2020 – 01 – How Important is Structure
If one wants to understand the study of metals, it is essential to understand their internal structure. Metals don’t remain the same when they are manufactured. Typically, they are changed through chemical or physical processes that alter their strength, hardness and ductility. Often, when you combine metals, it results in a new material that has properties similar to those of the original materials.
The arrangement of a material’s inner components makes up its structure. A metal’s structure can be analyzed from its atomic structure all the way up to the structures that can be seen by the naked eye. The structure of a metal is defined by the arrangement of its atoms.
In the manufacturing process, a metal’s structure affects how well it can be controlled. If you are familiar with a metal’s structure, you can pick the best metal for a particular application under any condition.