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Future of materials engineering

  • 1.  Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-16-2022 22:24
    Edited by Sreekar Parimi 08-17-2022 20:11

    Hi everyone,

    I recently asked few senior material engineers about their opinion on future of metallurgy and material science engineers. 
    The response was pretty similiar....

    - Metallurgy is not a financially rewarding or secure career path anymore. Material science with particular emphasis on semiconductor applications is the only promising (or secure) long term avenue. Aerospace is saturated, 3D printing and nanotechnology are hyped and may be in infancy for indefinite period. 

    Personally, I am optimistic about medical device and renewables industry growth and corresponding demand of materials and metals (if not ferrous metallurgy, which might not have much change).

    However, in order to get a larger sample of perspectives.....I want to ask the same to ASM community of experts.
     
    a)   What does future look like for aspiring material specialists...Do we know of any industry reports on this.
    b)   What particular skills are most important to acquire/hone in order to stay relevant over next 40 years....

    Looking forward to hearing from you all.....



    ------------------------------
    Sreekar Parimi
    -----------------


  • 2.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 08:30
    Good question. Today I develop services for the industry, in these segments they frequently need fault services, materials, welding, in general analysis and control, that is the current requirement, and I think we will have one generation more. The exception is the materials of the batteries that are developed, which is like today's race.
    But thinking about the next generation of engineers or scientists, it may be that we need to support the new professional in developing skills and knowledge in materials for the energy industry, recovery of old materials, superconductors and failure prediction.
    We also need to develop new materials that include quantum physics concepts, thinking about the components for the new computers and AI that are emerging today.



    Carlos A. Vergara B.

    Ingeniero Metalúrgico

    Análisis De Fallas

    Ingeniería y Servicios Solco Spa

    cvergara@solco.cl

    +56994991864

    +1 281 899 0735

    Reñaca Norte 25, of 707, Reñaca, Chile

    solco.cl












  • 3.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 09:26
    What, did we suddenly stop using steel and aluminum alloys overnight? There is plenty of life left in metallurgy as a broad set of specialized skills is required in the use and maintenance of alloys. These range from research to heat treatment to product testing. New applications and science is being developed all the time. It is a misconception that metallurgy is not worthwhile.

    ------------------------------
    Aaron Tanzer
    Senior Metallurgical Engineer
    Metallurgical & Materials Technologies
    Baton Rouge LA
    (407) 247-9557
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Future of materials engineering
    Best Answer

    Posted 08-18-2022 02:42
    Thanks for providing an involving discussion topic! This is the largest response to a single question that I have seen in quite a while here.

    I have to agree with a lot of the points that were made. I went through a very traditional metallurgical curriculum with the largest portion being on the physical metallurgy and end product properties, and a significant focus on industrial failure analysis. In the last 20 years or so it became increasingly difficult to find people with this sort of background. Part of this of course is because materials engineering has continued to expand and to have a generalist exposure to most of the topics means that you don't have a specialist exposure to any of them. There are continuing education courses in failure analysis but the University curriculums don't seem to cover it as an intensive area. ASMI seems to be a one of the major bastions of information in this area still. As was mentioned, there are still very large amounts of industrial production of parts made of metal. Will this be true in 40 years?  There will certainly be some, absent the total collapse of civilization.

    Regarding the statement that metallurgy is not a financially rewarding or secure career path, the old rule of thumb used to be that engineers would hold five or more jobs during their working years. So not everybody stayed in metallurgy in any case, though some moved in while others moved out.

    While the pay scales for those entering the information economy do seem to be exceeding those traditionally applied to engineers, engineering that deals with physical structures and parts will still be in demand for the foreseeable future. And as Aaron and others have pointed out, scarcity in a necessary field will often lead to increase compensation for those who are still there. A more difficult trick is to have this reflect back to university curriculums. Traditionally the latest and greatest thing is what gets the attention from industry, financial support, equipment donations, etc. So they add more course hours in those areas and inevitably have to subtract from others.

    For non-electronic failure analysis, it seems to me that a golden age in that area was the forty to fifty year period beginning in roughly the 1960s, when the accumulated knowledge was collected and made available by groups like ASM. Also, metallography became standardized, electron microscopy became increasingly inexpensive and available, and the computerization of stress and strain analysis became much less expensive and generally available. At least in the USA, litigation and the costs of not getting a product right have markedly increased. These trends have made failure analysis a better documented and better funded profession. The decrease in practitioners can only improve financial prospects in at least the short to medium-term.

    The loss of technical expertise, and community knowledge, due to the retirement of the Baby Boomers are two items that seem to be negatively affecting the engineering profession. When there is no chance to pass along tribal knowledge and experience, there is a general loss of expertise, and few companies are willing to pay for the overlap of new hires with experienced. Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. I have seen many errors that resulted from inexperienced specifiers of materials not knowing the reasons for the rules of thumb and the basis of industry specifications. Now that the writers of those specifications and their successors are gone from the job, and the long term view has become less popular, those who follow will inevitably have to learn the bitter lessons of failure that the rest of us called getting experience. Which leads to failure analysis!

    ------------------------------
    Paul Tibbals
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 09:34
    I don't know if I can agree with the assertion that metallurgy is not a financially rewarding or secure career path. Anecdote that it may be, I myself am doing just fine, and I'm sure that many on this forum could say the same. 

    Call me a contrarian but I think many people in the engineering/technology side of things have a bias towards futurism, "disrupting the status quo", etc. because they sound sexy and avant-garde, and it's all very grandiose but in reality, there's a lot of "nuts and bolts" work out there that keeps society running - machines need to be built and repaired, people need to put gas in their cars, people expect the lights to turn on when they flip a switch, etc., and all that relies on thousands of engineers going to work everyday to do work that is not necessarily cutting-edge or on the cover of any magazine. Metallurgists work for pipeline companies, oil refineries, mines, forge shops, consumer goods manufacturers, government agencies, you name it, and demand for the products of those industries isn't going away anytime soon. The nature of the economy will evolve of course but that just means that people will transition from one field to another; maybe instead of working for oil refineries, more people will work for battery companies if/when EV's really take off, or maybe the people working at forge/casting houses will go to work for 3D printing shops. But they'll still remain employed as metallurgists. I think, more than anything, this boils down to the flexibility and resiliency of the individual and their character - anyone with a solid baseline knowledge of the subject matter and an open mind can adapt to the market changing over time, which is a very normal phenomenon.

    If anything, I think the misconception that metallurgy and related fields (for example, NDE) are dying is good for the people who choose to stick it out because it's a simple supply and demand equation - if we suppose (as I argue above) that there will always be demand for this skill in the marketplace, and supply of people who have this skill is decreasing, then the value of the labor of those who do have it will increase, and with it our compensation. For example, I know people in the NDE industry who will tell you that the average age of a level 3 right now is mid 50's, and guess what - in 10 or 15 years when they retire, you're still going to have just as many bridges, pipelines, forgings, etc. out there needing inspection, which means the people left with that certification will basically be naming their price. This phenomenon isn't unique to metallurgy either - despite historical stereotypes about it being second class work compared to white collar occupations (which I would argue are ridiculous), skilled tradesmen like plumbers and electricians are making a killing right now because fewer people are going into those jobs but there is always steady demand for those services. Even in 100 years when we're all living in the metaverse or whatever, homes are still going to have pipes and wires in the walls that need installation and servicing by a licensed and competent plumber or electrician. Demand for many of these skills simply isn't going away.

    So going back to your original question - I think the best skills to have in 40 years are the ones that most people assume will be obsolete in 40 years because they very likely won't be, and you can profit greatly from that miscalculation.

    ------------------------------
    Sean Piper
    Product / Process Metallurgist
    Ellwood Texas Forge Houston
    Houston TX
    (713) 434-5138
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-18-2022 03:32

    Here's the thing. We are going to have all of these wonderful new things such as quantum computers and fusion reactors and wind turbines. Presumably they are going to need buildings to shield them and to have some physical infrastructure around them. Also we are somehow going to have to transport components across terrain too get them where they need to be and even shielding for the fibre optics leave alone cables for power transmission. I guess metal have a long way to go yet. Just like we tend to forget that we need creative people to design stuff, we tend to forget how mech of our world is made of metallics. Where there are metals there will need to be metallurgists. The dinosaurs aren't quite extinct yet.

     

    Best regards

     

    Jeffrey Stephen Jones BSc. (Eng) MIMMM C.Eng.

    Principal Engineer
    Safety and integrity
    Energy Systems

     

    GL Industrial Services UK Ltd.
    jeffrey.jones@dnv.com
    Mobile +447772584504  |  Direct +442038165003

    dnv.com  |  LinkedIn

    DNV email logo

     


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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 09:36
    Hi Sreekar,
    You have two questions,

    a)   What does future look like for aspiring material specialists...Do we know of any industry reports on this.
    b)   What particular skills are most important to acquire/hone in order to stay relevant over next 40 years....

    Question a,
    I can't answer to the point, and not a job analyst but there will be always a need for Metallurgy and Materials Science Engineers out in the field. There is a need for engineers who can do (accurate) failure analysis which applies to all the fields. Materials can fail.  Metallurgy and Materials Science is a unique field and not many students like it.  I was other way around I changed my carrier from Mechanical to Materials Science. I know and speaking from my many years of experience in variety of fields within the Metallurgy and Materials Science. . Also there are not many universities offer degree in this field either.

    Question b,
    Metallurgy and Materials Science is not like rest of the engineering fields where you can predict that, "if I master certain software's with Masters Degree I will be in demand". Currently there are software's out there which I came across via ASM, but those are the luxuries not need for industries. There will be demand but not like rest of the fields. I don't think steel will phase out in the next 40 years or so. It has lot advantages compare to other Materials like composites, any way it is  a separate topic.

    ------------------------------
    Sanjay Kulkarni
    Materials Engineer
    MSSC
    Troy, MI
    248-840-1056
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 10:18
    I can't predict the future, but I can share my perspective.

    I work in a relatively old-school industry. We make high quality, manufactured items primarily from heat-treated alloy steel. I am not doing revolutionary research. I don't need ferrous metals to "change" in the sense of some radically new technology or alloy system coming into existence for my job to remain relevant.

    I do product and process development, troubleshooting (diagnosing things like quench cracks or failure to meet specs after heat treat), failure analysis, and things of that nature. On a fundamental level, we aren't doing anything that no one has ever done before, but on a practical level, every situation is different. Unique issues will come up when a new product/process is instituted or an existing product/process is changed. The company went a little while without a metallurgist before I was hired about 15 years ago, and they realized there were too many metallurgical questions no one could answer and metallurgical issues for which no one even knew what questions to ask.

    I do recognize that my employer is rare as a company that manufactures high-end steel items in the US and does enough product development to justify having multiple metallurgists on staff, but I know we aren't entirely unique. Not all materials jobs involve cutting edge technologies. There is still a lot of need for people who understand ferrous metals, aluminum, and other "traditional" metals and materials. There are plenty of technical details in those fields, as mature as they are, to justify specialists. Whether manufacturers will continue to recognize the need is a good question, but as long as there is competition and applications where safety and/or critical systems are involved, I feel like there will be a need for basic metallurgy that requires more than a technician's level of knowledge.

    ------------------------------
    Ken Kirby
    Snap-on, Inc.
    Kenosha WI
    (262) 748-3836
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 11:10
    I think whoever made the assertions that you posted is either very jaded from their years in industry or very short sighted.

    "Financially Rewarding" is, of course, a subjective term. While you may not end up owning your own island someday, I think there are a lot of career paths in materials science and metallurgy that can make you quite comfortable. But that can be said about pretty much any other career you can think of. 

    And I can tell you all that from the Aluminum perspective, that we are sitting at a new "ground floor" for development of new processes and materials. With Automotive going heavily into aluminum, there is a wide-ranging variety of research and development into new equipment, new alloys, and new applications for "tired old aluminum." No longer are there just generic structural applications, but very specific and high tech applications. With research being done both academically and industrially to find new ways to squeeze out the greatest benefits from the material. Metallurgists and Materials Scientists are needed at all levels to make this happen.

    And this is just what I see in aluminum extrusions!

    So in response to your questions:

    A)  I think the future is quite bright for materials specialists. All the new renewables projects, environmental projects, energy projects, and construction projects are going to need people who know and understand materials to make them work and take everything to the "next level." I can't think of any reports that one can quote, but you can look at the trend in the project demands to know it is happening.

    B)  Skills to acquire and hone? Natural curiosity / willingness to learn.  Ability to work well in teams / communication. Ability to be open enough to try new things and hear new perspectives but closed enough not to jump on any new bandwagon without it proving itself.




    ------------------------------
    David Betz
    Sr. Laboratory Engineer
    Hydro Aluminum Metals, USA
    dbetzasm@gmail.com
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-17-2022 14:06
    Sreekar -

    I found one of those opinions to be quite jaded.
    It reads/sounds like she/he engineered themselves
    out of a job, value, and/or usefulness.

    You do not find many out-house makers anymore.
    That does not mean people don't poop anymore.

    a) bright

    b) learn to be adaptable, read more, write more, and speak more







  • 11.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-18-2022 17:31
    Metallurgical engineers of today and the future must find ways to recycle or dispose of products made of all kinds of materials, metals or other,  without adding to landfills.  We'd still be drinking soda and beer from steel cans had not the aluminum producers pushed for recycling aluminum cans many years ago.

    ------------------------------
    John Fenoglio
    Secretary-Treasurer
    Wabash Valley Chapter
    Clinton IN
    (765) 832-6568
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-23-2022 13:32
    Edited by Sreekar Parimi 08-23-2022 13:33

    Thank you everyone for chipping in your opinions. This is a lively response and does add few facets to the simplified question. I must add, the opinions i quoted are from oil and gas professionals who had to retire due to downturn in that industry. That is bound to impact their assessment. 
    In fact, in oil & gas, its becoming increasingly difficult to recruit mechanical , let alone material science engineers. This, in long run, might manifest into the supply demand advantage you mention. 

    Paul, Sean, Sanjay, Ken,  David - Particular thanks to you guys for elaborating on the through process. Quite intriguing. 

    Carlos, Jeffrey, James, John and Aaron also seem to converge on some of the basic facts that metals (ferrous or non ferrous) are ofcourse here to stay. Possibly the only caveat , if any, i read here is the supply demand of engineers might be the determining factor in existing material technology (like ferrrous), whereas others (non ferrous, composites) can prove more in demand atleast in the high growth (renewables, semiconductors) and industries concerning national security (semiconductors, aerospace). 

    Now, Let me ask you (probably repeat) the second question for specificity: 
    - Apart from failure analysis expertise, communication skills and  behavioral skills (adaptation, curiosity), which specific technical skills would be likely to be indispensable across most material groups (whether ferrous or non ferrous or composite)....

     This is the question I mostly hear from younger engineers at career fairs. (probably influenced by software suites they use at labs...FEA etc). 



    ------------------------------
    Sreekar Parimi
    Senior Mechanical and Materials Engineer

    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-23-2022 13:59
    Sreekar -

    If you really want more of my two cents.........then here's four cents......

    a) know your elements better, their principal applications,
        nominal price/abundance, and safety concerns....

    b) be less afraid and instead embrace computation,
         programming (Python these days), macros, etc.....

    c) get some basic business skills, because that is the
        language bosses talk.....

    d) embrace standards (ASTM, MIL, ISO, .....)

    e) more image acquisition, processing, and analysis,
        as we live in a visual world.

    This can equally well be applied to a materials engineer,
    mechanical, electrical, civ, enviro, etc.....

    regards,
    - Jim






    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-23-2022 14:31
    I don't know that I'd say there's any one skill because it's really going to depend on your industry. Speaking generally though, I think the biggest thing is knowing your application and trying to gain insight into the end use of the material so you can speak knowledgeably about the requirements and know where they come from. It helps you engage with your customers and give them confidence that you know what their needs are and that they can trust you to give them a good product. This will apply across all industries. Similarly, customer management is a super relevant skill for any engineer, materials or otherwise. Often they don't know what they want or what their true needs are but they are very afraid of what they don't understand and if you come to them with a narrative like "hey, we processed your material wrong, what do you want to do?" they're likely going to reject it offhand. Conversely, if you know what their needs are and can tailor that narrative into something more like "we had an issue but, in a worst case, this would be the maximum extent of the impact and that still falls within the safety factor provisioned for in the code you certify your end product to so it should be ok..." or something like that, they are going to be less skittish about the whole thing. I recommend that you get on a first name basis with your customers' metallurgists so that you can expedite conversations which might otherwise need to filter through a couple buyers and salespeople along the way, which usually makes things drag on forever and it increases the risk of details being lost along the way.

    Going back to specific skills, just like how people say it's never a bad thing to be the best dressed man in the room, it's never a bad idea to be the most capable engineer in the room about a particular subject, whatever that may be. At my last job, I was (amongst other things) the grease and lubricant expert. This is something I basically taught myself when I realized that no one else wanted to take on that role. After a year, I had engineers significantly more experienced than myself coming to me for guidance because I was the guy who knew more than anyone about grease, and that earned me some prestige and respect in the company. In other industries, the same could be said about any number of things - heat treatment, corrosion, NDE, welding, coatings, etc. Your competitiveness in the market is defined in no small part by how unique your skills are. It's like running from a bear - you don't need to be faster than the bear, just faster than your friend. Look around at what the organization's needs are and proactively put yourself in a position to meet them where others aren't, and you will find your job very secure.

    ------------------------------
    Sean Piper
    Product / Process Metallurgist
    Ellwood Texas Forge Houston
    Houston TX
    (713) 434-5138
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-23-2022 14:41
    In response to the "what skills" question:

    When I first saw a computer spreadsheet I was entranced by the possibilities.  It's still a great way to lay out data whether for simple databases or for engineering calculations.  Know how to use one.

    I'll second the comment on image analysis.  Don't just know how to grab a micro and push the grain size determination button, additionally learn at least the basics of what the algorithms are doing and why.  Likewise for electron microscopy and elemental analysis by EDS.

    We had just started using laser/light scanning for determining dimensions and shapes in post-failure situations.  It has a lot of potential.  For the area outside FA, laser scanning of rooms and hardware allowed us to place and size hundreds of components in an industrial setting.  Because the setting was remote, many thousands of dollars were saved by being able to know what size / length the pipes were that needed to be replaced.  The checklist of pipes and fittings that could be pre-cut and fabbed in a shop environment rather than hours away in the remote location allowed massive cost and time savings.  Additionally the downtime during the overhaul was cut dramatically, leading to even larger cost savings.  So, familiarity with dimensional acquisition and modeling of systems could be a nice skill to have.

    I just had to know my strength of materials and stress calculation formulae to get ballpark stress values on components being examined after failure.  I didn't actually do any FEA but took classes in it so that I could follow and comment on others' analyses when that added value to the project.

    All that said, a notepad, pens/pencils, and a grasp of engineering mechanics can facilitate a lot of useful conversations.  Possibly people will go to doing this on electronic tablets, but I always considered a pencil and a notepad as the basic "engineering linguistics kit".  Picture = 1K words, etc. etc.  So having the basics of sketching and engineering drawing, both writing and reading, are very useful skills.

    Regards,
    Paul Tibbals



    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-27-2022 18:00
    Edited by Sreekar Parimi 08-28-2022 11:48
    Thank you James, Sean and Paul. That is useful. This was a nice discussion.

    ------------------------------
    Sreekar Parimi
    Senior Mechanical and Materials Engineer

    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-29-2022 10:55

    Materials engineering will always be useful and needed as sourcing or purchasing decide to find new "low cost suppliers". Or if existing suppliers need to find a new material since the existing steel, aluminum or engineering grade plastic is not available due to global supply chain issues. 

    Materials engineers advice and evaluations are needed to determine if the potential substitute material will work or not, and what process changes will be needed to make the new material work for an existing component.  Will the existing machining or heat treating processes work, or will it need to be modified? 

    Will a change of polymer grades work with existing molds or will mold shrinkage yield under sized parts? Will the new polymer grade flow as well, or will there be porosity or knit line issues?



    ------------------------------
    Patrick Mizik
    ASM Chapter Council Secretary & District 11 Rep
    Principal Metallurgical Engineer
    Haldex
    pat.mizik@haldex.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-30-2022 16:09
    Respectfully, I disagree with the statement that "3D printing and nanotechnology are hyped and may be in infancy for indefinite period."  Based on my personal experience and my 45+ year career as a PhD chemist and now a semi-retired international consultant in diverse areas including 3D printing and nanotechnology, I see intense interest and involvement in both nano and 3D printing/AM. Also, both of these areas are now many decades old and are well-established with active R&D and/or manufacturing/pilot plant operations within many materials-related companies, including many of the world's largest firms. Virtually every material imaginable is now being printed; metals, ceramics, glasses, composites, polymers, food, concrete, etc.  Market forecast reports from various sources indicate both areas to have high growth forecast during the next 5 to 10 years; CAGR's for both areas range from about 15% to more than 30%. In 2020, the global market for 3D printing was about $16B and is forecast at about $54B by 2026.  Also, 3D printing is increasingly used for making large items. Example: NASA's metal rocket nozzle liner is 111 inches tall and has a 96-inch diameter and weighs more than 2 tons; it was 3D printed using DED (directed energy deposition). A major aircraft manufacturing company is now using AM as an alternative to metal casting. They're focused on using laser powder bed fusion or e-beam melting for eventual (after the qualification procedures are completed) full-scale production of aircraft components. 

    AM of metals (including hybrid processing; AM plus CNC machining, for example) is rapidly becoming a processing/manufacturing method of choice. Refer to a BCC Research Report of July 2022, "Additive Manufacturing in Powder Metallurgy Global Markets."  In the ceramics area, refer to the September 2022 issue of American Ceramic Society Bulletin, "How AM is settling into the mainstream". Conferences: IMTS 2022 which is co-located with AM 2022 features recent advances in AM and materials. Also, refer to The Cool Parts Show. Polymers and composites are also increasingly involved with AM.

    In terms of materials science and the future, all indications are that this is a huge area of opportunity for scientists. Sources for info include: Advanced Materials "Opening the Doors to Advanced Materials in 2022" (Wiley online library). Science Daily also has good info on materials of all types; also Tech Briefs has much info on nano and AM, among others. An upcoming conference in October 2022 (Rome, Italy) is "Future Materials 2022" focused on new materials and future R&D.  Excellent professional society sources of information (I'm a long-time member of each) include: ASM International, SAMPE, American Chemical Society, American Ceramic Society, and MRS. 




    ------------------------------
    Ronald Myers
    President/Owner
    Myers Consulting Services
    Strongsville OH
    (440) 572-9592
    ------------------------------



  • 19.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 08-31-2022 13:48
    Thank you Ronald. That is enlightening and encouraging. Appreciate the references too.

    ------------------------------
    Sreekar Parimi
    Senior Engineer
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 20.  RE: Future of materials engineering

    Posted 09-09-2022 05:23

    My vision in view of the long engagement with teaching and research as a university professor with metallurgical engineering background, representing the status in Egypt which still supports many projects requesting input from metallurgical engineers and specially focusing on Perspectives of Sustainability, Education and Research. Metallurgical engineering will remain significant for developing countries as still very large amounts of industrial production of parts are made of metals (steel and aluminium), yet the expansion of materials engineering in developed countries leads to providing generalists to most of the topics meaning shortage in specialists in areas such as physical metallurgy, end product properties, weldingling, casting, industrial failure analysis, etc...Education should be inspired by local industrial needs, as well as global demands and what gets the attention from industry, financial support, equipment donations, etc. should be considered with priority. At least one generation more is to be involved in fault services, materials, welding, etc..

    In addition to the conventional study areas and skills, the new areas for materials science and engineering should include, renewables, biomedical devices, energy harvesting and storage materials, materials for batteries, etc.. The next generation of engineers or scientists should be supported by professionals in developing skills and knowledge in materials for the energy industry, recovery of old materials, superconductors and failure prediction. There is also a need to develop new materials that include quantum physics concepts, thinking about the components for the new computers and AI that are emerging today. The expected changes in automotive industries to hybrid and electric vehicles means that aluminium industries need a boost in developing new processes and materials meeting the demands of high tech applications.

    Finally, the climatic changes and sustainability requirements mean that future materials and metallurgical engineers must find ways to recycle and/or dispose materials. A deep concern and consideration of those issues should be implemented in all curricula for future engineers. Standard specifications should be revised for elemental limits in view of recycling being the most adopted technology in the future for metal industries.



    ------------------------------
    Iman EL-Mahallawi
    Professor
    Cairo University/ The British University in Egypt
    Cairo
    +2 23684870
    ------------------------------