Material processing

Alloys and metals are either ferrous or nonferrous. Ferrous metals have iron in them. Steel is a ferrous metal. Nonferrous metals don't have iron in them. Aluminum, copper, tin, lead, and gold are all nonferrous.

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The scroll saw holds a narrow blade that moves up and down. It cuts on the down stroke. Scroll saws make very exact cuts.

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Ancient peoples used only the inorganic and organic materials found in their environment. These included stones, wood, vegetables, and the skins of animals. They could only process these materials using very simple tools. Most of the time they used their own strength. Sometimes they combined simple materials. For example, they mixed dirt with water to make clay.

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For many years, people used only the organic and inorganic materials that occurred naturally to produce objects. Now we can use the many new materials that have been created. These make our lives easier.

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Continuous manufacturing is the type of production used when large quantities of the same product are made regularly. Cars and computers are made using this mass production technique.

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Custom manufacturing means that products are built by hand one at a time. A custom sailboat is an example. Custom manufacturing is generally very high-quality work.

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In manufacturing, different businesses produce different products. Depending on what they make, companies use one of three methods of manufacturing.

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Intermittent manufacturing means that a product is made in batches. An aircraft engine is a good example of a product produced by intermittent manufacturing.

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The most important thing for you to keep in mind is safety. Most accidents are caused by careless or improper use of machinery. After viewing a safety video, you will also review some safety notes for the machines you will use in this module. If you don't know how to use a tool or machine safely, ask your instructor for help.

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Today you will make a plastic picture frame. Clear acrylic plastic is easy to bend when heated. This makes it the best material for your frame.

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When you think of manufacturing, you probably think of tools, machinery, and production lines. All of the items in your classroom and even the computer you are using have been manufactured. When you use tools and machines, you're manufacturing a product.

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With such a variety of materials available, who decides which one will be used to make a product? Industrial Engineers are responsible for deciding how products should be manufactured. They make decisions about the materials and the methods to be used. After the product has been developed, the Production Manager makes sure it's built according to the design specifications.

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A company looks for the best materials and processes to use when manufacturing its product. Cost, speed, and quality are three important factors in determining those materials and processes.

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If a material costs too much, a company may not use it. If a process costs too much, the company may find another way to make the product. Cost is a very important factor in manufacturing. Companies could manufacture cars with stainless steel bodies that would never rust. Yet the cars would be so expensive that few people could afford to buy them.

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Often a company must manufacture its product as fast as possible. The company wants to sell it to everyone who wants their product. Sometimes a material or process keeps the company from making its product fast enough. This will cause the company to lose customers. It's very important to make the product fast enough to meet the demand for it.

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Some companies make higher-quality products than others. Some materials last longer and look better. Some processes result in better craftsmanship. Usually a company must find materials and processes that are of good quality. But they shouldn't cost too much or take too long to produce the product.

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A drill press is used to drill holes and to sand curves. Before you drill, always clamp the material to the table, or put the material in a drill press vise. Put scrap wood under the material so you won't drill the table.

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Acrylic is a very useful plastic. It's used to manufacture windows, windshields, paper trays, signs, household items, safety shields, and as a replacement for glass. It's also used to make domes and skylights for houses. Workers heat sheets of acrylic plastic in a large oven and mold them over a big frame. Then they blow air into them to form domes.

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As you can see, the USM can be very useful. It can help you to solve problems and to make good products. Try to use the USM to help solve your design problem.

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Beginning in the late 18th century, people began to process materials in different ways. During the Industrial Age, people used machines to separate cotton or to work metal. The factory and assembly line developed during that time.

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Companies that process materials need to figure out the best system to use in manufacturing higher-quality products. Using the Universal Systems Model, or USM, is one way companies make sure this happens.

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Composites are materials that have been created to solve very specific problems. Another type of material is metal alloys. These unique substances become artificial bones, the surface skin of a supersonic fighter jet, and the powerful shaft of a golf club.

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Here's how to use the microscope: Move the stereo eyepieces so that they fit your eyes Use the focus knobs to bring the image into focus Observe, draw, and enjoy!

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In the last fifty years, people have found many new ways to create materials. Computers and robots now perform many unskilled tasks in factories. Materials are now available that serve a specific purpose. Plastic wrap, graphite, and titanium are some examples.

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Metal was first used over 5,000 years ago after ancient man came upon deposits of metal. These deposits had been melted from tin or iron ore either by volcanic action or the heat of lightning. Early man heated and reshaped the metal into tools and weapons. Today we still use metal by heating and reshaping it. It's an inorganic material and is totally recyclable.

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Only in the last 20 years have people begun to appreciate what it takes to keep our environment safe and clean. Many of today's modern manufacturing and production operations require that emissions, industrial waste, and by-products be handled in environmentally safe ways.

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Plastics are inorganic materials. They've been widely used for more than 50 years. Most plastics are made out of chains of molecules called polymers. Polymers can be resoftened and reshaped. Thermoset plastics can't be reset once they're formed. You used the injection molder to heat plastic. You injected plastic into a mold to make a top.

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Put the drill bit into the chuck. Tighten it with the chuck key. Put scrap wood under the material to be drilled. Then clamp the material to the drill press table. Turn on the drill. Pull the handle down to lower the drill bit into the material. When you are finished, unclamp the material. Then remove the drill bit. Clean up the drill press with a brush.

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So far in this module you've learned the safe way to use tools. You've also learned about a variety of man-made and natural materials. You know that materials can be organic or inorganic. Different machines can process one or the other or both. Let's review the materials we've worked with so far.

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Soon you will use a 20x stereo microscope. A 20x microscope magnifies an object or a surface 20 times its normal size. You will use the magnification to view some material surfaces that have been processed. You will also view some of the tools used to process them. With the microscope you will look at some objects or surfaces, such as sandpaper and saw cuts on acrylic plastic. Then you will draw what you see on a Microscope Observation Worksheet and color the drawing.

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Today you will begin working on a problem-solving project. It will require you to use your knowledge of materials and processing. We will also show you ways that other people have solved problems in research and development. We will look at a model to use when processing a material.

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Wood can be used to make many different products. You built your storage container out of wood. You can cut wood using the miter box or the scroll saw. You can make the wood smooth using a belt sander. Wood is an organic material. It's used to build everything from houses to pencils.

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A product designer working with a materials engineer can experiment to create a new material. Often the new material is an alloy or a composite material. It may combine the good qualities of two materials.

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Always make sure the wood is held in a vise or clamped to the worktable. Start the cut by drawing the saw toward you. Next, get your hand out of the way. Saw forward with even strokes at 45 degrees. Don't push too hard. Keep the blade straight. Finish the cut with short, even strokes.

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Companies must consider many factors when determining the best materials and processes to use. Three important factors are: Cost Speed Quality

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In the last lesson you learned about metals. Metals are inorganic materials that are shiny, can be shaped, and can conduct electricity. Metals can be combined to create alloys. Alloys are mixtures of two or more metals.

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In the last lesson you learned about the Universal Systems Model. It offers a good way to solve problems. Many people use this model. Materials Engineers use it to find new ways to make materials lighter and stronger. Composites are materials that have been created to solve very specific problems. Another type of material is metal alloys. These unique substances become artificial bones, the surface skin of a supersonic fighter jet, and the powerful shaft of a golf club.

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Nonferrous metals don't have iron in them. Nonferrous metals include gold, lead, aluminum, copper, and tin.

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Often Product Designers will need a special material. Maybe they need a very light material that also conducts electricity. Or maybe they need a material that is very light yet strong. They may turn to researchers to create such materials. How do the researchers solve this problem?

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Part of research and development is finding the best materials and processes to use. How do we find the best processes and materials to use to make a product? How does a computer manufacturing company decide what its product should be made of? Why should a car manufacturing company use an assembly line? Let's find out!

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Plastics are inorganic materials. We use them for many products. They're inexpensive and last a long time. Plastics can be made to look like many organic materials. We see fake wood grain in cars, and fibers made from plastic can be manufactured to look like silk. Plastics are lightweight. They aren't hurt if they get wet. Most types can be recycled. Plastics are everywhere, including in the cars we drive and in the chairs and desks we use in school.

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Strip heaters heat plastic so that it can be bent. You will be using a strip heater to finish your plastic picture frame.

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The new materials created through research and development often improve our lives. Soon you will begin to work on your problem-solving exercise. But first you will visit a website that deals with developing technology. As you move through the website, try to imagine the types of materials that will be needed in the future.

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Use the crosscut saw to cut across the grain of lumber. The cut that the saw makes is called a kerf. It's important to use the crosscut saw safely. Find the crosscut saw in your module.

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We can make alloys by combining two or more metals. Copper is very resistant to corrosion, but it's a soft material. Tin is a harder material, but it's quite expensive. When copper and tin are combined to form an alloy, the resulting metal is a hard, tough, and relatively inexpensive alloy called bronze. Bronze was one of the first alloys used by ancient man. It was probably a result of copper and tin being accidentally melted together. Bronze is used in boat propellers and other marine equipment because of its corrosion resistance.

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Always remember to keep the wood flat on the saw table. Never push your thumb or fingers in line with the saw cut. Keep your hands to the left and right of the saw cut. Cut on the outside (or waste side) of your project. Don't try to cut too fast.

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Some metals have iron in them. These are called ferrous metals. Ferrous metals include iron and steel. We use steel every day to build structures--and even to eat our food (forks and knives)!

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How do we make new materials that move technology forward? New materials are created by mixing two materials together. A composite material is made of two or more materials. Objects made with composite materials can be stronger and lighter.

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Recycling is a critical part of materials and their applications. Many materials can be reused. Some can be processed to make a new material or tool. It's important to recycle everything we can. We only have one planet, and there are a lot of us on it! Just one person who recycles can make a big difference.

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All plastics are made of polymers. If you could see inside plastic, you could see that the molecules are hooked together like long chains. Thermoplastics are polymers. They have long molecular chains that bend easily. Thermoplastics can be heated and then reshaped. This is a form of recycling.

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Later, people learned to produce metals by heating and mixing ores they found in the earth. This process allowed them to make metal tools, weapons, and basic machines. During the Metal Age people began to build better structures. They also learned to process materials in new ways.

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Important advances in materials processing have been made during the last fifty years. New ideas and growth continue. Chemists create new materials every day. Computer programmers write programs so that machines can process materials in new ways. We are only limited by our imagination! The future will bring many new ways to create even more valuable materials and improved processes.

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In addition to the machines you will be using for your project, many other machines are used by professional Manufacturing Engineers. People who work in manufacturing often use machines that are connected to computers. These machines can be programmed to make specific cuts. The woodworker adjusts the machine and monitors the production to ensure quality.

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Keep moving the material back and forth. Never hold the material in just one spot. Keep your hands away from the sanding surface. Always wear eye protection.

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Metals are another kind of inorganic material that can be shaped. They can also conduct heat and electricity. For example, copper is a metal that conducts electricity. Steel conducts both heat and electricity very well. Two or more metals can be combined to form alloys.

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Use a belt sander to sand the edges of your project. Always keep the material flat on the sander table. Never put your fingers in line with the sanding surface. Keep your fingers either to the right or left. Never sand concave (inside) curves on the belt sander.

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Use a disc sander to sand the edges of your project. Always keep the material flat on the sander table. Never put your fingers in line with the sanding surface. Keep your fingers either to the left or right. Never sand concave (inside) surfaces on the disc sander.

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Use the nail set to get the nail below the surface of the wood so that it doesn't show. Drive the nail in flush to the wood surface. Then tap the nail set against the nail so that it goes below the surface of the wood. Always wear eye protection.

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In today's lesson you will finish building your wooden container. While this may seem like a simple project it will give you valuable skills in measuring and how to use both hand and power tools. First, however, you will learn about more tools and vocabulary. You will also find out about more careers in materials and processing. Always remember: Safety first Measure twice, cut once

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In an injection molder, plastic pellets are heated. They soften and become a viscous liquid. The plastic melts at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit. It's then forced into a mold under high pressure.

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When the plastic cools, you can take out the object that is now in the shape of the mold! Your desks, chairs, and wastebaskets were likely all made using this process. Model airplanes and car parts are also injection-molded.

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Have you heard of nylon, polyethylene, acrylic, polyester, and silicone? Types of plastic

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Injection molding is a good way to make many parts in a very short time.

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Research chemists create most inorganic materials. The job of some research chemists is to explore ways to make new plastics from oil. Polystyrene is a plastic often used in food storage. It's derived from ethylene gas and benzene. Ethylene gas comes from oil, and benzene comes from coal. Chemists use heat and pressure to combine the two materials. The resulting product can then be made into objects we use every day.

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To make polystyrene, chemists refine benzene from coal and ethylene gas from oil. Using heat and pressure, they combine the benzene and ethylene to make a solid substance called ethyl benzene. If you grind ethyl benzene, it forms a powder or pellets. You will use pellets to make your injection-molded parts. The basic raw pellets or powder can also be formed into plastic bars, tubes, and sheets. This type of plastic can also have a color.

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Thermoset plastics change chemically when they're heated. They can't be made soft again. Thermoplastics can be melted or softened over and over again. Once they're softened, they can be reshaped. Thermoplastics can be recycled. They're used to manufacture many product containers.

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So many materials that we use everyday can be recycled, including newspapers, most types of plastic, glass, and aluminum cans.

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Today you're going to explore injection molding. You will use it to make a plastic top. All injection molders have similar parts. A big industrial molder is operated by hydraulic pressure. Yet it basically operates in the same way.

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