This book introduces the reader to methods of selecting materials for engineering applications. With the rapid growth in the variety of manufacturing materials available, the choice of the optimum material for an engineering design is of increasing importance and difficulty. Materials have to be chosen that satisfy several, often conflicting, criteria including strength, durability, flammability, and cost. The author, an acknowledged expert on materials, provides a guide to many of the classes of engineering materials currently available. He includes tables and lists of standards, along with lists of consultants' addresses and references. Materials covered include metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, and there are chapters on surface finishes, materials' performance, and the impact of manufacturing processes on design possibilities.