Economic and environmental performance affects the materials selection decisions for every type of engineered product. (Clockwise from top left: The Boston, MA Central Artery Project, courtesy of U.S. EPA; aircraft, courtesy of Adrian Pingstone; circuit board; courtesy of Angelo Leithold; hybrid automobile schematic, courtesy of U.S. EPA)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Randolph Kirchain
MIT Course Number
3.080
As Taught In
Fall 2005
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
- Selected lecture notes
- Projects (no examples)
- Assignments: problem sets (no solutions)
- Assignments: written with examples
- Exams (no solutions)
Course Description
Choice of material has implications throughout the life-cycle of a product, influencing many aspects of economic and environmental performance. This course will provide a survey of methods for evaluating those implications. Lectures will cover topics in material choice concepts, fundamentals of engineering economics, manufacturing economics modeling methods, and life-cycle environmental evaluation.