Materials Consideration

Papers and Boards

Materials used in design work, including layout paper, cartridge paper, carton board, and foam board.

Natural and Manufactured Timber

Includes hardwoods like oak and teak, softwoods like pine and cedar, and manufactured boards like MDF and plywood.

Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals

Materials like iron, aluminum, and copper, with properties like corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.

Thermo and Thermosetting Polymers

Materials such as PET, PVC, and acrylic, with characteristics like toughness and heat resistance.

Textile Fibres and Fabrics

Natural fibers like cotton, synthetic fibers like nylon, and fabric types like woven and knitted.

Modern and Smart Materials

Examples include graphene, super alloys, and biopolymers, used in electronics and aerospace.

Factors to Consider in Material Selection

Properties like density, strength, and durability, working properties like machinability, and environmental considerations.

Processes and Impacts of Material Extraction

Understanding mining, harvesting, and manufacturing processes, and their ecological and social impacts.

Weights and sizes

Crucial for accurate planning and costing in design projects, helping determine material quantities and reducing waste.

Stock forms

Different forms like lengths, sheets, pellets, reels, rolls, and rods, aiding designers in selecting the most suitable material form and understanding their capabilities.

Carton Board

Used for packaging, thick and stiff.

Bleached Card

Bright white, often used for printing high-quality images.

Corrugated Card

Fluted middle layer sandwiched between two liners, used for shipping boxes.

Foam Board

Lightweight, with a foam core sandwiched between paper or plastic layers, used for mounting and displays.

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene, lightweight, and used for insulation and model making.

Polypropylene Sheet

Flexible, tough, and resistant to fatigue, used for packaging and stationery products.

Oak

Strong, durable, with a prominent grain, used in furniture and flooring.

Birch

Hard, fine-grained, light-colored, used in plywood and furniture.

Teak

Highly durable and water-resistant, used in outdoor furniture and boat building.

Pine

Light, easy to work with, used in construction and furniture.

Cedar

Durable, aromatic, resistant to decay, used in outdoor structures and closets.

Spruce

Strong, lightweight, used in construction and musical instruments.

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

Smooth, consistent, easy to shape, used in furniture and cabinetry.

Plywood

Layers of wood veneers glued together, strong and stable, used in construction and furniture.

Blockboard

Strips of wood sandwiched between veneers, used in doors and paneling.

Iron

Heavy, strong, prone to rust, used in construction and machinery.

Mild Steel

Iron with low carbon content, ductile, and malleable, used in construction and manufacturing.

Stainless Steel

Alloy of iron, chromium, and nickel, resistant to corrosion, used in kitchenware and medical instruments.

Aluminum

Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, used in aircraft and beverage cans.

Copper

Good conductor of electricity and heat, used in electrical wiring and plumbing.

Tin

Soft, malleable, resistant to corrosion, used in coating other metals to prevent rust.

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

Clear, strong, lightweight, used in bottles and food packaging.

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

Strong, resistant to impact, used in containers and piping.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

Durable, used in pipes and window frames.

LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

Flexible, used in plastic bags and film.

PS (Polystyrene)

Lightweight, used in disposable cups and packaging.

PP (Polypropylene)

Tough, resistant to heat, used in automotive parts and textiles.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

Tough, used in automotive parts and Lego bricks.

Acrylic

Clear, shatter-resistant, used in lenses and display cases.

TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomers)

Flexible, rubber-like, used in grips and seals.