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- Catalog Description
- 360 Materials Laboratory I. I,II;
1cr. A laboratory demonstrating the principles involved
in sample preparation and optical microscopy, followed
by relating microstructures observed to mechanical
properties. P:MS&E 250.
- Course Prerequisite(s)
- Textbook(s) and/or other required material
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D. C. Larbalestier and Matt Jewell, "Materials Laboratory I: Microscopy and the Properties of Materials".
- Course objectives
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To learn the basic techniques of metallography, sectioning, polishing, etching, light metallography and microstructural analysis.
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The subobjectives are those of learning 1.) the relationship between microstructure and hardness, 2.) the fundamentals of how to deduce the means of manufacture of common implements by sectioning and microstructural examination, 3.) the keeping of a laboratory notebook, and 4.) how to write laboratory reports in standard format.
- Topics covered
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The connection between microstructure and properties. Single and multiphase alloys. How to read a phase diagram and mount and polish samples(2 opening lectures and laboratories).
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Polishing and etching of single phase alpha brass sheet in annealed and various cold worked states. Measurement of hardness using the Vickers Microhardness Test (4 laboratories with introductory short lectures)
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Microstructure and hardness of plain carbon steels of various compositions (4 laboratories with introductory short lectures)
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Final project. Analysis of microstructure, fabrication method and properties of some common articles such as soda cans, can openers, files, crescent wrenches, bicycle frames, and golf clubs (5 laboratories with introductory discussions).
- Class/laboratory schedule
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Class meets once a week in the afternoon, sometimes preceded by a lecture on the topics being worked on in the laboratory. (2 hours)
- Contribution of course to meeting the professional component
- This course contributes primarily to the students' knowledge of engineering topics, and does provide design experience.
The following statement indicates which of the following considerations are included in this course: economic, environmental, ethical, political, societal, health and safety, manufacturability, sustainability.
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The course addresses economic and manufacturability issues through discussions of the tradeoffs that are made when products are designed and priced for sale. These factors are strongly emphasized in the final project for which the participants, generally working in teams of about 3, must make a final presentation and poster for exhibition in the department.
- Relationship of course to undergraduate degree program objectives and outcomes
- This course primarily serves students in the department. The information below describes how the course contributes to the undergraduate program objectives.
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The course objectives support the department objectives in respect of 1.) teaching the design and conduct of experiments and the intepretation of data, 2.) developing an understanding of how products are designed and marketed, 3.) giving students the experience of working in teams for their final projects, 4.) requiring that students report their results by oral, written and poster presentation, and 5.) teaching them right from the beginning of their engineering course work how the microstructure determines the properties and how these can be influenced by processing.
- Assessment of student progress toward course objectives
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The students are assessed on the basis of two formal laboratory reports (the first of which they have an opportunity to rewrite), two in-class presentations, their laboratory note-book and their final group presentation and large format poster.
- Person(s) who prepared this description
