MEK1400 Physics Course description

No requirements over and above the admission requirements.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student can:

• Understand different levels of the materials substructure, and their influence in macroscopic properties and behavior: starting from the electronic structure of atoms, the different atomic bonding mechanisms, the atomic and ionic arrangements in materials and how the materials imperfections and their movement affect mechanical properties.
• Describe defects in crystalline materials, and explain grain boundary strengthening in polycrystalline materials.
• Explain driving forces for diffusion in materials, and the relevance of diffusion on different metal processing methods.
• Understand relevant properties of materials and the tests commonly performed to characterize these properties.
• Explain how liquid materials solidify via heterogeneous nucleation and describe different casting processes.
• Understand the various hardening mechanisms of metals: work hardening and annealing; solid-solution hardening; dispersion hardening; precipitation or age hardening.
• Understand phase diagrams as a means to identify the phases present in an alloy at different compositions and temperatures, and predict the microstructure of alloys resulting from eutectic and eutectoid phase transformations.
• Recognize and understand the main classifications, material structure, properties, processing and applications of other groups of materials beyond steels and aluminum alloys.
• Understand the basic fundamentals of electrochemistry and corrosion.

Skills

The student is capable of:

• Determining the electron configuration of different chemical elements. Using Miller indices to visualize crystalline metal structures and calculate lattice parameters. Inferring macroscopic material properties from crystallographic parameters.
• Calculating defect density, characterizing dislocations quantitatively, identifying slip systems and predicting its influence on mechanical properties.
• Calculating the diffusion coefficient, diffusion rate and diffusion composition profiles.
• Performing tensile testing of metallic materials and producing a test report in accordance with the applicable standard. Identifying stress, strain, elastic modulus, yield point and expressions of ductility and brittleness based on test curves, and measuring hardness.
• Predicting and characterizing fracture and creep. Outlining cold working and annealing processing methods to obtain target properties.
• Applying solidification principles for the characterization and design of iron castings, and determining solid solubility limits in alloys.
• Using phase diagrams to determine: phases present in an alloy, their composition and amounts; quantify dispersion hardening based on the analysis of eutectic and eutectoid phase transformations; design heat treatment methods used for hardening of metals, such as quench and temper to obtain martensite.
• Perform basic calculations related to electrochemistry/corrosion.

General competence

The student has acquired:

• A broad understanding of the different types of materials, where they are used, their properties and how they can be processed.
• The ability to make justified materials selection based on the criteria acquired in the course and with the eventual support of materials databases.
• An insight into the environmental, health-related, social and financial consequences of choices of materials, with an ethical and life cycle perspective.

Lectures, exercises and laboratory work in accordance with the progress schedule.

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can sit the exam:

• 2 approved written lab reports. Time per lab is approx. 6 hours including preparation and report writing. The reports are delivered on Canvas.

A supervised three-hour individual written exam.

The exam result can be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, an oral examination may be used instead. In case an oral exam is used, the examination result cannot be appealed.

A handheld calculator that cannot be used for wireless communication. If the calculator’s internal memory can store data, the memory must be deleted before the exam. Random checks may be carried out.

Grade scale A-F.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence.

Knowledge

• can explain process and technical components, and their drawing symbols
• can read drawings and process flow charts (P&ID)
• can explain current codes and knowledge about associated standards
• has basic knowledge about software related to the field

Skills

The student

• is able to prepare process flow charts, pipe arrangement drawings and isometric drawings
• is able to calculate flow forces
• can execute calculations loads on a pipe system
• is able to perform stress and flexibility analyzes
• can dimension trailers and bearings
• can construct expansion joints

General competence

The student

• is able to construct and dimension a process plant using relevant theory, use of professional software, knowledge of standards and use of equipment catalogs

Rafael Borrajo

Basic skills on the 3D modeling program INVENTOR