Material Selection Considerations During Engineering Design Process

Material selection is the foremost factor of a practical engineering design that defines the reliability of the engineering design. Most of the engineering projects fail due to the collection of defective materials. Design equipment may fail to provide desired results if it doesn’t contain the most appropriate materials required in the project.

Material selection is quite vital for the success of engineering applications. In this article, we’ll provide insights into selecting the right material for your engineering project.

Factors to consider before selecting the material for engineering:

• Material Costs: Choose the cost-effective materials that meet the design requirements
• Ability to Manufacture: Although the material is capable of being used for the design, it may be challenging to manufacture. So before selecting the materials, check the availability of the required equipment
• Environmental Impact: How is the material processed in the raw state? It is advisable to choose environment-friendly material that can be recycled after usage
• Mechanical Attributes: It directly impacts the durability and performance of the equipment
• Chemical and Physical Properties: It affects thermal characteristics, weight, and temperature of the material used in the product

Some Mechanical Attributes to Consider in Material Selection

In the selection of the materials, it is necessary to consider some mechanical attributes as it impacts the mechanical characteristics of the product. For instance, in the application that demands high loading on the product, a material with top tensile strengths must be selected. And if the product is used for outdoors, it is necessary to consider the effect of ultraviolet light and other climatic conditions. So, depending on the application’s requirement, mechanical attributes such as tensile strength, impact strength, fatigue limit, flexural strength & modulus, shear strength, compressive strength, yield strength, ductility, and resilience must be considered. Hence, the systematic material selection procedure will ensure the product design is technically fit to yield desired properties.

When it comes to material selection, engineering design depends on:

• Functional Requirements: The materials must be able to withstand a specific load, should be able to transfer heat, and more to meet the operational requirements of the design.
• Objective: The material selection may vary based on durability, weight, size, and more.
• Design Constraints: Some of the design constraints are fixed dimensions; the material should not bend under pressure, able to retain physical form and strength at high temperatures, and more.

What is the Importance of Material Selection?

If the systematic material selection process is not followed, it impacts the overall design of the product, making it highly vulnerable to failure. So, consider the mechanical material attributes based on the defined function, objective, and constraints of your design requirements.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFA) analysis techniques enable to identify the shortcomings and recognizes material properties that need to be changed or improved. Thus, it helps you to choose the best materials that boost your product’s durability, performance, and end-result.

Conclusion

Material selection is the most critical aspect that defines the success of the product. We hope that the considerations mentioned above for selecting material for the engineering design process will help you evaluate it for your next project. If you seek help for analyzing your project design and development, consider hiring an experienced detail engineering design service provider adhering to international codes and standards.

Judith Morrison is an expert in the field of industrial engineering and writes articles related to piping, civil, equipment engineering related articles.