Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad,

Prayragraj
Department of Applied Mechanics

AM 13103 - Materials
Science and Engineering
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Course Code: AM-13103
Materials Science and Engineering

Day Details Reference Materials

Unit 10. Economic, Environmental and Social Issues of Material Usage: Economic
considerations, Environmental and societal considerations, Recycling issues, Life
cycle analysis and its use in design.
Economic considerations, Environmental and societal
40 considerations, Recycling issues, Life cycle analysis and Callister 9E: 22.1-22.5
its use in design.

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Unit 10 - Economic, Environmental and Social Issues of
Material Usage
• Outline
• Economic considerations,

• Environmental and societal considerations,

• Recycling issues,

• Life cycle analysis and its use in design.

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INTRODUCTION
• Materials Selection  A variety of materials science and materials engineering
issues to include criteria for materials selection process.
• Many selection criteria relate to material properties or property combinations—
• Mechanical,
• Electrical,
• Thermal,
• Corrosion, etc.
• Performance of component  Properties of the material from which it is made.
• Processability (ease of fabrication) may also play a role in the selection process.
• Engineering practice  Marketable product development.
• Economic in nature  Unrelated to scientific principles and engineering practice.
• Product is to be competitive in the commercial marketplace.
• Other criteria  Environmental and societal issues (pollution, disposal, recycling, toxicity,
and energy.
Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.1 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 4
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• Engineering practice involves using scientific principles to design components and

systems that perform reliably and satisfactorily.
• Another critical driving force in engineering practice  Economics.

• Engineer may design perfect product; however, as manufactured, it must be offered

for sale at a price that is attractive to consumer and return profit to company.

• Many countries have specific regulations regarding the chemicals used, CO2
emissions, and end-of-life procedures.

• For example, in some instances, deleting toxic chemicals (which are regulated) in a
product results in a cheaper fabrication process.
Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.1 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 5
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• Materials engineer has control over three factors that affect

the cost of a product:

• (1) Component design,

• (2) Material(s) used, and

• (3) Manufacturing technique(s).

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.1 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 6
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Economic Considerations
• A product must make economic sense:
-- The price must be attractive to customers.
-- It must return a sustainable profit to the company.

• To minimize product cost materials engineers

must consider three factors:
-- Component design.
-- Material selection.
-- Manufacturing techniques.

• Other significant factors include labor & fringe

benefits, insurance, and profit.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.1 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 7
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Component Design
• Some fraction of the cost of a component is associated with its design.
• Component design is the specification of
• Size,
• Shape, and
• Configuration,
which affects in-service component performance.
• For example, if mechanical forces are present, then stress analyses may be
required.
• Detailed drawings of the component must be prepared.
• A single component is often part of a complex device or system consisting of a large
number of components, thus, design must take into consideration each
component’s contribution to the efficient operation of the complete system.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.2 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 8
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Component Design
• The approximate cost of a product is determined by this up-front design, even
before the product has been manufactured.
• Creative design and the selection of appropriate materials can have a significant
impact later on.
• Component design is a highly iterative process that involves many compromises
and trade-offs.
• The engineer should keep in mind that an optimal component design may not be
possible because of system constraints.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.2 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 9
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Materials
• In terms of economics, we should select the material or materials with the
appropriate combination(s) of properties that are
• The least expensive,
• Which may also include consideration of availability.
• Once a family of materials has been selected that satisfy the design constraints, cost
comparisons of the various candidate materials may be made on the basis of cost
per part.
• Material price is usually quoted per unit mass, the part volume may be determined
from its dimensions and geometry, which is then converted into mass using the
density of the material.
• In addition, during manufacturing, there is typically some unavoidable material
waste that should also be taken into account in these computations.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.3 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 10
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Manufacturing Techniques
• The choice of manufacturing process is influenced by both the material selected
and part design.
• The entire manufacturing process normally consists of
• Primary operations and
• Secondary operations.
• Primary operations are those that convert the raw material into a recognizable part
• Casting,
• Plastic forming,
• Powder compaction,
• Molding,
• etc.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 11
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Manufacturing Techniques
• Secondary operations are those subsequently used to produce the finished part
• Heat treatments,
• Welding,
• Grinding,
• Drilling,
• Painting,
• Decorating.
• Major cost considerations for these processes include
• Capital equipment,
• Tooling,
• Labor,
• Repairs,
• Machine downtime, and
• Waste.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 12
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Manufacturing Techniques
• In this cost analysis, rate of production is an important consideration.
• If part is one component of a system, then assembly costs must also be addressed.
• Finally, the cost associated with final product is also associated with
• Inspection,
• Packaging, and
• Transportation.
• Factors not directly related to design, material, or manufacturing includes in selling price.
• These factors include
• Labor fringe benefits,
• Supervisory and management labor,
• Research and development,
• Property and rent,
• Insurance,
• Profit,
• Taxes,
• and so on.
Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 13
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Manufacturing Techniques
• Choice of manufacturing process is influenced by both
• Material selected and
• Part design.
• Entire manufacturing process normally consists of
• Primary operations (casting, plastic forming, powder compaction, molding, etc.), and
• Secondary operations (heat treatments, welding, grinding, drilling, painting, decorating, etc.).
• Primary operations are those that convert the raw material into a recognizable part.
• Secondary operations are those subsequently used to produce the finished part
• The major cost considerations for these processes include
• Capital equipment,
• Tooling,
• Labor,
• Repairs,
• Machine downtime, and
• Waste.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 14
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Manufacturing Techniques
• In cost analysis, rate of production is an important consideration.
• If particular part is one component of a system, then assembly costs be addressed.
• Finally, there are costs associated with
• Inspection,
• Packaging, and
• Transportation.
• There are also other factors into the product selling price not directly related to
design, material, or manufacturing.
• These factors include
• Labor fringe benefits,
• Supervisory and management labor,
• Research and development,
• Property and rent,
• Insurance,
• Profit,
• Taxes, and so on.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 15
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Environmental and Societal Considerations

• Modern technologies and the manufacturing of their associated products affect
society in a variety of ways (positive, and adverse).

• Resources required for a new technology from many different countries.

• Economic prosperity from technological development is global

• Environmental impacts may extend beyond the boundaries of a single country.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 16
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Environmental and Societal Considerations

• Materials play a crucial role in this technology–economy–environment scheme.
• A material that is used in some end product and then discarded passes through
several stages or phases

• These are sometimes termed the total materials cycle or just materials cycle and
represents the “cradle-to-grave” life circuit of a material.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 17
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Figure: Schematic representation

of the total materials cycle.
(Adapted from M. Cohen, Advanced
Materials & Processes, Vol. 147, No. 3, p.
70, 1995. Copyright © 1995 by ASM
International. Reprinted by permission of
ASM International, Materials Park, OH.)

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 18
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Environmental and Societal Considerations

• Raw materials are extracted from natural earthly habitats (mining, drilling,
harvesting, etc.)

• These raw materials are then purified, refined, and converted into bulk forms such
as metals, cements, petroleum, rubber, and fibers.

• Synthesis and processing results in products that are what may be termed
engineered materials, such as metal alloys, ceramic powders, glass, plastics,
composites, semiconductors, and elastomers.
• Next, these engineered materials are further shaped, treated, and assembled into
products, devices, and appliances that are ready for the consumer (product
design, manufacture, assembly) stage.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 19
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Environmental and Societal Considerations

• Consumer purchases these products and uses them (the “applications” stage) until
they
• Wear out or
• Become obsolete and
• Are discarded.
• Product constituents may either be
• Recycled/reused (by which they reenter the materials cycle) or
• Disposed of as waste,
• Normally being either incinerated or
• Dumped as solid waste in municipal landfills.

• So they return to the Earth and complete the materials cycle.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 20
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Life cycle analysis/assessment

• One approach being implemented by industry to improve the environmental
performance of products is termed life cycle analysis/assessment (LCA).
• With this approach to product design, consideration is given to the cradle-to-grave
environmental assessment of the product,
• from material extraction to product manufacture to product use and, finally, to
recycling and disposal; sometimes this approach is also labeled green design.
• One important phase of this approach is to quantify
• Various inputs (i.e., materials and energy) and
• Outputs (i.e., wastes) for each phase of the life cycle.
• In addition, an assessment is conducted relative to the impact on both global and
local environments in terms of the effects on ecology, human health, and resource
reserves.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 21
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Life cycle analysis/assessment

Figure: Schematic representation of an
input/output inventory for the life-cycle
assessment of a product.
(Adapted from J. L. Sullivan and S. B. Young,
Advanced Materials & Processes, Vol. 147, No. 2, p.
38, 1995. Copyright © 1995 by ASM International.
Reprinted by permission of ASM International,
Materials Park, OH.)

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be carried out as per following standard.
• INTERNATIONAL STANDARD IS0 14040, First edition 1997006- 15,
• Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework
Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.4 AM13103 MSE, AMD, MNNITA, Prayagraj 22
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COMPONENTS OF “GREEN DESIGN”

• Reduce – Redesign the product to use

less material.
example: PET bottles with thinner walls.
Christopher Steer/iStockphoto

• Reuse – Fabricate the product of a material that can

reused.
example: refillable bottles and shipping containers.
example: grind up old tires for use as mulch.

• Recycle – Reprocess the material into a new product.

example: convert PET bottles to carpet fibers.

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.5 23

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RECYCLING MATERIALS
• Proper product design facilitates recycling.

• Advantages to recycling
- Reduced pollution emissions.
- Reduced landfill deposits.
Askin Durson
KAMBEROGLU/iStockphoto

• Recycling Issues
- Product must be disassembled or
shredded to recover materials.
- Collection and transportation
costs are significant factors in
recycling economics.

Kemter/iStockphoto

Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.5 24

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RECYCLING OF METALS
• Aluminum is the most commonly recycled metal.
• Compared to refining raw ore, reprocessing metals
– Is more energy efficient.
– Produces less waste (pollution).

• Difficult to recycle metals that are susceptible to Corrosion.

• Toxic metals (e.g., Cd and Hg):

– Must be handled as hazardous waste.
– Are difficult to reprocess.
– Should not be added to landfills.

Lya Cattel/iStockphoto

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RECYCLING OF GLASS
• Glasses are the most common commercial
ceramics.
• Little economic incentive to recycle glass
– Raw materials inexpensive.
– Relatively dense - expensive to transport.
– Must be sorted by
• Color – clear, amber, green, brown, etc.
• Type – plate vs. container. Johnny Greig/iStockphoto

• Composition – soda-lime, leaded, borosilicate.

Dale Reardon
iStockphoto

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RECYCLING POLYMERS
• Thermoplastic polymers easily recycled.
– Grind into pellets, melt, and extrude or mold into
new product.
– Must be sorted by polymer type – polyethylene,
polystrene, PET, etc.
– Properties degrade in each reuse.

• Thermosetting polymers more difficult to recycle.

– Can be ground up and use as filler.
– Depolymerize to make monomer.

• Polymers are combustible so they can be

burned to reclaim fuel value.
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RECYCLING COMPOSITES

• Difficult to recycle because they contain an intimate

mixture of materials – difficult to separate.
• Some composites are recyclable .
• Components must separated by shredding
or dissolution.

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 BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS (i)
• Polymers that degrade naturally in the environment
- generally attacked by microbes.
• Best suited for products with short lifecycles.
– Example: plastic tableware,
beverage containers,
golf tees,etc.

– Example: degradable mulch

films.
• Retain heat and moisture.
• After harvesting crop.
– Plow the film into the soil.
– Decomposes into nutrients. Fig. 22.3, Callister & Rethwisch 9e.
(Photograph courtesy of Dubois Agrinovation)

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Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.5
 BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS (ii)
• Current generation based on biorenewable materials
such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA).

• PLA structure

From p. 877, Callister & Rethwisch 9e. (Photograph

courtesy of Natureworks LLC and International Paper, Inc.)

• Long shelf life at ambient

conditions.
• Decomposes in months in
commercial composting
Chapter 22 opening photo (b), Callister & Rethwisch 9e.
operations.
(Courtesy of Roger Ressmeyer/© Corbis)

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Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E, Sec. 22.5
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References
• Ref. MS&E, WDC & DGR, 9E
• MATERIALS SCIENCE and ENGINEERING, 9th Edition, William D. Callister, Jr. and David G. Rethwisch,
Wiley Binder Version ISBN: 978-1-118-47770-0.
• https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html
• INTERNATIONAL STANDARD IS0 14040, First edition 1997006- 15, Environmental management - Life
cycle assessment - Principles and framework

• Additional reading
• https://ecochain.com/knowledge/life-cycle-assessment-lca-guide/
• https://pre-sustainability.com/articles/life-cycle-assessment-lca-basics/
• https://medium.com/disruptive-design/a-guide-to-life-cycle-thinking-b762ab49bce3

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