Metals

Ferrous and Non Ferrous

Engineering Studies
Preliminary Course

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
General information
There are 92 naturally occurring elements.
70 of these elements are metals.

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
General information
Metals can be basically grouped into 2 groups;
Ferrous and Non Ferrous.

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Ferrous metals
Ferrous metals contain iron as the primary constituent. As a
result are generally highly magnetic.
Although there is less varieties compared to non Ferris they
tend to be used more frequently in the building industry. Eg
steel.

Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Ferrous metals
Ferrous metals may be further grouped into steels or irons.
The most common form of steel used today is mild steel.

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Ferrous metals
Mild steel is easily formed, machined and welded which
makes it so popular to use when fabricating.
Some other building products made from mild steel are
screws, bolts, reinforcement and steel sheeting.
Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Ferrous metals
Mild steel (except stainless steel) does have its limitations.
It is readily corrosive (commonly known as rust) and needs
to be treated with paint, electroplating or galvanisation to
avoid corrosion.

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Ferrous metals
Stainless Steel is a popular steel used when corrosion is a
problem. It has at least 10% chromium added which reacts
with oxygen to form a chromium oxide layer which prevents
this ferrous steel from corrosion.
Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Non Ferrous metals
Non ferrous alloys are those in which iron is not a primary
constituent. Iron may be present but it is only in a small
proportion. As a result they have only a weak attraction to
magnetism.

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Non Ferrous metals
Examples of non ferrous metals:
Copper: Extensively used in electrical fields due to its high
electrical conductivity (second only to silver). Is red to
orange in colour and has high ductility and malleability with
good corrosion resistance. Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Non Ferrous metals
Brass: is comprised of copper and zinc. Brass can contain
as much as 40% zinc but then becomes very brittle.
All brasses are corrosion resistant and are used in electrical
appliances as switch gear and contacts. Brass is harder
than copper and thus is more ware resistant. Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Non Ferrous metals
Bronze: is a alloy made up of copper and tin.
Although bronze is not used as extensively as copper and
brass it is used in different applications as a bearing
material. This is achieved by fusing bronze powder
(sintering) and impregnating it with oil or graphite to
improve its lubrication qualities.
Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Non Ferrous metals
Aluminium: is a highly used alloy which has low density
and excellent corrosion resistance.
Aluminium that is used in industry is alloyed with copper,
zinc, magnesium and lithium. It has a high strength to
weight ratio compared to most ferrous alloys.

Copland (2012)

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Investigation Task:
1. Identify 3 ferrous and 3 non ferrous materials used in the
production of your family car.
2. State why each metal was chosen for its specific
application (justify your reason).

Submission Method:
Email Word document to Mr Jacob at;
scott.jacob1@det.nsw.edu.au

Metals
Ferrous and Non Ferrous
References:
Copeland, P. (2012). Engineering Studies: The Definitive Guide
Volume 1 (2nd Edition). Anno Domini, Helensburgh, ISBN 9780-9804001-7-5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgmlmDUhR6A Ferrous &
Non Ferrous Metals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWK7T9bz0RA Ferrous
Metals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka3PENabIWM Non Ferrous
Metals