Practical Techniques

Introduction to Metal Processing, Vacuum Induction Melting, Thermomechanical testing using a Gleeble, Fatigue Test, Cold Gas Dynamic Spraying, Using Thermo-Calc for phase proportions, Stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modelling, Elementary Testing Techniques, Interpretation, Experimental Error Analysis, Materials For Challenging Environments

Introduction to Metal Processing, Dr Michael Bodunrin

This video gives the background of metal processing and explains why it is necessary and acts as an introduction for the three Vacuum Induction Melting videos. 

Vacuum Induction Melting, Dr Michael Bodunrin

There are three videos which explain and show how vacuum induction melting is done. This technique is often used to melt metals that might be difficult, because they have high melting points or they react with air.

Thermomechanical testing using a Gleeble

There are six videos in this series which show how to use a Gleeble thermomechanical simulation facility, which allows the testing samples at different temperatures and loading conditions to see the response. This is useful because various forming processes can be simulated, including welding as well as testing what could happen in use at high temperatures and stresses. The videos should be watched in order because they show how to load and run the Gleeble. The last video, Part 6, shows how to interpret the results.

Fatigue Test, Prof. George Rading, University of Nairobi

This video is about fatigue testing and shows how to undertake the tests and what can be measured. Some of the underlying theory is provided.

Cold Gas Dynamic Spraying, Dr Brett Freeman

This video is about a process which is useful to put coatings on materials, without heating the coating materials or the substrate to be coated, which makes it a very good technique and avoids problems like distortion. The coatings are often added to give properties which the substrate does not have, such as higher hardness for better wear resistance, better corrosion resistance. Coating is useful because the coating materials are often more expensive than the substrate, so coating is an effective and economical way to improve the properties.

Using Thermo-Calc for phase proportions, Kiyaasha Dyal Ukabhai

Thermo-Calc is a powerful programme which calculates various thermodynamic quantities and displays them. The most common use is to see what phases should be present at given temperatures for alloys of known compositions. When there are more than two components, the phase diagrams might not be readily available, but Thermo-Calc can calculate them. However, an easy way to show the phases of a given alloy composition at different temperatures is to calculate a phase proportion diagram, and this video shows how to do this.

Stereolithography, Nombulelo Nkosi

This video defines stereolithography (SLA) and shows where it lies compared to other additive manufacturing techniques. An example of making a product is shown, explaining all the different parts of the process.

Fused Deposition Modelling, Nolutambo Tembu

This video describes where fused deposition modelling (FSD) fits into the different additive manufacturing techniques and then gives a demonstration for making a component. Some of the possible defects are described and some of the many uses are given.

Elementary Testing Techniques, Dr Paul den Hoed

These four “hand-on” videos show how to undertake some different tests:

Charpy impact testing

Hardness Testing

Metallography

Tensile testing

Interpretation

Interpreting ternary isothermal sections, Prof. Lesley Cornish

This video explains how to interpret ternary isothermal sections with some examples, and shows why they are useful.

Interpreting ternary liquidus surface projections, Prof. Lesley Cornish

This video explains how to interpret ternary liquidus surface projections with some examples, and shows why they are useful.

EXPERIMENTAL ERROR ANALYSIS, Prof. Trevor Derry

This video explains why no measurement is perfect, and shows how to report measured data properly, giving some examples and shows some common mistakes.

MATERIALS FOR CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS, Dr Sandy Knowles, University of Birmingham

These four related videos look at different power sources and discuss the properties need for the associated materials, and give examples of them. Nuclear Materials – Current Fission, Nuclear Materials – Generation IV Fissio, Nuclear Materials – Fusion, Nuclear Materials – Space Nuclear Batteries.