10 Engineering Materials You Must NEVER Use
Are you an engineer in the industrial or commercial sector? If you are part of the design team, you must know that selecting the best
Category: Engineering Materials
Sustainability Quantified: Key Environmental Indicators in Sustainable Material Selection
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a central aspect of our world, particularly within the materials industry. Multiple sustainability indicators within environmental, economic, and social schemes are
7Cr17MoV vs 7Cr17 Stainless Steel
7Cr17MoV vs 7Cr17 Stainless Steel – what is the difference? 7Cr17MoV stainless steel is the Chinese GB standard grade martensitic steel created by adding a
SUS304 Stainless Steel vs SS304: What’s the Difference?
SUS304 (SUS meaning Steel Use Stainless) stainless steel austenite is typically known as the Japanese name for SS304 or AISI 304. The main difference between
Video of the Day: Indestructible Gloves
The Schmitz Mittz, are taking hand protection to another level. Designed to be practically indestructible, these gloves are made for those who rescue people that
Video of the Day: 3D Printing Human Skin
Functional human skin can now be 3D printed with an adapted printer that covers cuts and wounds with skin cells. 3D printed skin cells heal
What is Garolite? Your guide to G10 Material – Its Properties & Applications
What is Garolite? Garolite is a composite material and brand name for G10 – FR4, which is developed by curing epoxy and fiberglass under high
Density of Milk and the Trick Question About the Weight of a Gallon of Milk
Density is the amount of sustance in a unit, per volume of substance. Below you can see the density equiation and the table with Milk
Video of the Day: Massive 2000°C flame vs. Aerogel infused blanket
Aerogel-infused fiberglass blanket is able to withstand severe 2,000 Celcius heat generated by a flamethrower. Silica aerogel has a sponge-like structure with tiny passages just
Video of the Day: “Second skin” polymer material developed at MIT
The researchers developed a silicone-based polymer that mimics the mechanical and elastic properties of skin. The material uses siloxane-containitng chemicals. Siloxane is a chain of
What types of materials can be coated in Parylene and how to avoid costly mistakes
The most popular question about Parylene: “Can my xxx be Parylene coated?” The number of substrate surfaces that can be coated with parylene is plenty.
Top 5 Hottest Engineering Topics for 2020
These are exciting times to be involved in engineering. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR or Industry 4.0 – whichever you prefer) is in full swing.
What is Parylene coating and when should you use it?
Deciding on the ideal coating for your engineering application is always a very difficult task, you need to decide on chemical, process, mechanical and component
What is Parkerizing, how does it work?
Parkerizing is a method used on ferrous metals such as wrought iron, cast iron, steel and alloy steel, offering added protection from corrosion. This process
Metals Used for Surgical Instruments
Out of all the materials available on the earth, only a few satisfy the design and regularity requirements for use in surgical instruments. In this
The Melting Point of Steel Alloys
In simple terms, the melting point of steel for example, is the temperature when it starts to change from a solid state to a liquid.
3D Printing with Metal Powders
Metal additive manufacturing (AM) has been steadily gaining traction in the manufacturing industry. At present, there is a big focus on advanced aerospace, medical and
Wrought iron vs cast iron: A comparative analysis
Iron is one of the most alloyed elements on earth. It combines with various elements to form numerous materials. These materials all have different desirable
Polyethylene Wax – uses and properties
Do you know of a material that can work as a mould release agent, dispersant and modifier for plastic? Whether utilized for surface properties or
Torlon | polyamide-imide (PAI) – properties and applications
Do you know a thermoplastic as highly performing as Torlon®? The other name for this strong material is polyamide-imide (PAI). PAI’s excellent chemical and physical
Metamaterials – explanation and applications
The dimensioning of materials to suit our needs has soared in the last decade through the use of composites. There are other materials though, human
AISI 304 Stainless Steel: Specification and Datasheet
The SAE/ANSI 304 (AISI 304) is the most commonly available and used type of stainless steel. It is also referred to as 18/8 stainless steel,
Units of Modulus of Elasticity (Young’s Modulus)
Before diving in to take a deeper look at the different types and units of modulus of elasticity (Young’s Modulus), let’s first take a look
4130 Steel Properties and Applications
It is very useful for any mechanical engineer to be aware of 4130 steel properties. 4130 steel, otherwise known as Chromoly or chromium molybdenum steel
Polypropylene properties and uses
Polypropylene is widely regarded as one of the most versatile plastics. Just look around and you will surely spot it, albeit in different forms –
What is thermochromic paint? Where is it used?
Before we look at the many reasons why you would use thermochromic paint, it is worth reminding ourselves exactly what we are talking about. In
7075-T6 aluminium: overview & properties
Have you ever wondered what the ‘perfect’ choice of aluminium for your project is? Aluminium is the most widely used non-ferrous metal, and there are
Chrome plating: benefits and applications
It’s very likely that when people hear the terms; chrome plating, chromium plating, or even just “chrome” what probably comes to mind is the visualization
316 Stainless Steel Properties and Applications
Grade 316 stainless steel is a highly corrosion resistant type of standard grade stainless steel. Have you ever wondered why this alloy fits in such
772 Aluminium Alloy overview and material properties
772 aluminium alloy is a high strength alloy that is widely used in aerospace applications due to its high shock and corrosion resistance properties. The
AISI 316 Stainless Steel: Specification and Datasheet
The SAE / ANSI / AISI 316 is the second most commonly available/widely used type of stainless steel after the SAE/ANSI/AISI 304. Considered the generic
Material Database – Top 10 Engineering Materials Resources on the Web
A material database is a great way to store material data according to their type, physical characteristics, mechanical properties, and standard classifications. This makes material
Yield Strength of Plastics – basic principles, the tensile test and material property table
Yield strength is one of the most important material properties to be aware of. It’s something that every mechanical engineer should know about. Why do
Biomaterials: Read this and be an expert in 10 minutes!
While biomaterials have made enormous progress in recent times, the concept of biomaterials has been around for centuries. In its most basic form it goes
3D Printed Biomaterials, and the first 3D printed organ
One of the new trends within the additive manufacturing sector is bioprinting (otherwise known as 3D printed biomaterials) which has shown promising results when looking
Density of wood in kg/m3, g/cm3, lb/ft3 – the ultimate guide
Wood is a natural resource that comes from trees, and has been used for centuries in a vast amount of different applications from furniture and
6061 Aluminum Properties
It is the 6061 aluminum properties that make it one of the most widely used aluminum alloys, being applied in various fields since 1935. A member
A Guide to Rebar Sizes – an overview of steel reinforcement bars
Steel reinforcing bar, or rebar, is used to reinforce concrete in building work. It can be a complicated area of construction to navigate if you’re
Material Selection in the Digital Age
Too much choice can be paralysing. Just think if you went to a shop to pick up some glue and there were thousands of different
6061-T6 Aluminium – The Ultimate Guide
Aluminium 6061-T6 is a subcategory of the 6061 aluminium alloy, one of the most widely used aluminium alloy categories in the world. The alloy is
