ABSTRACT
Welcome to the fascinating world of engineering materials! All branches of engineering are concerned with the use and processing of materials and so this unit makes an excellent companion to the others that you study as part of your BTEC First award. In fact, the correct choice and processing of materials can be crucial. For example, Civil Engineers need to ensure that the materials from which they build their roads, bridges and dams are not only able to withstand the forces that will be applied to them but also that they will not deteriorate with time. Think about what might happen if the materials chosen were not appropriate for the job. For example, if a suspension bridge was built from a material that is not sufficiently strong it might collapse under a heavy load. Even on a much smaller scale knowledge of materials is vitally important. An Electronic Engineer designing a complex flight control system must ensure that the materials chosen do not prematurely deteriorate in the harsh environment in which the system will operate. Failure of the system could be equally catastrophic, particularly if the failure just happened to occur at a critical point in flight, such as landing or take-off. A study of materials is, therefore, an essential part of every engineer’s portfolio and for this reason alone, is worthy of your attention.
