The Essence of Materials for Engineers,
Abstract
Citation
(2011), "The Essence of Materials for Engineers,", Assembly Automation, Vol. 31 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2011.03331aaa.015
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:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
The Essence of Materials for Engineers,
The Essence of Materials for Engineers
Article Type: Book review From: Assembly Automation, Volume 31, Issue 3
Robert W. Messler, JrJones and Bartlett Learning2011$107.95562 pp.ISBN: 9780763778330web site: www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763778330/,
The Essence of Materials for Engineers (EME) is a broad survey of the area of material science supported by quantitative problem solving and research activities for engineering students. This challenging task is daunting but EME does deliver an extremely large breadth of subjects covering not only metals, but ceramics and polymers as well. The author blends textual subject matter while introducing data and graphical representations to explain and examine material behavior and phenomena.
EME is targeted at undergraduate engineering students, but could serve as an excellent broad review for advanced students and experienced engineers in the profession.
EME dedicates the first quarter of the book to laying the fundamental foundations for understanding material science in the section called “Structures”. The periodic table is introduced and atomic bonding, electronic structure are analyzed. The subject of crystalline structure is developed first with the perfect crystal structure and then expanded to the real world of imperfections, semi-crystalline and amorphous structures, including glasses and polymers.
With this solid foundation in the physics and chemistry of material science, EME develops the concepts of “Properties” in the second section of the book. This section on properties presents the material properties from the point of view of how a material behaves in the face of a stimulus. The stimuli that are discussed in the text are mechanical forces, electrical field and heat. Appropriately, most of this section is dedicated to mechanical stimuli, both static and dynamic, and treats the condition of deformation or the lack of thereof, within the context of fracture for metals, ceramics and polymers. Electrical and thermal properties are discussed briefly in one chapter each.
The third section of this book is dedicated to “Processing” and its ability to alter material properties. An essential part of processing is the ability to discern what impact the processing is having, and thus significant attention is given to the classic tools of metallurgy examining grain structure and the effects of annealing and grain refinement in conjunction with cold working and strain induced transformations. Phase diagrams are introduced in the discussion of alloying to strengthen materials, and developed further in the presentation of heat induced transformations. Finally, composite materials are discussed within the framework of additions to a material to improve its properties.
The final section, “Performance”, is given only a cursory overview, focusing on two primary sources of degradation of properties: corrosion and wear.
Materials for Engineers seeks to cover three types of materials simultaneously integrating each type into the discussion of each physical and chemical material science phenomena. The reader might be better served to lay a solid foundation in one of the materials such as metals, and then extend the concepts to the other two types of materials. The reference quality of this text might be further improved with more extensive data in the appendices replacing hardness conversion tables and crystallographic nomenclature.
Overall, the scope of EME is extremely challenging and this book delivers a comprehensive survey that could be appreciated by engineering students as they mature in their profession, as well as engineers seeking a coherent survey of materials, their properties and importance to their practice of engineering.
Phillip A. SangerKimmel School, Center for Rapid Product Realization, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, USA