Course syllabus

Course-PM

MMK221 MMK221 Materials selection and design lp2 HT25 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Industrial and Materials Science

Contact details

Examiner & Lecturer:
Professor Sheng Guo (SG), Materials & Manufacture, Dep. of Industrial and Materials Science Technology 
sheng.guo@chalmers.se, phone 031-772 1254.

Teaching assistants (TAs):

Sofia Kazi (SK)                                                              sofiakaz@chalmers.se

Maria Margarita Mitsi (MM)                                    mitsi@chalmers.se

Gabriele Muraca (GM)                                              muraca@chalmers.se

 

Student representatives are:

MPAEM   bhushan@student.chalmers.se      Bhushan Sudhakar

MPAEM   jayapr@student.chalmers.se          Jaya Prabhu Uthayasurian

MPPDE   evelinak@student.chalmers.se       Evelina Karlsson

MPDES   alveheim@student.chalmers.se      Hannes Alveheim

UTBYTE  tiemen@student.chalmers.se       Tiemen Decleir

 

Course purpose

The aim of this course is to train each participant in design-oriented materials selection. After the course you shall have acquired appropriate competence for engineering work related to materials selection. The course introduces analytical tools and methods for qualified materials selection towards engineering applications. Principles regarding material design for typical applications are also treated where the importance of different behavior of specific materials and classes of materials are considered with respect to thermal stability, thermal and electrical conductivity, strength, toughness and chemical resistance, etc.

Schedule

TimeEdit

Course literature

M.F. Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, Elsevier, 4th edition (Note: there are also earlier or later editions like the 5th edition, and they are quite similar. The 4th edition is recommended primarily because it is available as ebook via Chalmers library. The 5th edition is, however, the only edition with hard copies available on the market (not counting second-hand ones). The book (5th and 4th) and ebook (4th Ed) are available at Chalmers library. Lecture notes are published on Canvas. Introductory guide to Granta EduPack is found on Canvas,and access to the software will be informed by TAs. 

Course design

In the course, particular emphasis is placed on the overall understanding of material performance and its evaluation as well as the methodology and working concept for systematic and objective materials selection. Basics regarding definition, development and use of material indices are treated. Methodology for more complex problems is treated including situations where two or more material property demands should be fulfilled at the same time. An important tool treated is the software Ansys Granta EduPack.

The course is organized via lectures of overview character, interactive exercises (supported by tutorial sessions) and a group-based project assignment (supported by consulting events).

All lectures and tutorial/consulting sessions will be held physically and the students are required to attend lectures/tutorials/consulting sessions in the lecture room. 

Changes made since the last occasion

No. 

Learning objectives and syllabus

After completion of this course, you should be able to:
• Understand the basics of design-oriented materials selection for engineering applications;
• Work with and apply systematic and objective materials selection based on the principles according to Ansys Granta EduPack (previously known as CES EduPack);
• Apply the Ansys Granta EduPack in materials and process selection;
• Define correct constraints and objectives regarding materials selection;
• Have common background knowledge about material indices for material performance and understand how these indices are constructed;
• Analyze materials selection case studies for which either single or multiple constraints are active;
• Analyze and evaluate the role of geometrical aspects in materials selection;
• Describe the general principles for definition of material properties and the basic physical principles behind these in general sense.

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/find-course-and-programme-syllabi/course-syllabus/MMK221/?acYear=2025%2F2026

If the course is a joint course (Chalmers and Göteborgs Universitet) you should link to both syllabus (Chalmers and Göteborgs Universitet).

Examination form

There is no final written exam for this course. The examination is based on the combination of assignments, exercises and project work including final oral presentation and written report. The grading is based on the total score of assignments (max 30p), exercises (max 2p), and the project work (max 18p). The grading will be based on following limits:

Grade 3 > 40% = 20p
Grade 4 > 60% = 30p
Grade 5 > 80% = 40p

 

Schedule

Week

Weekday

Date

Time

Type

Contents

Literature

Room

Teacher

w45

Tuesday

4/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 1

 

Course introduction, Overview: materials in design and the design process

Ashby 4th edition, Chapters 1-2

MA

SG

w45

Tuesday

4/11

15:15-17:00

Consulting event 1

Introduction to exercises, project and Granta

 

MT10

SK,MM,GM

w45

Thursday

6/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 2

Engineering materials and properties, and materials property charts

Ashby 4th edition, Chapters 3-4

ML13

SG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

w46

Tuesday

11/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 3

Materials selection, the basics

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 5, read Chapter 6 after lecture

MA

SG

w46

Tuesday

11/11

15:15-17:00

Tutorial 1

Chapters 1-5  & Granta

 

MA

SK,MM,GM

w46

Thursday

13/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 4

Rationalizing and Critical Assessment of Material Properties

Lecture material at Canvas

ML13

SG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

w47

Tuesday

18/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 5

Multiple Constraints and Objectives

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 7, read Chapter 8 after lecture

MA

SG

w47

Tuesday

18/11

15:15-17:00

Consulting event 2

Project work

 

MA

SK,MM,GM

w47

Thursday

20/11

13:15-15:00

Tutorial 2

Chapter 7

 

ML13

SK,MM,GM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

w48

Tuesday

25/11

13:15-15:00

Lecture 6

Selecting Materials and Shape

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 9, read Chapter 10 after lecture

MA

SG

w48

Tuesday

25/11

15:15-17:00

Consulting event 3

Project work

 

MA

SK,MM,GM

w48

Thursday

27/11

13:15-15:00

Tutorial 3

Chapter 9

 

ML13

SK,MM,GM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

w49

Tuesday

2/12

13:15-15:00

Lecture 7

Advanced Materials Design – Composites and Hybrids

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 11, read Chapter 12 after lecture

MA

SG

w49

Tuesday

2/12

15:15-17:00

Consulting event 4

Project work

 

MA

SK,MM,GM

w49

Thursday

4/12

13:15-15:00

Lecture 8

Process Selection

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 13, read Chapter 14 after lecture

ML13

SG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W50

Tuesday

9/12

13:15-15:00

Lecture 9&10

Materials and Environment;

Materials Selection and Industrial Design

Ashby 4th edition: Chapter 15,16

MA

SG

W50

Tuesday

9/12

15:15-17:00

Consulting event 5

Project work

 

MA

SK,MM,GM

W50

Thursday

11/12

13:15-15:00

Tutorial 4

Chapters 11, 13, 15, 16

 

ML13

SK,MM,GM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W51

Tuesday

16/12

13:15-15:00

Seminar presentations, session I

 

 

MA

All

W51

Tuesday

16/12

15:15-17:00

Seminar presentations, session II

 

 

MA

All

W51

Thursday

18/12

13:15-15:00

Seminar presentations, session III (in reserve)

 

 

ML13

All

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due