There are 8 lessons in this course:

1.   Properties & Classification of Materials

• Properties of Materials
• Mechanical Properties
• Thermal Properties
• Electrical Properties
• Environmental Properties
• Manufacturing Properties
• Economic Properties
• Classification of Materials
• Metals
• Ceramics
• Polymers
• Composites
• Minerals
• Silicates
• Non Silicate Minerals

2.  Metals and Their Uses

• Ferrous Materials -pig iron, wrought iron, grey iron etc
• Non Ferrous Metals
• Aluminium
• Copper
• Lead
• Zinc
• Tin
• Nickel
• Rare Earth Elements
• Lanthanides
• Properties and Uses of Rare Earth Elements
• Other Metals -Titanium, Gold, Silver, Chromium, Tungsten, Antimony

3.  Metal Alloys and Their Uses

• Malleability
• Ductility
• Strength
• Benefits of Alloys
• Ferrous Alloys
• Cast Irons
• Steels
• Steel Grading
• Non Ferrous Alloys: White metal, Nickel-Silver, etc
• Tin Alloys
• Copper Alloys
• Aluminium Alloys
• Titanium Alloys
• Titanium, Gold and Silver Alloys
• Rare Earth Alloys

4.  Working with Metals

• Metal work
• Gauges/Sizing
• Grades
• Bulk Forming – forging, rolling extrusion, cold sizing, bending, coining, spinning, stamping etc.
• Casting Metals – expandable and non expandable
• Cutting Metals – machining, hand cutting, burning
• Finishing
• Joining Metals – soldering, welding, brazing, riveting

5.  Non-metals and Their Uses

• Porcelain
• Earthenware
• Glass
• Brick
• Polymers
• Plastics
• Plant Fibres
• Resins
• Rubber
• Composites – concrete, ceramic matrix composites, weed composites, metal matrix composites
• Polymer Matrix Composites – fibreglass, carbon fibre

6.  Working with Ceramics (and Glass)

• Making Pottery
• Kneading and wedging
• Shaping – hand building, using a potters wheel, injection moulding, jiggering, jolleying etc
• Glazing – vitreous enamel, overglaze, underglaze, salt glazing
• Decorating
• Firing
• Making Glass – hot end, cold end etc
• Glass Sheet
• Working with Glass – Cutting, fixing, joining, blowing

7.  Working with Polymers & Composites

• Synthetic Polymers
• Plastic manufacturing
  Joining Plastics
• Plastic welding techniques
• Polymer Clay
• Natural Polymers -working rubber
• Composites – working fibreglass

8.  Safe and Sustainable Handling of Materials

• Safe Use of Materials
• Case Studies
• Sustainable Use of Materials
• Recycling
• Major PBL Project

Please Note:  Each lesson culminates in an assignment,  marked by your  tutor and returned   with any relevant suggestions, comments, and extra reading if necessary.

• Explain important properties of materials used to make things and how they are classified.
• Differentiate different pure metals and their uses.
• Explain different metal alloys and their uses.
• Explain how to work with metals; cutting, shaping and fixing.
• Explain the main groups of non-metals and their use in making things.
• Explain how to work with ceramics; cutting, shaping and fixing.
• Explain how glass is made.
• Explain how to work with different polymers and composites, including cutting, shaping and fixing.
• Determine appropriate, safe, and sustainable choices in the use of materials for different applications.

HISTORY OF MATERIALS

Mankind has never had such a diverse variety of materials available with which to make things. Factories and workshops today make everything from cars, clothing and hoses, to kitchen appliances, electronic devices and children’s toys. These things are made using all sorts of raw and manufactured materials.

Things may be manufactured at one extreme on a large scale (producing very large numbers of identical products in a factory), or at the other extreme they may be manufactured on a bespoke scale for a specific customer or job (one item at a time in a small workshop).

PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

We choose to make things out of one type of material rather than another because of its properties, and there may be a whole range of physical properties to consider e.g. chemical, electrical and mechanical properties. These are then balanced against each other to help decide which material to choose. Understanding materials begins with understanding their properties. For construction materials, the following are some of the important considerations but bear in mind we are mostly concerned with solids (although liquids and gases may be used to manufacture certain materials). Also, bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list.

Mechanical Properties

Strength – there are various measures of strength including: tensile strength (the maximum stress a material can endure before it breaks), compressive strength (the maximum stress a material can endure under compression before it fails), shear stress (the maximum shear stress a material can tolerate under shear load), yield strength (the stress sunder which a material yields), flexural strength (the stress in a material just before it yields) specific strength (the strength in each unit of density).

Elasticity – ability to be stretched by a tensile force and return to original shape and size after the force is removed.

Malleability – ability to be moulded or flattened under heat or cold without splitting or cracking to create different shapes.

Toughness – this is a combination of strength and plasticity refers to the ability of a material to resist fracture under impact or bending i.e. shock absorption.

Brittleness – lack of ability of a material to resist fracture.

Plasticity – ability of a material to deform whilst resisting fracture.

Ductility – ability to undergo significant plastic deformation before rupturing.

Hardness – resistance to surface erosion and marking (particles becoming dislodged from the mass).

Creep – physical deterioration of a material over time.

Thermal Properties

Thermal conductivity – thermal conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct heat.

Thermal diffusivity – the rate of transfer of heat form the hot part to the cold part of a material.

Thermal expansion – the ability of a material to change shape in response to temperature changes.

Fusibility – capability of a material of being melted and fused together, or the heat or temperature needed to achieve this.

Combustibility – the ease with which a material catches fire. Flammable materials are highly combustible i.e. they set alight when exposed to flames.

Melting point – temperature at which a solid material changes to a liquid.

Electrical Properties

Electrical conductivity – electrical conductivity is the ease with which a material can conduct electricity. The inverse is electrical resistance.

Capacitance – ability of a material to store an electric charge.

Environmental Properties

Environmental friendliness – ability to be recycled or decompose without adverse environmental effects.

Embodied energy – the total of all the energy needed to produced materials or goods.

Sustainability – of materials, this is the ability to continue to exist whether renewable or non-renewable i.e. the material will not run out.

Environmental sustainability – the harvesting, production or manufacture of the material causes little or no damage to the environment.

Manufacturing Properties

Machinability – ease with which materials can be cut leaving a good finish.

Cost & availability – sometimes the best materials may be unavailable or too costly to use; and compromises may need to be made. It may be better to use a less desirable material, because in doing so you can manufacture more products faster to meet demand, and/or produce products that can be sold for a far lower price.

Economic Properties

Cost – sometimes the raw materials are costly and sometimes the refinement of raw materials to produce a usable material can be costly. Even after you have the material you are going to use, the difficulty and cost of working with materials can vary. Some may require highly specialised skills to work with.

Availability – Even if cost is not an issue, some materials may be difficult to get.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.