Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons: Industrial Design: Materials

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call: 617-989-4040

email: library@wit.edu

Recommended Books

Materials for Design by Chris Lefteri
Call Number: 745.2 .L44mat2 2014
Publication Date: 2014
Materials for Design provides much-needed information on the raw materials, and the 'low-down' on what these materials can be used for.
Why Materials Matter by Seetal Solanki; Liz Corbin (foreword)
Call Number: 620.11 .S65 2018
ISBN: 9783791384719
Publication Date: 2018
Why Materials Matter presents a colorful panoply of ideas, technologies, and creative efforts that focus on the earth's most basic elements, while also showing how these elements can be transformed into entirely new materials.
The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals by Rob Thompson
Call Number: REF 745.2 .T46mat 2017
ISBN: 9780500518540
Publication Date: 2017
The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals is the one-stop resource for all design professionals, providing comprehensive, accurate information about the basic materials with which they work on a daily basis, as well as a complete breakdown on new and exciting developments in high-tech materials.
Sustainable Materials, Processes and Production by Rob Thompson (Photographer); Martin Thompson; Rob Thompson
Call Number: REF 620.11 .T46 2013
ISBN: 9780500290712
Publication Date: 2013
Sustainable Materials, Processes and Production is an essential reference for understanding the environmental impact of materials, manufacturing processes, and product life cycles, and is also a guide on how to select and use them in an intelligent way. It includes in-depth analysis of fifteen materials, fourteen processes, and six production life cycles, supplemented by specially commissioned photographs and diagrams.

Library Online Resources for Materials

Material Order This link opens in a new window
A collaborative, open access materials database, Material Order compiles basic information on materials from collections at Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan in one place.
Materiom This link opens in a new window
Materiom is a materials database that focuses specifically on sustainable materials created with natural ingredients. This resource includes recipes to manufacture the materials listed, as well as a user directory to connect with other designers interested in sustainable materials.
Users must create a free account to access the (free) content of this resource.
Knovel Answers for Science and Engineering This link opens in a new window
Allows material properties searching and simultaneous comparison across hundreds of materials. Also provides access to interactive graphs, property table data, and engineering equations.

Other Online Resources for Materials

Archello
Archello is a directory for architects to advertise recent projects, and for manufacturers to advertise new materials available for purchase.
MatWeb - Material Property Data
Material properties data sheets for polymers, metals, metal alloys, fibers, semiconductors, and other engineering materials
Sweets Directory
Sweets provides building product information, with links to CAD details, BIM objects, specifications, catalogs, project galleries as well as information on green products.
Transmaterial
Transmaterial is a blog maintained by architect and former Fulbright scholar Blaine Brownell. The blog contains brief summaries of recent innovations in materials, with links to manufacturers.