Designers consider material properties, cost, and sustainability when selecting materials for products. Databases provide information on available options, and samples are tested before making a final decision. Environmental and social concerns are also taken into account.
Material selection is a phase in product development where designers make decisions about what types of materials to use in their final product. There are a number of considerations to consider during this process, including intrinsic qualities of the material, design specifications, costs, and factors such as sustainability and ethical sourcing. Numerous databases are available to provide project developers with information on common materials on the market and their properties to optimize material selection.
Designers often start thinking about what they want to use to make products very early in the design process. They can narrow their options down to general categories like plastics and metals when they start designing the product. As it approaches the prototype stage, engineers can begin requesting material samples to examine and evaluate databases to gather as much information as possible about available options.
Considerations for material selection may include corrosion resistance, flexibility, durability, and ability to remove dyes, stains, and inks. Developers can use these parameters to narrow the list of options to a set of likely candidates. They may weigh some options more than others to help them decide on the best possible choice. Material selection must also consider cost. A material may be of very high quality, but it would add so much to the cost of production that it would not be worth it. On the other hand, a material might cost more but would reduce costs by lasting longer or providing some benefit; in that case, the high price may be an acceptable trade-off.
Designers must also consider pressures such as environmental and social concerns during material selection. A company may be committed to using recycled materials or only using materials from ethically sound companies. Companies may have to refuse materials with unclear provenance or from sources known to use slave labor, cause pollution or engage in other unethical activities. In some cases, a company may look to source materials with certifications such as sustainable forestry certifications for wood products.
The material selection process can yield several options. You can order samples and manufacture products with different materials to see how they work, feel and look. These samples can help developers make the final decision on what to use in production, often with the assistance of focus groups or beta testers who have a chance to interact with the different models and provide feedback.
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