DISCIPLINES

Metallurgical / Materials Engineering

Metallurgical/materials engineers deal with the science and technology of producing materials with specific properties for practical applications. Materials include metals, ceramics and polymers (plastics), and their combinations, called composites. Metallurgical and materials engineers’ work covers a broad variety of activities, including the extraction, production, processing, recycling, selection and design of materials for aerospace, ground transportation, household appliances, biomedical applications, energy conversion and utilization, information and communications, electronics and optical and optoelectronic components, to name a few.

Work in the metallurgical and materials field offers unlimited possibilities for innovation and technological advancement. Much attention is focused on the development of materials with improved properties, and the ability to engineer materials to meet specific needs is only now beginning to be realized. This engineering, or creation of new materials, can be carried out at the atomic level through millions of possible combinations of elements. It can also be done on a larger scale to take advantage of unique composite properties resulting from microscopic-scale combinations of metals, ceramics and polymers. Also, it can be done on an even larger scale with bridges, buildings and appliances.

The ability to engineer materials to meet new specifications has its basis in several developments: new tools making use of electrons, neutrons or x-rays to study materials at the atomic level; high-speed computers that are used to model the behaviour of atoms, materials, components and systems; and new means of processing materials to improve properties, such as rapid freezing, processing in the low gravity of space, etc.

Metallurgical and materials engineers are employed in many different industries. They include primary metal or materials production; materials fabrication; environmental protection organizations; advanced materials production; automotive manufacturing; machine design and manufacturing; research organizations; consulting companies and foundry/casting organizations. Job functions are varied and include manufacturing, research and development, design, sales and marketing, technical services, quality control and testing, performance and failure analysis, management and administration, and teaching. In the minerals industry, typically the metallurgical engineer will be involved with the design of materials processing plants, production supervision, technical management, management, assessment of environmental degradation of materials, technology transfer and pollution control.

Today, there are numerous areas in which improvements in production performance are limited by available materials. These limitations include properties such as strength at high temperatures, and resistance to chemicals and harsh environments. As materials are involved in virtually every aspect of our lives, there are generally more opportunities in the metallurgical and materials fields than engineers, making job placement possibilities and salary expectations strong. Metallurgical/materials engineering offers the promise of a successful career to students entering the field.