TABLE OF CONTENTS The task of selecting the optimum control technique for materials degradation is not as simple as it may appear. Firstly, there is the problem of specifying the exact form of materials degradation and then there is the task of enhancing the advantages and minimizing the disadvantages of the control technique, which in most cases involves surface engineering.
In practical engineering, the technical characteristics of materials degradation are given less priority than the cost of materials degradation. It is the real cost of materials degradation that should determine an engineer's response to the problems caused by materials degradation. Can the engineer afford to overlook a materials degradation problem or is he/she compelled to apply technical knowledge and produce a solution to the problem? The answer to this question is largely based on financial considerations. In this final part of the book, the application of surface engineering to a specific materials degradation problem is discussed in terms of its financial implications. The practical consequence of applying advanced control techniques, e.g. is there sufficient expertise in the workforce, are also discussed.
The major part of this book has described the wide variety of different forms of materials degradation and a comparable variety of surface engineering technologies. A fundamental question is how to select the appropriate type of surface engineering for any specific application. An issue that is not often discussed by...
