Chapter 6, Problem 1RQ

Why might it be important to know the prior processing history of an engineering material?

To determine

The reason of knowing prior processing history of engineering materials.

Explanation of Solution

The engineering materials have basically two kinds of properties, first the properties which are inherent to the materials and the other which are acquired by the materials during the production and processing. The final products have the properties which are combination of above two properties.

The engineering materials comprise of the characteristics and properties which are affected by the production and processing techniques. These properties can be modified and controlled by the production and processing techniques applied on them.

The metals can specifically be classified as the engineering materials which are history dependent. The history of production and processing techniques affects the final properties of the products.

The initials processes of production such as smelting and refining processes define the presence of contaminants in the metals which influence the purity of the metals and hence influences the type and nature of the metal.

The solidification process is responsible for deciding the structural properties of the metal and these structural strength properties can be observed in the final products.

The operations such as rolling, bending, and extrusion also impact the directional property variations and affect the subsequent processing and use.

Thus, it becomes very important to focus on the prior processing of engineering materials in order to understand the final properties and hence the application of these materials.