Search Results for engineered products

Aluminum mill products are those that have been subjected to plastic deformation by hot- and cold-working mill processes such as rolling, extruding, and drawing, either singly or in combination. Microstructural changes associated with the working and with any accompanying thermal treatments are used to control certain properties and characteristics of the worked, or wrought, product or alloy. This article discusses the designation system, classification, product forms, corrosion and fabrication characteristics, and applications of wrought aluminum alloys. Commercial wrought aluminum products are divided into flat-rolled products (sheet, plate, and foil); rod, bar, and wire; tubular products; shapes; and forgings. The article discusses factors affecting the strengthening mechanisms, fracture toughness, and physical properties of aluminum alloys, in addition to the effects of alloying on the physical and mechanical properties. Important alloying elements and impurities are listed alphabetically as a concise review of major effects.

The purpose of this article is to assist the reader in understanding the role that an engineering expert witness plays in evaluating incidents related to product liability, so that he or she may become better acquainted with the role that an engineer plays in such litigation. The topics covered are admissibility of expert opinions, how to evaluate data, factual evidence, mandatory and voluntary standards, physical evidence, medical records, scientific literature, design decisions evaluation, environment of use, user's contribution, reports of opposing experts, report of findings, and deposition and trial testimonies.

Aluminum, the second most plentiful metallic element, is an economic competitor in various applications owing to its appearance, light weight, fabricability, physical properties, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. This article discusses the primary and secondary production of aluminum and classification system for cast and wrought aluminum alloys. It talks about various manufactured forms of aluminum and its alloys, which are classified into standardized products such as sheet, plate, foil, rod, bar, wire, tube, pipe, and structural forms, and engineered products such as extruded shapes, forgings, impacts, castings, stampings, powder metallurgy parts, machined parts, and metal-matrix composites. The article also reviews important fabrication characteristics in the machining, forming, forging, and joining of aluminum alloys. It concludes with a description of the major industrial applications of aluminum, including building and construction, transportation, consumer durables, electrical, machinery and equipment, containers and packaging, and other applications.

Solid modeling is the act of creating the three-dimensional models of various components and system using a computer-aided design (CAD) tool. This article describes the fundamental approaches of solid modeling, such as manufacturing operation simulation, parametric approach, and reference entities. It discusses the application of solid modeling systems to create expressions or variables and various surfaces for components. The use of high-end CAD systems to afford a number of sheet metal functions is reviewed. The article explains the explicit-parametric modeling and model verification for the solid modeling. It provides information on the application of solid modeling in associativity and concurrent engineering, product lifecycle management, and collaborative engineering.

Consolidation of titanium powders at room temperature may be performed by low-cost conventional powder metallurgy processes. This article provides information on various consolidation methods, namely, die pressing, direct powder rolling, and cold isostatic pressing. It also describes the sintering of blended elemental powders, high-strength titanium alloys, and porous material as well as the sintering of titanium powders by microwave heating.

Life-cycle engineering is a part-, system-, or process-related tool for the investigation of environmental parameters based on technical and economic measures. This article focuses on life-cycle engineering as a method for evaluating impacts. It describes the four steps of life-cycle analysis, namely, goal definition and scoping, inventory analysis, impact assessment and interpretation, and improvement analysis. The article discusses the applications of life-cycle analysis results and presents a case history of life-cycle analysis of an automobile fender.

Aluminum and its alloys are used in a broad range of applications. This article discusses the primary and secondary production of aluminum and the classification system for cast and wrought products. It describes some of the more common manufactured forms, including commercial wrought aluminum products, aluminum alloy engineered castings, powder metallurgy parts, and metal-matrix composites. The article also reviews fabrication characteristics such as machining, forming, forging, and joining. It concludes with a description of the major industrial applications of wrought and cast aluminum alloys.

Engineering design should result in a product that performs its function efficiently and economically within the prevailing legal, social, safety, and reliability requirements. This introductory article discusses some key considerations in design, material selection, and manufacturing that a materials engineer should take into account to satisfy such requirements. It includes a brief section on concurrent engineering, which companies use to ensure that all needed input is obtained and addressed concurrently throughout the product lifecycle, including material selection and processing, product design, cost analysis, manufacturing, recyclability, and performance.

Engineering plastics offer unique product benefits based on physical properties, or combinations of physical properties, that allow vastly improved product performance. Providing an overview of the general characteristics and the mechanical and environmental stress response of engineering plastics, this article discusses various factors, including thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, environmental factors, and material cost that are important in the selection of engineering plastics for specific applications.

Documentation must be focused toward explaining a specific task such as design process, by conveying the needs of product engineering, materials engineering, and manufacturing. This article describes how documentation supports the process of bringing a product to market, who uses the information, and how it serves as a key form of communication, with examples. It discusses the key features that most documents must define. The article describes the requirements of engineering and manufacturing and how drawings are used as a communication medium.

Integrated computational materials engineering refers to the use of computer simulations that integrate mathematical models of complex metallurgical processes with computer models used in component and process design. This article outlines an example of a computer-aided engineering tool, such as virtual aluminum castings (VAC), developed and implemented for quickly developing durable cast aluminum power train components. It describes the procedures for the model development of the VAC system. These procedures include linking the manufacturing process to microstructure, linking microstructures to mechanical properties, linking material properties to performance prediction, and model validation and integration into the engineering process. The article discusses the benefits of the VAC system in process selection, process optimization, and improving the component design criteria.

Dip soldering is accomplished by submerging parts to be joined into a molten solder bath. This article provides an overview of dip soldering, its applications, and the equipment used. The article also provides information on the safety measures to be taken by production personnel when operating solder pots.

The hazards associated with thermal spray deposition processes include ultraviolet and infrared radiation; acoustical noise; and by-product production in the forms of nitrous oxides, ozone, fumes, and dust. The most important consideration in health and safety is to use the engineered controls of hazards. This article provides a brief description of the spray booth, the most commonly used engineering tool to separate the operator from the thermal spray process and confine the associated hazards. It also presents guidelines on the proper and safe handling of industrial gases and ventilation and heat exhaust. The article provides information on the personal protective equipment for eyes and skin from radiation, and ears from noise. It also discusses other potential safety hazards associated with thermal spraying, namely, magnetic fields and infrasound.

This article describes design factors for products used in engineering applications. The article groups these factors into three categories: functional requirements, analysis of total life cycle, and other major factors. These categories intersect and overlap, constituting a major challenge in engineering design. Performance specifications, risk and hazard analysis, design process, design for manufacture and assembly, design for quality, reliability in design, and redesign are considered for functional requirements. Life-cycle analysis considers raw-material extraction from the earth and product manufacture, use, recycling (including design for recycling), and disposal. The other major factors considered include evaluation of the current state of the art for a given design, designing to codes and standards, and human factors/ergonomics.

Value analysis (VA) is a team problem-solving process to improve the value of a product from the viewpoint of a user. This article presents a comparison between VA and total quality management in materials selection and design. It discusses the key attributes, concepts, and activities of the VA. The application of value engineering in U.S. government contracts and the construction industry is reviewed. The article describes the eight phases of the VA process: preparation, information, analysis, creation, synthesis, development, presentation and report, and implementation and follow-up. It presents case studies that illustrate the materials-related aspects of the VA process.

Concurrent engineering is product development that is done by concurrently utilizing all of the relevant information in making each decision. This article discusses the three aspects that must be taken into account for all product development decisions. The aspects include product functionality, production capability, and field-support capability. The concurrent process is carried out by a multifunctional team that integrates the specialties. The article schematically illustrates product design team configurations with subsystem teams and team of subsystem leaders. It discusses the three-step decision-making process, such as requirements, concepts, and improvement, followed by multifunctional product development teams. The article describes the two types of requirements development by multifunctional teams, namely, quality function deployment and functional analysis. It schematically illustrates the integration of product requirements and concept development. The article concludes with a discussion on the improvement of concepts in terms of robust design and mistake minimization.