Abstract
Never has the engineer had so many materials from which to choose when designing new machines or new structures. Improved metallurgical knowledge has enabled greatly improved alloys to be developed, the demands of aero-space have stimulated developments in ceramics and in composite materials; whilst advances in organic chemistry have led to a wide range of plastics suitable for applications which range from throw-away containers to constructions for which metals or natural materials were previously used. In addition, improved methods are continuously leading to better materials and more reliable components and the selection of the most suitable process for a given application becomes increasingly difficult.
Materials technologists and engineers depend very much on each other. Engineers rely upon materials technologists for materials with properties appropriate for particular applications; materials technologists depend upon engineers to design the machines that enable laboratory experiments to be translated into large-scale production.
A review of the present situation will be followed by a discussion of future trends and of future co-operation between engineers and materials technologists.
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