Task 1

Explain how one heat treatment process and two other treatment processes affect the structure, properties and behaviour of the parent material

Q1: Choose one heat treatment process such as quenching and precipitation hardening and explain how this treatment may affect the structural behaviour of the material concerned.

Q2: Choose two treatment processes such as vacuum coating, surface treatments or dispersion strengthening and say how they mayaffect the properties and behaviour of materials in question.

Task 2

Explain how one liquid processing method and two mechanical processing methods affect the structure, properties and behaviour of the parent material

Q1: Choose one liquid processing method (e.g. metal casting or injection moulding/ extrusion of polymers) and explain how it affects the material's properties such as its porosity or grain structure. 

Q2: Choose two mechanical processing methods (e.g. mechanical working of metals, powder processing of metals and ceramics, extrusion and forming of polymer sheet, welding or use of adhesives) and discuss how they may affect the structure and such properties as the residual stresses or work hardening of the material concerned.

Task 3

Investigate how the composition and structure of metal alloys, polymers and polymer matrix composites influence the properties of parent material

Q1.For each one of the following processesexplain how it could influence the characteristics and properties of the material in question.

(a) alloying of metals
(b) co-polymerisation
(c) polymer matrix composites

Task 4

Explain the common causes of in-service failure for products or structures produced from each or a combination of the four categories of engineering materials

Q1.Choose one product or a structure made from any one of the four categories of materials (metal, ceramic, polymer or composite) or in combination and examine and discuss three of the most common causes of its failure such as wear and tear, creep, fatigue, impact, overstressing, corrosion, temperature, thermal cycling, residual stresses, stress relaxation, degradation, radiation or electrical breakdown.

Task 5

For one product or material structure, identify and explain the in-service conditions that may contribute to early failure

Q1.Identify and discuss the in-service conditions that may contribute to the early failure of the product or the structure chosen in task 4.