Activity 6.4 Product Disassembly Material Usage Chart

Ferrous Metals

Cast Iron / Heavy equipment, machine frames.
Carbon Steel 1000,4000,5000 series / Fasteners like rivets, nails, wire, chains and machine parts. Medium carbon steel is used for gears, shafts, tool shanks. High carbon steel is used for screwdrivers, cutting tools, blades, drills, springs, bearings and knives.
Stainless Steel / Sinks, cutlery, kitchen utensils, surgical tools.

Nonferrous Metals

Aluminum / Used in chemical and food processing, fasteners, structural members, aircraft structural components, hardware, car and truck wheels, decorative trim, awnings, siding, storage tanks, boats, missiles, truck and trailer assemblies.
Copper / Water pipes, electrical circuit boards, electrical wire, roofing.
Brass / Jewelry, water valves, boats, fittings, hardware, electrical sockets, bullet casings, ornaments.
Bronze / Pipe fitting, statues, coins, and bearings.
Tin Plate / Tin cans.

Ceramics

Abrasives / Belts, paper, grinding wheels, sand blasting.
Clay / Tiles, pottery, stoneware.
Glass / Windows, bottles, jars, cookware.
Porcelain / Bathroom fixtures, insulators for spark plugs, and other electrical applications.

Plastics

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) / Kitchenware, food processors, mixers, camera cases, appliances and tool housings, instrument panels, luggage, sporting goods, safety helmets, telephones, battery cases.
Cellulose Acetate ( CA ) / Photo films, magnetic recording films, handles and knobs, sheet packaging for products, brushes, combs, textiles.
Polyamide (PA) and Nylon / Bearings, gears, casings for power tools, packaging for foods such as bacon and cheese. Textiles, fishing lines, carpet, rollers and bearings.
Polycarbonate / Electrical components (due to heat resistance and insulation properties) glazing, eyewear lenses, CDs, bullet-proof glass, theft-proof packaging.
Polyethylene (PE) / Food and liquid containers, squeeze-type bottles, toys, garbage cans, milk crates, buckets, bowls.
Polypropylene / Medical equipment, syringes, containers with hinges, automobile ducts and trim, outdoor carpet, string, rope, nets, crates, and kitchenware.
Polymethyl Methacrylate Acrylic / Models, automobile taillights, aircraft canopies, windows, furniture, illuminated signs.
Polystyrene (PS) / Model kits, blister packaging, lenses, disposable plates, cups, utensils, sound and heat insulation, marine applications.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) / Film for meat packaging, pipes, gutters, bottles, soles of shoes.
Styrene-Butadiene - Rubber / Sealants, adhesives, vibration mounting materials, footwear, tires, hoses, and latex paint.
Epoxy Resin / Adhesives, surface coatings, castings, electronic components.
Melamine-Formaldehyde / Coatings (Formica counter tops), electrical insulation.
Polyester Resins / Gears, pump impellers, lawn sprinklers, boat and car bumpers, shell chairs, and containers.
Silicones / Molds, finishes for glass and fabrics, adhesives, sealants and gaskets, Silly Putty, electrical insulation on wire and components.
Urea-Formaldehyde / Appliance parts such as pot handles and knobs.

Composites

Fiber Glass / Automobiles, trucks, aerospace industry, sporting goods such as archery bows, golf clubs, skis, bicycles, tennis rackets, circuit boards.
Plywood / Construction sheathing and furniture.
Sandwich Boards / Hollow-core doors, room dividers, display models, and furniture.

Hardwoods

Ash / Tool handles, ladders, laminating, and sports equipment.
Balsa / Commercial model making especially aero modeling industry, sandwich construction in aircraft and boats.
Beech / Chairs, toys, tool handles, turnings, steam bending
Elm / General furniture construction, garden furniture, and turned items.
Oak / General furniture construction and veneer plywood. Boat building, garden furniture, and posts.
Poplar / General furniture construction and model construction.
Walnut / Veneer and solid wood for furniture, handles such as gun stocks.
Cherry / Solid wood for furniture.
Maple / Solid wood for furniture.
Mahogany / Solid wood for furniture.
Basswood / Commercial model making, carving and pattern making.

Softwoods

Cedar / Outdoor furniture and siding, posts.
Fir/Hemlock / Residential construction.
Pine / Finish construction work, trim, furniture.

Material uses charts can be found in Chapter Eleven of the text listed below.

Hutchinson, J. & Karsnitz, J.R. (1997).Design and problem solving in technology. Glencoe McGraw-Hill.

© 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Introduction to Engineering DesignActivity 6.4 Product Disassembly Material Usage Chart – Page 1