enginuity
home | contents | previous | next

Materials Selector

Screen display showing a typical graphical selection procedure used by the Cambridge Materials Selector.

How does an engineer select the best material for a given application from the 80,000 or so currently available? A mind-boggling question, the answer to which has now been simplified by a methodology developed by Professor Mike Ashby, FRS and Dr David Cebon. The Cambridge Materials Selector is software which can easily be interrogated to find a material with a required combination of properties, in less time than it takes to locate the appropriate place in a textbook.

Originally available through Lynxvale, the software is now being sold through a new company, called Granta Design Ltd. The software was initially produced for teaching purposes but has already been purchased by over 80 companies and institutions all over the world. A Windows version of the software with several databases of materials has just been launched.

Free demonstration copies and information are available from Dr David Cebon on (01223) 332665.

number 2, spring '94 home | contents | previous | next