Cambridge Engineering Selector

ME 471 PROJECT – Spring Semester 2005

 

 

SOFTWARE SUMMARY

The Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) is a powerful tool for the evaluation and selection of materials for engineering design. It has two main components: Selector and Constructor. Selector incorporates a set of seven data tables (materials, manufacturing processes, structural sections, suppliers, references, uses and industrial sectors). Constructor is a tool for making and editing selection databases for use in Selector.

The databases used in CES contain the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of a wide range of materials including ceramics, metals, polymers, elastomers and composites. Property data is presented is a graphical format to provide a series of “material selection charts”, which, when combined with the use of performance indexes, enable the rapid identification of the optimum materials for a specific design.

 

SOFTWARE AVAILABILITY

CES is only available in the machines at IPL. The online help provided along with software is quite explanatory and can be explored for guidance.

 

PROJECT GUIDELINES

Listed below are three components for which you must use CES to select a suitable material based on the given requirements.

 

1. IC Engine Piston

      Select a material for piston with the following properties:

Ø      Density                                            < 6 Mg/m3

Ø      Tensile Strength                              > 40 MPa

Ø      Price                                                < 15 GBP/kg (1 GBP = $1.50)

Ø      Max Service Temperature               > 350 K

Ø      Fracture Toughness                        > 20 MPa.m1/2

Ø      Forming                                           must be Hot Closed Die Forging

 

 

 2. Ball bearings

Select a material for bearings with the following properties:

Ø      Endurance Limit                                       > 425 MPa

Ø      Hardness                                                  > 1500 MPa

Ø      Modulus of Rupture                                  > 400 MPa         

Ø      Tensile Strength                                       > 1000 MPa

Ø      Maximum Price                                        <  0.5 GBP/kg

Ø      Wear                                                        Very Good

 

 

  3. Fireplace Walls

      Select a material for fireplace walls with the following properties:

Ø      Thermal Conductivity                                < 45 W/m.K

Ø      Thermal Expansion Coefficient                 < 8E10-6 /K

Ø      Melting Point                                             > 1000 K

Ø      Price                                                         < 1.5 GBP/kg

Ø      Max Service Temperature                        > 400 K

Ø      Flammability                                              Very Good

 

Sample Problem: (explained during Demo)

 

Fastener for Aircraft Applications:

      Select a material for a fastener walls with the following properties

Ø      Density                                                       < 2.2 Mg/m3

Ø      Elastic Limit                                                > 65 MPa

Ø        Fracture Toughness                                   > 12 MPa.m1/2

Ø      Hardness                                                    > 250 MPa

Ø      Forming                                                      must be Shell Casting

Forming                                       must be Standard Machining - Automated

 

 

Once a comprehensive materials list has been compiled for each of the scenarios, a brief report should be created outlining the findings.  This report should include a complete list of potential materials for each scenario (no single list will exceed 20), an explanation of which material your group thinks is best suited for the given application, and an explanation of why each of the other materials is insufficient. Also upload your saved CES file to \\samba\dfs\courses\group\me471\ groupno.

 

This is a MANDATORY group project (work together with your design group). You should turn in the report on or before March 04(please hand it to TA or put it in Bhushan Ekbote’s mail box at EB2518). If you have any questions pertaining to this project or the report, please contact design TA.

 

Bhushan Ekbote

Design TA
 ekbotebh@ msu.edu