The materials in components can degrade due to exposure to use conditions. Steel screws corrode when exposed to water, some plastics become brittle when exposed to sunlight, and coatings on surfaces can wear away.
Components stop functioning when their materials degrade too much, leading to loss of product performance. Identifying the conditions to which materials are exposed and selecting materials that can withstand the exposure is critical for designing reliable products.
Attend our July 6, 2023 Design for Reliability course and learn
This short course is part of or Metallurgy for Successful Products series of short courses.