Materials Selection for Mechanical Design III

A Brief Overview of a Systematic Methodology Process Selection

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 1

Process Selection

A process is a method for shaping, joining, or finishing materials Processes have many attributes Tolerance Surface Roughness Mass Range Size Range Economic Batch Size Capital Costs Production Rate Only certain materials can be shaped or formed by certain processes Certain designs can be achieved with certain processes and certain materials

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 2

Manufacturing Processes: Shaping, Joining, or Surface Treating

Shaping

Shaping

Sand casting

Blow molding

Joining

Surface treating

Fusion welding
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Induction hardening
Materials Systems Laboratory
Materials Selection III Slide 3

Important Factors in Process Selection

Shaping

The material to be shaped The shape of the part The material(s) to be joined The geometry of the joint The purpose of the treatment The material to which it will be applied
Materials Systems Laboratory
Materials Selection III Slide 4

Joining

Surface Treating

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Examples of Process Selection Issues

Can't use molding processes with wood Machining of Composites and Ceramics is very rare Can't use high pressure casting processes with refractory metals Shape can determine which processes can be used to form a material

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 5

Shape Classification
Some processes can make only simple shapes, others, complex shapes
ALL SHAPES

Prismatic
Circular Non-circular Flat

Sheet
Dished Solid

3D
Hollow

Wire drawing, extrusion, rolling, shape rolling: prismatic shapes

Stamping, folding, spinning, deep drawing: sheet shapes

Casting, molding, powder method: 3-D shapes

Figure by MIT OCW.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 6

Example: Polyethylene Bottles

Function:

Shape a PE bottle

Objective: N/A Constraints:

Material: PE (thermoplastic) Shape: 3D Hollow Mass: 0.02 0.04 kg Minimum Section: 0.7-1 mm Tolerance: 1 mm Surface Roughness: 10 m Batch Size: >106 Choice of process
Figure by MIT OCW.

Free variables:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 7

Using constraints in limit stage, selected process is injection blow molding

1e8

Injection Blow m oulding

1e7

Injection m oulding, therm oplastics

1e6

Economic batch size (units)

100000

10000

1000

100

10

Chart from the CES EduPack 2005, Granta Design Limited, Cambridge, UK. (c) Granta Design. Courtesy of Granta Design Limited. Used with permission.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 8

Example combining material, shape, process: Lightweight Member Loaded in Bending

From material index, nonferrous alloys are best choice Process Selection: Choose process that makes nonaxisymmetric prismatic shapes and can be used with nonferrous alloys
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Material Index including shape factor

( E ) M=
e B

1/ 2

Cm

Non-axisymmetric Prismatic Shape

Nonferrous Alloys

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 9

Bending Member Example: Process Selection Procedure

Die Casting Machining Machining Extrusion Die Casting Extrusion

Only extrusion satisfies both processing constraints

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 10

Bending Member Example: Final Selection

Material, shape, and process combine to meet performance criteria
Materials

Aluminum

Extrusion

Process

Shape

I-beam

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005

Materials Systems Laboratory

Materials Selection III Slide 11

Summary

Selection procedure should start early and keep all possibilities until eliminated by project considerations and constraints Use project objectives to establish constraints and project attributes Usually will have to rank priorities and make tradeoffs Material, shape, and process can be used in concert to meet project objectives
Materials Systems Laboratory
Materials Selection III Slide 12

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, 2005