To begin with
An engineering manager’s worst nightmare is a product recall at the company. If this occurs, it would result in an average direct cost of more than $500,000 and might deal a fatal blow to the reputation of the business. Approximately thirty percent of hardware product failures may be traced back to the source, which is the selection of inappropriate materials during the design and procurement phases. For example, specifying standard stainless steel in an environment with a lot of chlorine is an example of selecting the wrong materials.In most cases, the primary issue is the existence of organisational silos. It is possible that design engineers are more concerned with the efficiency with which things function, whilst procurement teams may be more concerned with the cost of items. Both may not have a complete understanding of how a material will behave over time in situations that are based in the actual world. When it comes to complex application settings, the traditional strategy of “choosing from standard parts” is not sufficient.
In order to assist engineering managers in transforming the process of material selection from a technical detail into a strategic risk management tool, this article provides them with a risk-based decision framework or framework. If you take the time to properly consider environmental, mechanical, and compliance requirements, you may be able to reduce the amount of product failures by more than thirty percent.In order to accomplish this, we must first acquaint ourselves with the fundamental ways in which materials fail and then translate these failures into language that may be used to quantify risk.
How is it that a relatively minor error with a material can result in a significant recall?
It is extremely rare for a material failure to be simply “rust.” The failure of the system, the violation of safety regulations, and the failure of the chain reaction can all be caused by it. Consider the case of a medical device that ceases functioning due to the corrosion that occurs between the grains of stainless steel, which allows bacteria to access the device. Within the supply chain, this single point of failure has the potential to result in a complete recall.
1. One component’s failure to function can have a domino effect.
The failure of a critical component is not something that occurs by itself most of the time. The breakdown may cause stress to spread throughout the system, alter the way the system operates, or reduce the efficiency of safety mechanisms. For example, a damaged fastener can cause a building to collapse, and a sensor that has corroded can provide inaccurate information, which can lead to a larger system failing in a significant way. You need to have an understanding of how these dependencies function in order to prevent pieces from breaking down.
2. The Minimum Requirement for Quality Management in the Prevention Process
The use of a reactive strategy is insufficient. At the core of contemporary quality management systems is a proactive and preventative way of thinking. As a result of the fact that the ISO 9001:2015 standard mandates “risk-based thinking,” it is made abundantly evident that preventative actions constitute the most essential component of an effective Quality Management System (QMS). This suggests that it is better to consider the possibility of material failures throughout the design phase rather than waiting until after a recall to deal with them.
In terms of performance and risk, what exactly does it mean when 18/8, 18/10, and 18/0 are used? Discovering the Secrets of Metals’ Language
In addition to being labels, the numbers that are displayed on a data sheet are also indicators of how well something can function. In order to select the appropriate grade of stainless steel, it is necessary to have an understanding of the functions that are performed by essential elements such as chromium (for resistance to corrosion), nickel (for ductility and strength), and molybdenum (for improved resistance to pitting).
First, determining the levels of performance for the most prevalent alloys
This allows us to categorise common grades according to the degree of danger they present:
Workhorse material with a “Standard-Grade” designation, 18/8 (304 Stainless Steel). It is suitable for use in general in warm regions, but it is not suitable for use in areas that contain a significant amount of chloride, such as coastal areas or with certain cleaning solutions.
The 18/10 grade of stainless steel, often known as the “Corrosion-Resistant Grade.” Because the addition of molybdenum makes it far more resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion, it is ideal for use in environments that are more hostile, such as those found in the chemical, marine, and industrial sectors.
430 stainless steel, also known as 18/0, is considered to be the “Economy-Grade.” This grade of stainless steel does not contain nickel, which makes it less ductile and more likely to rust. It is important to give it careful consideration before putting it to use in dry situations that are not very vital.
2. Converting memorisation into performance prediction using the H3 framework
It is not enough to simply recall grades; you also need to be familiar with their performance restrictions, such as the yield strength and the Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number (PREN). When it comes to lowering risk, the first thing that needs to be done is to make sure that the selection process is easy to understand. Engineering teams can benefit from having access to a comprehensive resource that systematically analyses performance data and life expectancy in a variety of corrosive environments. For example, a full stainless steel CNC machining guide can make this possible.
Are your parts being surreptitiously harmed by the environment in which you work? An approach to evaluating
There are a lot of failures that occur because people don’t give enough thought to the environment in which they work. A macro situation that appears to be secure could actually be concealing a microenvironment that is quite hostile. It is the responsibility of engineering managers to direct their teams in carrying out a rigorous review.
- The following is a practical framework for environmental risk assessment:
| Attack Factor Category | Specific Examples | Potential Impact on Materials |
| Chemical Factors | pH extremes, chlorides, sulfides, disinfectants | Corrosion, oxidation, hydrogen embrittlement |
| Physical Factors | Sustained high/low temperature, cyclic loading, abrasion | Creep, fatigue, wear |
| Electrical Factors | Contact with dissimilar metals, stray currents | Galvanic corrosion |
The following table presents a methodical approach to analysing environmental risks that have the potential to compromise the integrity of materials
Figure 2: This assessment tool enables systematic evaluation of operating environments, identifying hidden risks such as crevice corrosion to guide proactive material choices.See Figure 2 for an illustration of how this assessment tool enables you to systematically examine operational environments and discover concealed dangers such as crevice corrosion, so enabling you to make proactive material selections.
While working with a medical device manufacturer, the engineering team discovered that the disinfectant that was used in their sterilisation technique was a significant risk factor. This was discovered through the utilisation of this framework. Because of this, they were able to modify the material from 304 to 316L and pass stringent biocompatibility tests, which prevented them from having to remove the product from the market.
The Paper Trail to Safety: Why is it equally as vital to obtain a Material Certification as it is to ensure that the design adheres to the specifications?
For industries that have a great deal of regulations, the paperwork that is associated with the material is just as significant as the material itself. An example of a Material Test Certificate (MTC) is one that satisfies the requirements of the EN 10204 3.1 standard. This certificate demonstrates that the chemical composition of a material as well as its mechanical properties have been evaluated and found to be accurate.
1.The Certification of Materials is an Absolute Necessity
The certification of materials is necessary for components that are utilised in applications such as aviation, medicine, and automobile racing. In the absence of the appropriate documentation, a product cannot be sold. Traceability is the most effective method for ensuring that something is reliable, and it is comparable to version control in the software development process.
2. Making certain that your supply chain can be traced in its entirety
Consequently, when selecting a manufacturing partner, you need to make certain that their quality system is capable of providing you with complete traceability records. The online CNC machining services provided by a reliable partner should make it abundantly apparent that they will provide material certifications that are in accordance with standards for each and every batch of significant components.
Could You Communicate in the Same Language? A list of five steps to ensure that engineering and procurement are working together effectively
It is necessary to have a methodical approach in order to dismantle silos. For the purpose of ensuring that engineering and procurement are on the same page, the following is a set of five instructions.
Not only should “Material Grades” be defined, but also “Requirement Specifications”: Change the subject matter from “We need 304 stainless” to a statement like “We need a material that can handle X chemical at Y temperature for Z years with a corrosion allowance of A mm.” The outcomes of performance are the most important thing here.
FMEA stands for failure mode and effects analysis. Perform a formal FMEA. Make a note of the potential failure modes of materials, the factors that lead to their failure, and the consequences that occur when they fail. With this method, dangers are ranked according to their level of significance, and essential quality traits are discovered at an earlier stage in the design process itself.
Make it abundantly clear what must be certified for the essential components, and do not have any expectations that certification will be granted. In the technical data package that you provide to suppliers, you should specify the type of certification that is required for each significant section. For instance, you could mention that the certification must be MTC to EN 10204 3.1.
Performing joint audits of the suppliers: It is important to incorporate both engineering and procurement into the process of selecting and evaluating potential suppliers. In this way, it is ensured that both technical expertise and commercial terms are rigorously compared to the risk framework and the shared metal selection guide.
Establish a stringent procedure for the management of changes: It is necessary for any alteration that is proposed to be made to a particular material, regardless of whether it is due to cost or availability, to go through a formal review and approval system. This method involves both the engineering and quality teams in order to reevaluate the risks involved.
Remarks to Conclude
In today’s complex global supply chain, one of the most effective ways for an engineering manager to decrease risk is to go through the process of selecting the appropriate materials. By making the selection process more organised and data-driven, and by using it as a link between design and procurement, businesses have the potential to significantly increase product reliability, protect the reputation of their brand, and finally reduce the total cost of ownership.
Concerns and Responses to Them
Q: Our financial resources are limited. When would it be acceptable to make use of a material of inferior quality, such as 430 stainless steel?
A: The usage of 430 stainless steel is restricted to extremely specific, low-risk scenarios that are completely indoors and dry, do not involve any corrosive chemicals, have a limited mechanical load, and do not have any potential for safety issues or costly downtime. When it comes to any significant component, selecting stainless steel with a 304 or 316 grade is frequently the superior option in the long term.
Q: As a result of the environmental factor that the majority of people do not consider, what is the environmental factor that causes materials to fail?
People frequently fail to take into account the microenvironments. In the event that there is a locally aggressive site, such as a crevice, chronic moisture, or contact with a foreign metal, galvanic corrosion and rapid failure can occur even in a scenario that is considered to be safe.
Q: What is the significance of the manufacturing process in terms of the effective functioning of the final material?
A: It is of utmost significance. The process of machining or welding can result in work hardening, residual stresses, or micro-cracks, all of which can reduce the resistance to corrosion and duration of fatigue life. It is equally as crucial to select a manufacturer that is familiar with the appropriate methods for processing materials as it is to select the material itself.
Q: The fasteners that are used in our product are standard. To what extent is it still essential to select the appropriate material?
A: Not a doubt, of course. In the event that the material does not interact with the parent metal or the environment, it is possible for even parts that are ready to be used to fail due to seizing, galvanic corrosion, or stress corrosion cracking from stress corrosion. For all fasteners, a standard should always be used.
For the sake of safety, is it not possible to just make use of the most superior material, such as 316 stainless steel?
A: This strategy is not very efficient and consumes a significant amount of wealth. In addition to increasing costs and making machining more difficult, over-specification may also result in a decrease in performance (for instance, it may not be as strong). The objective is to select the most suitable material that strikes a balance between cost, safety, and functionality. This is the essence of why engineering judgement is so important.
Author Bio
LS Manufacturing is a company that assists engineers and researchers in tackling difficult challenges with parts in the aerospace, medical, and automotive industries. The writer is a specialist in precision manufacturing at LS Manufacturing. For the purpose of ensuring that their solutions are of the greatest possible quality, the team makes use of cutting-edge technology. The IATF 16949 and AS9100D certifications are among many that they possess. Make contact with them right away to receive a free, no-obligation project evaluation and design for manufacturability analysis. This will allow you to acquire additional information. Using this, you will be able to turn your idea into a reality that does not require an excessive amount of money.
