Lesson 2 - Classification and Properties
In this lesson we will discuss what materials of construction are and why a better understanding of them is important to us. We examine the general classification of materials and highlight some of the most important ones in each relevant class. We will review the properties of materials and go into greater detail on these where required. To conclude, we focus on three things that can impact materials greatly: corrosion, degradation and welding.
Preface
Just as beer has various ingredients that can be used (where each has advantages, disadvantages and relative properties) the process equipment and the facilities that house them, also have elements that are used to construct them. The materials used in these elements are commonly referred to as materials of construction.
We may question why materials of construction are important; what do you think the answer would be? Below is a list of possibilities:
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Our product is permanently in contact with materials from the time it enters our facilities as a raw material until the time it is packaged in a container. These various materials can have a huge impact on our products.
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The cost of new equipment is greatly dependent on the materials used to make them.
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Different materials have different life spans and therefore, maintenance costs. Replacement costs must also be considered.
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Equipment failures are not only costly but impact negatively on your production throughput and quality.
Now that we are looking at materials in a fresh way, let us continue by considering the general classification of materials. This will provide us with the foundations on which we can build our knowledge throughout the rest of the lesson.