Materials and Design, Second Edition: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design [Paperback]

Michael F. Ashby (Author), Kara Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1856174972 | ISBN-13: 978-1856174978 | Edition: 2

Materials are the stuff of design. From the very beginning of human history, materials have been taken from the natural world and shaped, modified, and adapted for everything from primitive tools to modern electronics. This renowned book by noted materials engineering author Mike Ashby and Industrial designer, Kara Johnson, explores the role of materials and materials processing in product design, with a particular emphasis on creating both desired aesthetics and functionality. The new edition will feature even more of the highly useful "materials profiles," that give critical design, processing, performance and applications criteria for each material in question. The reader will find information ranging from the generic and commercial names of each material, its physical and mechanical properties, its chemical properties, its common uses, how it is typically made and processed, and even its average price. And with improved photographs and drawings, the reader will be taken even more closely to the way real design is done by real designers, selecting the optimum materials for a successful product.

* The best guide ever published on the on the role of materials, past and present, in product development, by noted materials authority Mike Ashby and professional designer Kara Johnson--now with even better photos and drawings on the Design Process

* Significant new section on the use of re-cycled materials in products, and the importance of sustainable design for manufactured goods and services

* Enhanced materials profiles, with addition of new materials types like nanomaterials, advanced plastics and bio-based materials

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the first edition:

"...well-written and easy-to-read...unique and a worthwhile reference for designers, engineers, and suppliers." - Adhesives & Sealants Newsletter, 2006

"Well presented, easy to read with concise descriptions. Very suitable for students on courses which involve art design and the use of modern materials" - Derrick Parker, Univ. of Portsmouth, Dept. Mech. & Manufacturing Eng

"I believe materials engineering faculty should use this book at some point in their materials engineering curriculum. It can then be a resource for students as they travel through the major. The same can be said in an ideal world for industrial engineering, industrial design, and maybe even mechanical engineering."--Blair London, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

"I don't know of any similar book. I used Ashby & Jones's Engineering Materials I & II for many years, but these are more technical and probably better as stand-alone texts for an engineering course. I think Materials & Design would be an excellent supplement to an Engineering Materials course, and could serve as the primary text in Industrial or Product Design course focusing on materials."--Gary Benenson, City College of New York

Book Description

Design Engineers need this book to easily understand the best practices and processes for selecting materials when developing competitive and consumer-friendly products. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2 edition (October 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1856174972
• ISBN-13: 978-1856174978
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to design, materials, and processes, December 30, 2002

By 

Blaine Lilly (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design (Paperback)

I teach product design at Ohio State to students from several engineering disciplines, and this latest book from Prof. Mike Ashby is exactly what I've been looking for. It gives an overview of product design from the perspective of the industrial designer, something engineering students need to appreciate. More importantly, it also provides a wealth of useful data on a wide range of materials and fabrication processes. In addition, each chapter has a thorough annotated reference list - valuable to anyone just entering the field. All this, and it's a beautiful example of book design, in the bargain. Regrettably, it suffers a bit from a lack of proofreading, as many books seem to these days.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great if you really want to know about materials., March 26, 2005

By 

Fernan Castillo (Bogotá, Colombia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design (Paperback)

It's quite heavy to read... but it covers so much information that it's worth of it. You won't find fancy products shown on the inside for any kind of material, but you will understand everything about them.

If you are truly interested in Materials and Design, this is your book. I suggest also to take a look of those books written by Chris Lefteri, they are easier to read for a student, and have examples of the materials with great pictures. It's up to you "what" and "how" you want to learn.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Individual chapters address multidimensional issues, February 13, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design (Paperback)

Collaboratively written by Mike Ashby (Professor, Engineering Department, Cambridge University) and design materials expert Kara Johnson, Materials And Design: The Art And Science Of Material Selection In Product Design is a thoroughly "user friendly" instructional guide to the scientific and systematic crafting of products from a variety of materials. Individual chapters address multidimensional issues, shaping joints and surfaces, rules of thumb for selecting certain materials over others, and much more in express, college-level detail. Enhanced throughout with full color photography and numerous illustrations, Materials And Design is strongly recommended as an extensive, superbly organized and presented, instructional resource and professional level reference.