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Materials Engineer
A Materials Engineer designs and develops ways to use plastics
to produce materials that are useful.

Job Description

When Saturn was looking for a polymeric plastic material for the body of its cars, polyurethane was not the first choice. Polyurethane is more useful when used in thin layers in your energy-efficient refrigerator because of its insulating properties that help prevent the cold air for escaping.

A Materials Engineer is consulted to make the selection of an appropriate plastics material with the right properties for an application such as car bumpers, bike helmets, or refrigerator parts. For example, touch, impact, and corrosion-resistant plastics such as ABS, high-impact polystyrene, and polypropylene are used to create moulded interior panels and door liners that maximize usable space.

Daily Activities
  • estimates technical and economic factors
  • selects materials for a given use
  • consults with polymer producers, mould designers, and makers
  • conducts tests on products and their properties
  • analyzes failure data and laboratory test results
A Materials Engineer may work in research, development, production, sales, or a combination thereof. In the research of plastics, he or she creates materials and fabrication procedures to suit a desired performance or need. A Material Engineer works to develop materials with special properties like fire resistance or strength, or perhaps an eco-friendly plastic to reduce pollution and increase recyclability. In doing so, he or she may even consult with producers of polymers to find materials suitable for the work. Plans and laboratory work must incorporate factors such as strength, weight, and cost in meeting design objectives.

A Materials Engineer works to test the newly developed material and even finds new uses for it. For example, he or she may conduct a stress test on a plastic rod and measure when it breaks or fails. An analysis of the product failure data and laboratory test results provides further understanding of the material and its uses. In order to produce a new material effectively, the Materials Engineer must also plan and develop the equipment needed to make new products. As a result, the Materials Engineer is an asset in the Plastics Industry as he or she is familiar with a wide range of materials and their properties. A Materials Engineer may assist the parts designer, mould designer, or the manufacturing engineer in the design of proper moulding techniques for individual plastic parts, along with selecting the correct materials.