TABLE OF CONTENTS 
The exercises are organized into nine sections:
| E.1 | introduction to the exercises, |
| E.2 | devising concepts, |
| E.3 | use of materials selection charts, |
| E.4 | translation: constraints and objectives, |
| E.5 | deriving and using material indices, |
| E.6 | selecting processes, |
| E.7 | multiple constraints and objectives, |
| E.8 | selecting material and shape, |
| E.9 | hybrid materials. |
These exercises are designed to develop facility in selecting materials, processes and shape, and in devising hybrid materials when no monolithic material meets completely the design requirements. The early examples are very easy. Those that follow lead the reader through the use of property charts, translation, the derivation of indices, screening and ranking, multi-objective optimization and choice of shape. Difficulty, when it arises, is not caused by mathematical complexity the maths involved is simple throughout; it arises from the need to think clearly about the constraints, the objectives and the free variables.
Three important points.
Selection problems are open-ended and, generally, under-specified; there is seldom a single, correct answer. The proper answer is sensible translation of the design requirements into material constraints and objectives, applied to give a short-list of potential candidates with commentary suggesting what supporting information would be needed to narrow the choice further.
The positioning of selection-lines on charts is a matter of judgment. The goal is to place the lines such that they leave an adequately large "short list" of candidates (aim for 4 or so), drawn, if possible, from more than one class of material.
A request...
