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Materials for Mechanical Engineers
Last Updated: 2026-06-01 11:33:46
Abstract
This course provides a basic foundation in materials science for mechanical engineers. Students learns how to select the right material for the application at hand. In addition, the appropriate processing-microstructure-property relationship will lead to the fundamental understanding of concepts that determines the mechanical and functional properties.
Objective
At the end of the course, the student will able to: • choose the appropriate material for mechanical engineering applications • find the optimal compromise between materials property, cost and ecological impact • understand the most important concepts that allow for the tuning of mechanical and functional properties of materials
Content
Block A: Materials Selection • Principles of Materials Selection • Introduction to the Cambridge Engineering Selector • Cost optimization and penalty functions • Ecoselection Block B: Mechanical properties across materials classes • Young's modulus from 1 Pa to 1 TPa • Failure: yield strength, toughness, fracture toughness, and fracture energy • Strategies to toughen materials from gels to metals. Block C: Structural Light Weight Materials • Aluminum and magnesium alloys • Engineering and fiber-reinforced polymers Block D: Structural Materials in the Body • Strength, stiffness and wear resistance • Processing, structure and properties of load-bearing implants Block E: Structural High Temperature Materials • Superalloys and refractory metals • Structural high-temperature ceramics Block F: Materials for Sensors • Semiconductors • Piezoelectrica Block G: Dissipative dynamics and bonding • Frequency dependent materials properties (from rheology of soft materials to vibration damping in structural materials) • Adhesion energy and contact mechanics • Peeling and delamination Block H: Materials for 3D Printing • Deposition methods and their consequences for materials (deposition by sintering, direct ink writing, fused deposition modeling, stereolithography) • Additive manufacturing of structural and active Materials
Resources
Literature
• Kalpakjian, Schmid, Werner, Werkstofftechnik • Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design • Meyers, Chawla, Mechanical Behavior of Materials • Rösler, Harders, Bäker, Mechanisches Verhalten der Werkstoffe
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- written 120 minutes
- Aids
- 2 A4 pages with notes and calculators are allowed
- Digital
- The exam takes place on devices provided by ETH Zurich.
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Materials for Mechanical Engineers |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise | Materials for Mechanical Engineers |
|
1 h weekly |
Offered In
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Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing (Fokus-Koordinator: Prof. Dennis Kochmann Für die erforderlichen 20 KPs der Fokus-Vertiefung Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing sind alle aufgeführten Fächer wählbar. Falls Sie einen Kurs auf Masterlevel besuchen möchten, müssen Sie dafür das Einverständnis der zuständigen Dozierenden einholen. Nach Genehmigung durch den Focus-Koordinator kann ein zusätzlicher Kurs zu den aufgeführten Kursen beantragt werden. Für den Track "Design", den Track "Mechanics" und den Track "Manufacturing" gibt es jeweils empfohlene Vorlesungen. Empfohlene Kurse und weitere Informationen finden Sie auf der MAVT-Website zur Fokus-Vertiefungen ( ).)
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