材料选择外文文献翻译、中英文翻译.docVIP

附译文二 Selecting Materials We are surrounded by materials and we rarely think about how these materials are selected. Why was your desk made of solid wood, plywood, or plastic-laminated particleboard? Why have so many plastics replaced steel and zinc in automobiles? What is the controversy about using foamed polystyrene plastic to package fast food? While you might take granted the materials that make up your products, you can be sure that the designers did not. People who design homes, cars, aircraft, clothing, furniture, and other products or systems devote a lot of attention to the selection of the materials they use. Material selection might make or break a company. But how do the designers make that selection to arrive at the best material? What selection criteria are most important? The Ideal Material What is an ideal material? Among other characteristics, we can list the following for the ideal material: Endless and readily available source of supply Cheap to refine and produce Energy efficient strong, stiff, and dimensionally stable at all temperatures Lighweight Corrosion resistant No harmful effects on the environment or people Biodegradable Numerous secondary uses It is a very complex process for the designer to find the ideal material for a specific product. Obstacles to Change Switching from traditional materials such as steel and concrete to newer materials such as plastic-based composites seem a simple, straightforward approach for the contemporary designer. The newer materials are often superior, but sometimes there are complications. Often, lack of experience with new materials causes hesitation by designers. Departures from tried-and-true materials may be costly. It requires time before both designers and fabricators gain sufficient experience to make products or systems. This problem is exacerbated when human life might be in jeopardy, such as when designing for aircraft. Consequently, new materials and processes are usually slower to enter the mark