Dealing with the principles and practical considerations that underlie the informed selection of materials in mechanical and production engineering, this book provides a comprehensive text for the student who is taking up, or consolidating, a course of study at advanced technician or degree level. The 18 chapters are grouped to cover the structure of materials, properties, metals, non-metalic materials, joining and material selection - thus providing for a range of BTEC units in a single-volume text. This new edition reflects throughout the increasing emphasis, in many colleges running HND engineering courses, on the selection of materials. It has been expanded to give increased coverage of design considerations, and covers new developments in composite materials.