HDPE
PS
Mild Steel
Soft Wood
Cement

50
43
37
39
14
13
01

Source: Roymech (http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Matter/Costs.html)

Price $

1000/tonne

1000/m3

Relative cost
(weight)

Relative cost
(volume)

Steel HR (A56)

3,2

24,7

Steel CD (12L40)

7,4

Metal

3,9

30,5

1.23

1.23

Alloy Steel (4130) 9,99

5,3

41,2

1.66

1.66

St.Stl (304L)

15,34

8,1

63,2

2.6

2.56

St.Stl (316L)

20,61

10,9

84,9

3.4

3.44

Aluminium (2011-T3)
8,58

13,1

35,4

4.2

1.43

Copper (C110)

37,91

17,5

156,2

5.6

6.32

Brass (C360)

25,3

11,7

104,3

3.7

4.22

Bronze

42,09

19,5

173,5

6.2

7.0

98

441

31

17.8

Titanium (6AL-4VG5)
107

Materials in Mechanical Design and Product Design