Unit 7: Materials Engineering

Learning hours: 60
NQF level 4: BTEC Higher National - H1

Description of unit

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with the necessary background knowledge
and understanding of the properties, selection, processing and use of materials.

Summary of learning outcomes

To achieve this unit a learner must:

1 Select suitable materials

2 Identify relationships between manufacturing processes and materials'

behaviour

3 Select materials and processing for a specified product

4 Diagnose causes of failure of materials.

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Content

1 Suitable materials

Criteria for selection: definitions of material properties appropriate to the

learner's programme of study (eg Aerospace, Mechanical, etc); properties may
include mechanical, physical, chemical, process characteristics and an appreciation
of costs; range of materials to include metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites

Categorise materials: an appreciation of the properties of ceramics, metals and

polymers; recognise the microstructural characteristic of the more commonly used
engineering materials

Test data: measurement of electrical and general physical, mechanical, chemical

and processing properties of materials (eg metals, ceramics, polymers and
composites) appropriate to the learner's programme. For example, tests could
include:

Electrical/magnetic: conductivity/resistivity, magnetic susceptibility

Mechanical: strength, hardness, toughness, fatigue, creep

Others: corrosion and reactivity, wear, optical, thermal, formability

Attention should be paid to the reliability of results and the observation of trends
in results by using appropriate statistical methods and the processing of test data.

Sources: suitable data (eg British Standards, ISO, product data sheets, IT
sources, standard published data sources, manufacturers' literature, job-specific
information such as specifications, test data and engineering drawings as
appropriate to the learner's programme); assessment of data reliability

2 Relationships

Manufacturing processes: a selection of processes depending on the learner's

programme (eg Aerospace, Mechanical, etc) which may include some of the
following:

Heat treatment: for example Martensitic decomposition; complex heat treatments

(eg involving conjoint mechanical/thermal treatments); glass transitions; coated
materials; CVD/vacuum coating processes; chip technology; surface
treatments/surface engineering; polymer treatments; composites/powder produced
materials, matrix/reinforcement relationships, dispersion strengthening
Liquid processing: eg metal casing and injection moulding/extrusion of polymers;
porosity

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 Mechanical processing: eg effect on structure and properties illustrated by a range
of processes such as mechanical working of metals, powder processing, metals and
ceramics, extrusion and forming of polymer sheet, residual stresses, joining,
welding, effect on structure and properties, adhesives

Composition and structure: alloying; co-polymerisation; additives; cross-linking -

effects on structure and properties; crystallinity

Structure/property relationships: the effects of the processing method on the

resulting properties (eg cast structures, work hardening)

3 Materials and processing

Functional analysis: in terms of the design constraints (eg working conditions such
as applied forces (stress, strain, etc), environment, electrical/magnetic
requirements, etc) and the shape, form and function of the product

Materials, properties and processing: recognising the inter-relationship between

product design, material selection and processing methods; merit index/index of
suitability

Processing limitations: effects of the manufacturing processing on the

structure of materials preventing or facilitating product design

4 Causes of failure

Causes of failure: including failure of metals, ceramics, polymers and composites;

applications should cover a range appropriate to the learners' background and
needs (eg may include creep, fatigue, impact, overstressing, corrosion,
temperature, thermal cycling, residual stresses, stress relaxation, degradation
(composition change), radiation, electrical breakdown, or combinations of these)

Service life: considerations should include the response of various materials to

such effects as inappropriate maintenance, inappropriate use, faults (in
manufacture, materials, selection and design) and changes in service conditions
such as, environment, stress and temperature

Estimation: methods of investigating failure should be known in outline;

estimates of product service life that requires the use of calculations (eg
creep or fatigue failure)

Improving service life: remedial and/or preventative measures, for example,

changes to material, product design, protective systems (eg for corrosion),
service conditions (eg stress, type of loading, temperature)

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Outcomes and assessment criteria

Guidance

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Delivery

This unit may be delivered as a stand-alone package or integrated into other appropriate
programme units. If it is delivered in an integrated way, care must be taken to provide
tracking evidence for the outcomes, and centres should be aware that study and assessment
at an individual outcome level could lead to an assessment overload. Wherever possible, a
practical approach should be adopted. Learning and assessment can be across units, at unit
level or at individual outcome level. Effort should be made to identify the relevance of the
principles covered to engineering applications and system design.

Assessment

Evidence of outcomes may be in the form of assignments, reports of practical activities,

computer printouts, solutions to applied problems or the results of previously unseen
tests/examinations. Evidence is likely to be at individual outcome level in order to provide
maximum flexibility of delivery.

Evidence may be accumulated by learners building a portfolio of activities or by a tutor-led

combination of tests and assignments. In either case, the evidence must be both relevant and
sufficient to justify the grade awarded.

Links

This unit may be linked with Unit 6: Engineering Design. Entry requirements for this unit are
at the discretion of the centre. However, it is advised that learners should have completed
appropriate BTEC National units or equivalent.

Resources

Access to suitable laboratory equipment and test instrumentation is required. A supply of

relevant materials is necessary. The range of tests chosen will depend on the learner's
working environment and particular needs. It is advised that metals, ceramics, polymers and
composites should be selected as samples for appropriate tests so that an appreciation of
the variation in procedures for different materials is developed.

Support materials

Textbooks

 Benham P - Mechanics of Engineering Materials (Longman, 1997) ISBN 058231867X

 Higgins - Properties of Engineering Materials 2nd Ed (Arnold, 1997) ISBN 0340700521

 Kalpakjian S -Manufacturing Processes for Engineering Materials (Pearson, 2002) ISBN

0130408719

 Timings R L - Engineering Materials - 2nd Ed (Longman, 2000) ISBN 0582404665

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