Industrial Technology: Metal Assessment A

Karan Garg Mr. Flavell/Mr. Simpson Yr9+Yr10 Metal - Core 1: General Metal
Part A: Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals
Question 1) Identify your 3 chosen materials.
- Mild Steel
- Titanium
- Stainless Steel (All grades)
Question 2) Identify when the materials were first produced in the industrial age
Mild steel was initially produced in 1855 by Henry Bessemer through his process which ended
up letting him produce steel in large quantities cheaply.
Titanium was produce in 1910 becoming prominent on the manufacturing scene when a
metallurgist Mathew A. Hunter began producing it in the United States.
Stainless steel first got produced on the 13th August 1913 by Harry Brearly which had many
different elements.
Question 3) Describe the main characteristics of your chosen metal, explain the main
reason each material was manufactured and give an example of where it is used.
(Include a picture of each application)
Mild steel has many characteristics such as high tensile strength, high impact strength, good
ductility and weldability, magnetic and good malleability. Due all these strengths it is
commonly seen in buildings, cars and furniture.

Properties of titanium are being a strong metal, lustrous and shiny, corrosion resistant and has
a protective oxide coating. Due to the incredible strength of titanium and protective coating,
titanium is used in aircraft, spacecrafts and missiles also due to the ability to withstand extreme
temperatures.
Characteristics of stainless steel include corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, being very
durable, heat resistant, low maintenance and a glossy appearance. Stainless steel can often be
seen in everyday life such as cutlery, kitchen accessories and cookware, however it is also
known for its use in hospital and surgeries.

Question 4) Describe how each material has helped build a large scale construction
project such as a plane or skyscraper.
Mild steel was used throughout the Centre Pompidou in Paris in France. Over 15000 tonnes of
steel (including mild steel) was used for the construction of this steel superstructure which has
helped the tourism across France.
Titanium has been used in many spacecrafts to create an oxide cover which in contact with
oxygen creates a shield also creating a shine and shimmer creating an appealing colour to look
at. Titanium was even used to make a memorial for Yuri Gagarin (the first person to go to
space) reflecting its space qualities.
Stainless steel is used in many large construction projects, an example is the Walt Disney
Concert Hall in Los Angeles in the US. It has a shiny exterior which is skinned with stainless
steel while the rest of the building is metal. The entire result is a large amount of shapes which
have a shiny metallic shine.
Question 5) Provide at least three (3) pictures of each of your chosen materials being
used in interesting applications.
Mild Steel

Titanium

Stainless Steel
Question 6) Explain how each material you have chosen is produced. Detail the methods
of mixing materials, smelting, forming and any post processing that occurs on the
finished product before it is used.
In a blast furnace, iron ore is melted with the addition of carbon while all other impurities are
eliminated to create mild steel. At this stage, adjustments are also done to create the mild steel-
making chemical composition. After cooling, the steel is formed into an ingot (slab). After that,
either a "Hot Rolling" or "Cold Rolling" procedure is used to shrink the ingot to the desired size.
The Kroll Process is the primary method used to produce titanium metal. The primary mineral,
rutile, is processed with chlorine gas in this method to create titanium tetrachloride. The
reaction with magnesium or salt then purifies and reduces this to a metallic titanium sponge.
Next, an alloying and melting procedure is applied to the titanium sponge. Due to the labour-
intensive operations involved, the process is expensive.
Iron ore, chromium, silicon, nickel, and other raw elements are fused together in an electric
furnace to create stainless steel. It takes 8 to 12 hours of extreme heat to complete this process.
The material is then poured into a variety of forms, such as slabs, blooms, and billets.
Part B: Hardening Materials in the Workshop
Question 1) Identify the two main methods of heating material in an industry level
workshop.
The two main methods of heating material is forced air heating from a furnace and a water
heater/gas heater.
Question 2) Describe the process of tempering.
Tempering leads to metals becoming more tough, most often iron-based alloys such as steel.
Against other heat treatment options used on metals, tempering is best used on the products
that might have to undergo immense amounts of pressure.
The process starts with choosing the type of iron-based alloy to work on. This metal should
soon after be subjected to extreme heats then when sufficiently heated, rapidly cooled through
quenching. After this, the steel is extremely tough and hard yet lacks the ductility which is
needed in many applications for the steel. To achieve this ductility, the cooled steel is slowly
and accurately re-heated.
If there are any irregularities in this precise and specific process, the material can become
warped, distorted or damaged.
Question 3) Describe process of annealing.
Another process where metals are heated is known as annealing which changes the physical
and chemical properties of a material which increases ductility and reduces the hardness
making it easier to work with.
The process starts with the material above its recrystallization temperature for an amount of
time before cooling. Soon after, cool down the metal at a constant rate. Depending on the metal
itself, the cooling process may differ; ferrous metals such as steel are most often left to cool in
still air at a room temperature whereas metals like copper, silver and brass can be slowly
cooled in air or immediately quenched in water. The heat treatment process causes atoms to
create a crystal lattice pattern as well as the number of dislocations decreasing leading to
ductility and hardness.
Depending on the heating and cooling rates, the crystal grain size and phase composition
change also determining the material properties.
Question 4) Explain the term ‘Case Hardening’.
Case Hardening is the material processing method which increases the general hardness of the
outer surface of a metal. The process results in a thin layer that is far more hard than the metal
encapsulated inside. The process requires elevated temperatures to perform where heating
alters the crystal structure of the metal or the different element compositions of the exterior,
both creating a harder exterior layer.
This process of Case Hardening is seen in the project done in the Metal Work Class. In the
project, students are assigned to create a centre punch where the use of Case Hardening clearly
affects the difference in properties in the tip making a stronger and harder exterior. After
cutting a piece, using the lathe and filing the product down to a fine point, Case Hardening is
used to create a harder tip helping to make the punches a centre punch is used to make.
Part C: Research the Impact of Construction Methods on the Environment
Assess the impact of one of your chosen materials smelting, use and recycling has on
society or the environment when used in a large scale project such as a skyscraper or
ship.
Titanium has a significant impact on the environment through the immense number of mines
being built simply for titanium mining. Due to its many uses, titanium is a common material
seen in the automobile industry, medical materials and spacecrafts. Reasons of its use spread
from its properties being corrosion-resistant, strong and durable yet its production’s impact on
the environment is significantly negative. Its many uses contribute or have contributed to
different events, places, jobs and societal aspects in a positive manner.
Negatives (Environment):
Environmental difficulties are often caused by many fossil fuels or productions of metals
creating greenhouse gases. Titanium is no exception to this rule where it helps cause climate
change and increase air pollution.
During the production of titanium, substantial amounts of waste from chemical by-products
and solids are disposed of. The wastes contain toxic substances including arsenic, lead and
mercury which is able to contaminate soil and water sources. The ecosystem can be
significantly harmed by these waste disposals harming animals, plants and human health.
The extraction of titanium from the ores uses the process of “chlorination”. The process
requires large amounts of chlorine gas to spread which is harmful to people and the
environment. Paired with this process being used in mines themselves with an enclosed cave-
like area could possibly be fatal.
Titanium mines often contribute to deforestation where mines are placed for titanium. These
mines also help to increase habitat loss where many virgin forests are fully cut down to make
space for the mines. These mining activities also result in soil erosion, sedimentation and water
quality degradation which leads to wildlife dying off, and a loss in biodiversity.
Positives (Society):
Titanium is commonly seen in spacecrafts where it is in the framework of the spacecraft as well
as aluminium. It is a lighter and more expensive metal however is efficient at conserving mass
while retaining good strength. Titanium is also known to be able to survive extreme amounts of
atmospheric pressure as well as high temperatures.
The material is also commonly witnessed throughout surgical operations where it contains its
own property for surgery. Titanium has the ability to bind with bone and living tissue which
helps immensely for implants for knee and hip replacements. Due to its high dielectric constant,
it can bind to bone and living tissue which helps with implants which last longer when
materials that need adhesives are made of it.
Titanium is a suitable material for the body frames of cars from its high strength, anti-
corrosion, hardness and heat resistance. The light weight also heavily improves the car
performance. Titanium is also seen across automobile parts which lives’ are extended from its
properties versus other metal alternatives.
Conclusion:
Titanium has a significant impact both positively on society and negatively on the environment.
However negative impacts are far more important than these positive impacts which most have
alternatives which may even be better. The many environmental difficulties already on earth
are caused by metals such as titanium from its toxic pollution and its mines causing
deforestation. These problems far overweigh the positives on society where the only real
reason that titanium should be used in for implants and surgical operations which it helps
many people to live a better life. In totality, titanium has a negative impact on the world as a
whole especially the environment which it harms the ecosystem through many methods.
References
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