In: Mechanical Engineering
Find an important engineering failure that involves some of the topics discussed in MSE 350. Describe the failure, why it occurred, the damage (human, environmental, and economic) and the changes that could have been made in the design to avoid the failure. Was the failure caused by lack of engineering knowledge at the time, engineering error, or management/government error? Discuss!!
For each of the following common items, identify what they are commonly made of, the material type (composite, metal, semiconductor, polymer , ceramic, glass. Describe why that material type is used. Include at least two references for your answers (websites are fine, but try and find good ones). If more than one material type is used in the items, include them all! Be careful to use proper engineering vocabulary when answering this question!
Abrasives for grinding metal
Automobiles Integrated circuits
Airplanes Bridges
Solar panels
Latex paint
Soda bottles
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) plumbing pipe