Dummies Guide to Materials Science
 

apparently does not exist, but I thought some others might be interested in this:

Aird, Forbes. 1994. Racer's Encyclopedia of Metals, Fibers & Materials. Motorbooks Intl. Osceola, WI.
- non-technical, practical guide with pretty good explanations tho a bit dated. Does not go into why metals perform the way they do, e.g. no discussion of lattice structures.

He does mention the Beryllium rotors used on some PAG racers, and that corrosion in MG alloys is now known to be due to impurities -- not to the alloys properties itself.

I refer to Aird's manual quite often. Nice read, good racecar-related information and reference. So, who has the latest info on race materials?

Sherwood

Ask me in about 10 weeks. Im currently enrolled in Engineering 54- materials and science of Engineering at UCI :D

Seriously though, have you looked at Carroll Smith's "engineer to win" book? I got that for christmas and it goes over materials.

I've read the screw to win book, but got busy and never had a chance to post on it. Some pages I copied are floating aobut in the flotsam that constitutes the part of my office that is NOT devoted to saving endangered species -- my main 'hobby'.

You might want to post on that book yourself - sound slike a different one.

Also, why not post some stuff from your course - might beinteresting to hotrodders, the many working engineers on here, and the odd techno-masochist. Good luck with your studies.

The materials class I had to take for my engineering degree was one of my favorites.

All motorheads should know what an eutectic is. :D

Ive only had 2 lectures so far (the quarter started last wednesday). Its really interesting so far. Mostly we're looking at crystelline structures right now and why ceramics are so much stronger then alloys.

Something else thats interesting; if you take certain metals, heat them up, and splash it on a cold surface properly you can change its structure so its like plastic (amorphous material).

Much of what we're learning right now is what materials are, so its not interesting at all. For instance, knowing Aluminum is a face centered cubic structure doesnt mean anything...

That's good knowledge, but you're on a dangerous slope. Next thing you know, you'll get hooked.

You'll change career paths.

You'll get degrees in metallurgy.

You'll go crazy trying to explain what you do to people that respond to the word "metallurgist" with "Huh?"

Seriously -- It's great to see people interested in learning about the stuff around them. More people should.

Come to the dark side...

(speaking as half of a 2-metallurgist household)

As a design engineer, I have to make decisions regarding materials nearly every day and what I've found it that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. I have a deep respect for people that *really* know that stuff.

Mike

Racer's Encyclopedia of Metals, Fibers & Materials (Motorbooks International Powerpro)
by Forbes Aird

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/08...CMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

why are ceramics so much stronger then alloys?

And, BTW, a lot of boring stuff is imp. backgnd to build on late r - at least in biology - I don't know anything about face centered cubic things.

Ceramics stronger than alloys? Because Alloys use a cube structure with anions (the big ions like aluminum) spaced so approx 74% of the unit cube is filled with material. Basically aluminum is 74% dense with aluminum ions. Ceramics have a structure with cations (if its NaCl Na is the anion/big ion and Cl is the cation that takes up the remainder of the space), so you have a material that is ~84% dense because the cations fill the gaps the bigger anions make. This is so much easier to explain with some styrofoam balls...

I was very angry when my materials teacher said we're not going to spend much time on metalurgy because its "outdated." I know for a fact its not, but she said "none of you are going to work for US Steel, so you dont need it." I know the engineers at my dad's old work (precision aerospace machinists) used metalurgy all the time when dealing with bit temperature and strctural integrity...

metallurgy outdated? ridiculous!

btw, i am the manager of the mechanical engineering group at an aerospace company.

I have a book for you - it deals with some of the most advanced structures known:

The adaptive geometry of trees, by Henry Horn. Monographs in Population Biology #??, published by Princeton Univ. Press. I forget the year. It will be in any univ. library.


Rather than just getting angry, talk to her about the parameter space occupied by metal alloys and how it has shrunk over time, and what will happen to it in the future - it may not shrink in all respects. Also, get her to comment on how to perhaps combine composite structures with alloys is some way. Then ask if there are any opportunities for ind. res. classes, directed studies, papers, or what not. i.e. use it as a way to learn - that's what you're paying for - to get challenged by the profs, if not the students.

Mjohnson tell me what happens to the colbalt in a SPS mp35n bolt when it is irradiated in the blast? And Mike imagine what would have happened if the old German boys from Huntsville had what Mjohnsons old boys at Los Alamos had for their A-4. Just kidding, I have friend who thinks composites will replace metals He is Very Wrong.

"No, I'm not going to work for US Steel, I'm going to work for US Titanium!"

So since my 944 is liquid cooled, is it amorphous?

Can I get a set of eutectics to fit and '86 3.2 ? After that upgrade I'm looking to change the Poisson's ratio.

I think I dropped Materials when I was in college (never finished college, but I just started back on Monday). The information was really interesting, but I really didn't like the teacher. Not that it has anything to do with it, but it was a woman. Interesting. 2 female Materials teachers.

An old jingle from my days at the Tute, e to the x dy dx e to the x dx sec tan cos sin 3.14159 sqrt qubrt log of pi ---- em over RPI.

nice jingle... never heard my dad ('57?) do that one (you would be laughing if you knew him).

MPdevelopment-

When were you at the 'tute?

I would be willing to bet money that your teacher is a specialist that does not deal with metals.

The one bad thing about college is that most professors are opinionated specialists who think that their particular field of study is the center of the universe and everything else isn't important.

Untrue - professors recognize that the center of the universe also includes the broader field of study occupied by their own profs and their students and friends.

I just took a course in Mat Sci last term, it was pretty interesting, but not as in depth as I had hoped. I'd recommend it to anyone dealing with metals and alloys though. Even just the stress/strain/elastic modulus stuff comes in handy when mentally analyzing stuff.

Gerry, On and off till 1982 long time ago. Things have changed, many more young girls in engineering these days. When I was there had something like a 12/1 ratio woman/men, no PCs, sitll used Key punch cards ......

Anyone go to CSOM Colorado School of Mines?

MPD - I was there 68-72, I decided right then that computers wouldn't make it because of those unweildy punch cards, there were 5 identifiable women. I wound up in plastics, only missing the sweet spot by about 10 years.

Still just outside of Troy, waiting for the snow to melt and the rain to wash the salt so the Carrera and I can tke a ride.

Colorado School of Mines?

- a friend of mine teaches physics there... terrible little office they stuck him in -- but he doesn't seem to care since he has two big workstations to futz around with. He seems to pretty much live inside them.

Interesting, I asked because a childhood friend of mine teaches/taught (not sure if he's still there) there as well. He taught Metallurgical and Material Engineering. Haven't heard from him since he was 20 or so. I imagine he's in his mid 30's now. His name is John Wise. Since you guys were on "his" topic I was hoping for a small-world connection:)

I'll second Carroll Smith's Engineer to Win book. Good tips on a few alloys and where to use them and why.

Say can anyone tell me the chemical symbol for Unobtainium? ;)

I think it's $¢

B of Material Science and Engineering with an option in Polymer Science from PSU here.

With my focus on polymer science and all I didn't get a ton of metals or ceramics, but a lot of chemistry. I will say if you take the time to actually understand even a basic intro to matsce book, specifically packing structures etc. you will be light years ahead of most.

If you take your time, you will find it easy and enjoyable!

Arrg i am a geek...

no, it is... Rsr

Yup!

1992 - 1998. The wife did the same and is commuting back and forth for her phd.

Fun little school - great town to be 'stuck' in for 6 years if you're from Michigan.

The name Wise in the MME department rings a bell, but I haven't darkened those halls for (ack!) 7 years now.

That is definitely when we was there. It appears he has moved on now though as his email there is nonfunctional.

I've been a Metallurgist for 9 years now and I will say it has come in handy. When applying to your passion, I agree with 1980 911sc, it is enjoyable but I'm not a geek!!!

Ask her if the basics of metalurgy aren't taught, how is transparent aluminum going to get invented?

I have a degree in Metallurgical Engineering. It's a bit of an obscure field. I didn't even know it existed as an area of study (after working as a machinist !?!) until my second year of engineering school, and then I had to change schools in order to take it.