Material durability and machinability info

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the durability, machinability, and cost of materials, specifically brass, aluminium, and plastic (ABS). Participants are exploring how to assess these properties for a mid-term assignment in mechanical engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related, Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks a durability index for brass, aluminium, and plastic, asking for procedures and grading methods for checking material durability.
  • Another participant suggests looking up relevant standards in the student's country to find information on chemical compositions and machinability.
  • A participant from Ireland inquires about which standards to reference, mentioning difficulty in finding reliable online resources for material standards.
  • There is a suggestion to use European or ISO standards for better academic credibility, with a recommendation to access these through university resources.
  • Participants discuss the potential difficulty in finding pricing information for materials and suggest contacting local suppliers for catalogues.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of referencing standards for the assignment, but there is no consensus on the specific sources or standards to use, as different regions may have varying guidelines.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the availability and reliability of online resources for material standards, and there is mention of waiting for replies from specific organizations.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for mechanical engineering students or professionals seeking guidance on material properties and standards for academic or practical applications.

Captain Slow
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Hi all,

I'm a first year mech eng student starting a mid-term assignment which is a report into the durability, machinability and cost of 3 different materials.

First off, I'm looking for a durability index for different materials; brass, aluminium and plastic (ABS)
What is the procedure for checking durability of a material and how does the grading work?

And where would I check machinability of these materials? Speaking to the lecturer and researching from different sources give different answers (unsure if they're stating opinion rather than fact)

Can anyone point me in the right direction?!

Thanks!
 
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Ah this is always fun (hard to find this sort of info easily). For a uni assignment and to be impressive, I would look up the relevant standards in your country. I almost typed out the Australian ones for you. These will list the chemical compisitions and types of each metal and give you an explanation of what each is used for and tell you if it's machinable etc. The cost, you will have to enquire about from your local material supplier. Sometimes they have a catalogue with prices, but they're hard to find. That'll get you a good mark if you quote the standards.
 
I am from Ireland so I take it I would be looking at british or european standards?
What exactly am I looking for with "relevant standards"? Any online searches I try for "material standards" link me to private websites.

I have been in contact with NPL.co.uk but am still awaiting a reply.

EDIT: Is this what I'm looking for (I know it's american but I'm looking blind!) http://www.onlinemetals.com/brassguide.cfm
 
Last edited:
Yeah, that is pretty much what you're after. However, it'd be better for your marks if you quote the standards. You could use the European standards, I'd just use the ISO standards if I was you. Your uni should have a subscription to "SAE global" where you can access the standards online. Usually you acess it through your library website, but depends how your uni does it.
 
Thanks for your help - you've given me a lot!

I'll ask the lecturers about SAE Global tomorrow.
 

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