Materials and Process Selection for Product Design 7.5 credits

The course deals with the systematic selection of materials and production processes for product design. The concept of Design for X (DfX) is introduced as a foundation for future courses. Different case studies will support understanding the relationship between a product's function and the design requirements based on the performance. These requirements will be translated into materials' properties and manufacturing methods to select valid solutions. Surface treatment technologies will be reviewed as an essential part of product adaptation, together with relevant testing standards. The concepts of technology readiness levels (TRL) and manufacturing readiness levels (MRL) are part of the technology evaluations. Sustainability aspects are the focus of eco-design strategies, and the methods used to assess the environmental impact of a product's life cycle, like life cycle assessment (LCA) and materials flow analysis (MFA), for example. The project deals with the materials and process selection for a real-life product and its practical realisation to understand the challenges with materials and manufacturing methods. The course includes the following elements: - Overview of properties of different material groups and manufacturing processes - Analysis of case studies to understand the product's characteristics and requirements, with an introduction to user perception - Overview of the characteristics of different surface treatment techniques and related test standards. - The relationship between product design, material properties and manufacturing methods - Sustainability perspective in material selection by eco-design and related strategies - Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of products and their environmental impact