Materials Selection

Code:

M.EMAT010

Acronym:

SM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Science and Technology of Materials

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Metallurgy, Materials and Technological Processes Section
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Materials Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M.EMAT	36	Syllabus	1	-	6	39	162

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

The Material Selection UC aims to introduce a methodology for selecting materials and forming processes for components. This methodology, developed by Prof. Michael F. Ashby and commercialized by Ansys Granta, uses the Granta EduPack software for the selection of materials, based on the mechanical loads to which the components may be subject. This software associates a database of material properties, with interactive graphical representation tools that allow exploring and comparing material properties, with material selection tools. The curricular unit presents the concepts, demonstrates, deduces and applies the material selection indices, and applies them to the development of products and components.

In this way students broaden their knowledge of engineering materials and acquire material selection skills. Knowing how to choose the right material for an engineering application or finding a suitable substitute is an asset for a materials engineer.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course unit the learner is expected to be able to: Explain the basic concepts of the material selection procedure:
Explain the basic concepts of the material selection procedure by formulating problems in terms of function, objectives, constraints and free variable, using performance indices, multiple and/or conflicting objectives.

Use the CES Edupack software tools to create graphs, search and select materials.

Apply the selection procedure to real problems, case studies, which involve the analysis of the problem and the definition of requirements (establishing the working conditions and functions, main requests, objectives and constraints).

Analyse the case studies already solved in the support book. Derive the performance indexes, select the best solution, justifying the simplifications used. Critically evaluate the solution in comparison with existing solutions.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Students must have previous knowledge between manufacture process and main materials properties

Program

1. The design process: concept and alternative types of design. Design tools and materials database. Relationship between component function, material, geometry and processing. Example of development of design concept. 2. Engineering materials and their characteristic properties: materials families – metals, polymers, glasses, ceramics, elastomers and hybrid materials. Range of typical properties of each materials family. 3. Materials properties charts: concepts, types of exploration of materials properties by using materials charts. 4. General selection of materials: selection strategies, materials index and component profile, selection processes by specification of functional requirements: requirements transcription, selection by attribute limits and ordering of materials index. Attribute limit and materials index. Components functional requirements and selection methodology of materials index. Transcription methodology of component functional requirements. Materials selection based on attributes limits. Ordering: materials index and letters. Complementary information. Materials selection based on Ces EduPack software and using materials databases. Structural indexes. Examples of application and study cases. 5. Multiple constrains and Conflicting obejctives: selection with multiple constrains. Antagonistic objectives, penalization function and permutation constants 6. Materials selection and component shape effect: Limits for shape efficiency. Structural section. Component shape influence on the selection of materials index. Simultaneous selection of shape and material. 7. Moulding processes: components geometrical attributes and implication in moulding processes selection. Processes families: moulding, joining. Processes systematic selection strategy. Processes selection based on economic criteria.

Mandatory literature

Ashby, Michael F.; Materials selection in mechanical design. ISBN: 0-7506-6168-2

Complementary Bibliography

Ashby, M., Shercliff, H., Cebon, D.; Materials: Engineering, Science, Processing and Design, Butterworth-Heinemann - Elsevier, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-85617-895-2 (This reference regardes more with material properties)

Teaching methods and learning activities

Classes consist of a brief presentation of the most relevant theoretical aspects and the use of the CES Edupack software to solve material selection problems.
Students will be assigned projects that will consist of a material selection problem in mechanical design. The project will be developed by students, organized in groups of 3/4, outside of class time. The results will be presented in the midle and at the end of the semester: presentation and a poster.


This curricular unit is very much based on personal learning, and for that students receive a license to use the software for material selection. Students are encouraged to explore the software to find their own solutions, expose and discuss them with their colleagues and the lecturers. The solutions and the material selection procedure should reflect and apply the knowledge acquired in other curricular units of the study cycle.

Software

CES EduPack

keywords

Technological sciences > Engineering > Project engineering
Technological sciences > Engineering > Materials engineering

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	60,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	83,00
Frequência das aulas	39,00
Elaboração de projeto	40,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Project execution with mandatory prersence at presentations.

Calculation formula of final grade

60% tests average grade/exam grade + 40% project grade (10% midle presentation, 10% poster presentation and 20% final poster).

Minimum grade of 8 values in the average of the two tests/at the final exam.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Examination of Appeal or equivalent written test

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Examination of Appeal or equivalent written test

Classification improvement

Examination of Appeal or equivalent written test

Observations

None.