Knowing which material to use when designing or manufacturing a product is a very important skill to have. Different materials have a wide range of different properties. This means that choosing the correct material to use is a very important decision in the design and manufacturing process. In this video we will go over the most common material and their properties.
Wood can be split into 3 main categories. Hardwoods, softwoods and manufactured boards.
Hardwoods: These are generally a very hard and tough wood. They also give the best finish. However, they are more difficult to work with and can also be very expensive. Hardwoods come from deciduous trees and therefore take a long time to grow.
Softwoods:These are a much softer type of wood. They are however, much easier to cut and work with. They are also much cheaper than hardwoods. They are not as durable or long-lasting as hardwoods. Softwoods come from coniferous trees. They grow much faster than deciduous trees.
Manufactured Boards: These are man-made materials. Made using a number of different techniques. Each type of board for example plywood or chipboard are produced to have specific properties. They are also the cheapest type of wood to use. Manufactured boards do not give the nicest finish and will not last as long as the other two types.
Plastics are split into two categories, thermoplastics and thermosets.
Thermoplastics can be heated and shaped many times. Examples of thermoplastics are acrylic. This is used to make car headlights. It is often used as a glass alternative. Rigid polystyrene is another example. A common use of this would be for simple toys as it is hard while still being light.
As plastics can be moulded, a much more complex shape can be produced. Thermoset plastics can only be heated and shaped once. They are therefore more commonly found in instances where heat is more an issue. For example light fittings or a saucepan handle.
Metals are most commonly split into 3 categories ferrous, non-ferrous and alloys. Ferrous metals contain iron and therefore easily rust. They are also magnetic. Examples of these are iron and steel.
Non-Ferrous Metals do not contain iron, they therefore don’t rust. They are also not magnetic. Some common examples are aluminium and copper. Lastly we have alloys. These are made up of a mixture of more than one metal. The most common examples of these are bronze (copper and tin) and brass (copper and zinc)
