The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

The understanding of the structure and properties of metals, stress mechanisms, failure modes and the characteristics determine their usefulness for a specific application. Often, materials are subject to variable forces (loads). The mechanical engineer calculates these forces to establish the service that can be expected and material scientists experiment to determine how materials deform (elongate, compress, and twist) or break as a function of applied load, time, temperature, and other conditions.

Metals typically exhibit crystalline structure and have three most common crystal patterns: (1) the body-centered cubic (BCC), (2) the face-centered cubic (FCC) and (3) the hexagonal closed packed (HCP).

    Metals containing BCC structures include ferrite, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, and tungsten. These metals possess high strength and low ductility.     Metals containing FCC structures include austenite, aluminum, copper, lead, silver, gold, nickel, platinum and thorium. These metal possess low strength and high ductility.     Metals containing HCP structures include beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, thallium and zirconium. These metals are not as ductile as FCC metals.

Mechanical properties are also used to help specify and identify metals. The most common properties considered are strength, hardness, ductility, and impact resistance. Understanding the basic properties of metals is critical in identifying the most appropriate metal to use for each application.

This 8-hr course explains the basic structure of metals and describes how those structures are affected by various processes. The course is based entirely on US Department of Energy training materials DOE-HDBK-1017/1-93, Fundamentals Handbook, Material Science; Volume 1 of 2. It contains two modules 1 and 2:

    Module 1, "Structure of Metals" contains information on the basic structure of metals and discusses various imperfections and defects that affect metals.     Module 2, "Properties of Metals" contains information on the properties of metals to be considered when selecting materials for a particular application.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of forty (40) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.

Please Note: Continuing Education credits for this course are awarded as PDH (Professional Development Hour Credits).