2010 – 16 – The Purchasing of Materials
With the variety of materials available, it can be difficult to determine the best material for the job. Selecting the right material means finding a product at the lowest cost that still meets all your needs. This is true regardless of the type of material you need.
Manufacturers are on an external quest to save money. When a common grade of steel offers the same performance, there is no need for an expensive alloy. If a job calls for a material with unique characteristics, you won’t want to get a cheaper material that wont make the grade. The more special properties that a material has, the harder it is to make and the more expensive that material will be.