Why Study Materials Science and Engineering

Many times, a materials problem is one of selecting the right material from the thousands available. The final decision is normally based on several criteria. First, the in-service conditions must be characterized, for these dictate the properties required of the material. On only rare occasions does a material possess the maximum or i ea corn 

Finally, probably the overriding consideration is that of economics What will the finished product cost A material may be found that has the ideal set of properties but is prohibitively expensive. Here again, some compromise is inevitable. The cost of a finished piece also includes any expense incurred during fabrication to produce the desired shape. 

The more familiar an engineer or scientist is with the various characteristics and structure-property relationships, as well as the processing techniques of materials, the more proficient and confident he or she will be in making judicious materials choices based on these criteria. 

The following case study illustrates one role that materials scientists and engineers are called upon to assume in the area of materials performance analyze mechanical failures, determine their causes, and then propose appropriate measures to guard against future incidents. 

Subsequent investigations concluded one or more of the following factors contributed to each failure  

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