Materials Laboratory

Michael Golden Labs 1207

Directors:
Christine Corum, corumc@purdue.edu
Qingyou Han, hanq@purdue.edu

The Materials Laboratory has approximately 1,100 square feet and will accommodate 15 students in the study of materials testing and characterization. The materials lab allows students to put theory into practice and experience firsthand how materials are influenced by chemistry, deformation process, impact and heat treating. Upon graduation students will have experience with common materials testing standards, performing basic material tests (especially hardness and tensile tests), common nomenclature used in materials processing and selection and identifying sources for obtaining material related data such as mechanical properties.

The laboratory serves:

MET 141 (Materials and Processes I)
MET 341 (Applied Metallurgy)

Research and application:
Current research includes funded projects from the North American Die Casting Association and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The lab is also used to assist companies such as Chrysler Kokomo Casting Plant and Ryobi Diecasting to improve production efficiency. Additional research has resulted in a recent patent application entitled “Method for producing Particulate‐Reinforced Composites Using Acoustic Vibrations”.

Laboratory equipment which is both purchased and purpose-built includes:

Scales
Metal grinders
Hardness testers (Brinell and Rockwell and various portable units)
Microscopes
Material sample kits
Impact test machine
Heat treat furnaces
Metallography equipment
Tensile test machine
Jominy end quench testing apparatus
Metrology
Computers used with materials-related software