THE METALLURGICAL OR MATERIALS ENGINEER
( materialsite.com )

 INTRODUCTION 

    The metallurgical or materials engineer is a person with a real metallurgical or materials engineering degree who understands the depth and breadth of the science of metal alloys and materials, and the processing, structure, property, performance relationships, more than any other engineering discipline.  No other engineering discipline is equivalent to metallurgical or materials engineering.  The materials engineer is considered to be the new metallurgical engineer.

FUNCTION

    The metallurgical or materials engineer typically works in a support role, to design metal alloys and materials with the properties other engineering disciplines need and use.  And writes material and process specifications, and process procedures, and also select, recommend, evaluate, process, and apply metal alloys and materials, plus develop, and qualify, and apply process procedures, and assist with material procurement.

EDUCATION

   In addition to the basic core of engineering mathematics, physics, chemistry etc, required of all engineering disciplines, the metallurgical or materials engineer also studies:

• Ferrous and nonferrous process/extractive metallurgy
• Ferrous physical metallurgy
• Nonferrous physical metallurgy
• Materials design, selection, and application
• Materials thermodynamics and kinetics
• Metallography, microstructures, and atomic structures
• Physical, mechanical, optical, thermal, electrical, chemical and other properties
• X-ray diffraction, sem, and other material characterization techniques
• Destructive and nondestructive testing
• Manufacturing processes
• Heat treating
• Mechanical and thermomechanical working
• Molding and casting
• Forging and forming
• Extrusion, rolling and drawing
• Sintering and firing
• Electroplating and electroless plating
• Cleaning, coating and finishing
• Corrosion and oxidation mechanisms and environments
• Ceramics, and glasses
• Polymers (plastics, rubber, adhesives and sealants)
• Composites (metals, plastics, ceramics, and carbon)
• Semiconductors
• Failure analysis