Comments on: Metallurgy Is Hot

By: Shopmonger (aka Donny B)

Shopmonger (aka Donny B) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:41:32 +0000

Funny how everyone slights what is a simply post about something so very cool. Although machinists would probably apprciate metalergy because many times making complex devices you would heat treat or even heat coat parts to have different interactions during the working process. If you have ever seen an injection mold they heat treat and harden ejector pins all the time. Back in school… we used diff metal properties all the time in designs. By the way the lava “Doc N” many times contained fantastic examples of metalurgy at work in nature. In fact if you go back in history of metal we find that many times these “natural” metal ors come from ………….. you guessed it, Molten lava. Metallurgy is the study of metal and its endless possibilites. Wood cannot be “bound or mixed” internally to create new properties. However you can externally bind it and make fantastic new properties…aka plywod, or MDF. Metal is our friend, but harder stronger metal is very fascinating. Greg is right is all fals under material science and in todays world you need to be able to encorporate more than one type of material in your design, from the professional to the home hobbyist. Ask Chuck and Sean…… SEE the center console project wood + Fabric + Resin = new shape and form.

By: Baron

Baron — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:58:16 +0000

Well, I don’t know about most folks, but a woodworking friend of mine is quite skilled at creating great looking pieces from two different pieces of wood. I am currently in possession of a lowboy he created for me that has a dark walnut top with a much, much lighter (I believe maple) bottom. Looks great! Of course, he didn’t really “blend” the two to create something entirely different. The closet blending would be the dove tails.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:47:34 +0000

Metallurgy is a specialization that falls under the realm of Material Science and Engineering. While most metallurgists might not ever need to make semi-conductors, if they studied at any ABET accredited university, they most certainly had to study electrical materials. In much the same way any specialization in Material Science and Engineering, from metallurgy, polymers and ceramics to electronic materials and biomedical materials will be familiar with the processes and theory behind all the fields. While silicon probably wouldn’t be blended into metals to make a semi-conductor, metals are very commonly used to make metal oxide semi-conductor field effect transistors aka MOSFETs. In your diamond dust for cutting tools example, the work to prolong the working life of a tool would be primarily done by an engineer with the ceramic specialization. The amazing thing is that the diamond particles natural cleaving property allows for the particles to actually sharpen themselves during use. As the diamonds are used the cutting edge gets worn down, but once the internal stresses in the crystal reach their yield stress because the crystal cannot cut the material it is rubbing against, the crystal cleaves and the old work particle is swept away as dust while a brand new cutting edge at the cleave point takes over the cutting task. Brilliant design if you ask me.

I love MSE and that is why I am currently studying it. There is so much to learn out there about the modern materials that not only make our world work but make it exciting too.

One of my universities pages about MSE
http://www.matsceng.ohio-state.edu/department/about/about_mse.htmlx
and the OSU MSE youtube page
http://www.youtube.com/osumaterials

By: DocN

DocN — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:46:11 +0000

What does lava- which is molten rock- have to do with metallurgy?

Isn’t that like showing a picture of a forest for an article about carpentry?

Doc.

By: Brau

Brau — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:35:13 +0000

Cool picture! Looks like a person rising out of the lava.

By: J.R. Bluett

J.R. Bluett — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:53:37 +0000

Not that I’m an expert by any means, but here is a thimbleful of basics.
http://home.sprynet.com/~monel/metallurgy_faq_v11.htm
I did certainly forget the link I intended for the mildly curious. And then, I have to beg pardons on the semi-conductor and silicon bit, it was late and I wasn’t thinking straight. I was intending something about superconductors, but sometimes things just don’t work right. I will do what I can to uphold better standards in the future. Probably this will involve more caffine.

If anyone reading has any expertise on the topic, I’d really appreciate any information you would be willing to share.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:22:33 +0000

I think that you mistakenly generalized metallurgists as any engineer or person that uses metallurgy.

Also, (as far as I know) metallurgists do not blend silicon with metal to make semiconductors. Perhaps you meant semiconductor components, although that’s not really metallurgy at all.

Lastly, which link is a fun place to start? The volcano photo, or the link to a $250 book on diamond tool manufacturing??