Getting into metallurgy...

[geauxinspect]

This may be the wrong forum for this question, but I figure I would get more responses from the more appropriate persons on the matter. I just got my cwi and Im really Really interested in the metallurgy science side of the whole thing. Im not ready to start my move tomorrow or the next day, but over the next year or two I would like to be headed in that direction. I have asked a few local people here at the plant im working, and they tell me Engineering school... Well I'm not interested in going to school for 4-6 years either. I'm extremely busy and I don't have the time to do the full time schooling. What should I look into?

 

[EdStainless]

Are you near to a big school with a metallurgy program? If so look into taking a few intro classes.
One thing that might be an issue with working on a degree is the amount of non-metallurgy class work. Calculus, chemistry (including physical chem), thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics. After all a metallurgy (or materials science) degree is 40% Mech Eng, 30% Chem Eng, and 30% materials.

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[redpicker]

There are a variety of courses offered by ASM International

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/asm/LifelongLearning/

that may be of interest.

Bear in mind, however, that a lot of the material may be rather advanced or complicated. Metallurgy can be even more confusing because much of the "Art" was descovered before the "Science" was understood, so a lot of the terminology is not as straightforward as other disciplines. If fact, it can be downright contra-intuitive. Engineering school is a bear, but it will give you the best background if you really want to understand the science.

rp

 

[unclesyd]

I will second redpicker's recommendation about the ASM courses. I've taken several and they are outstanding as a learning guide and later as any good textbook an excellent reference.
I would also recommend membership in the ASM.

 

[geauxinspect]

I looked at the site and they have some great classes, and it looks like that have them split up well. The classes are a bit pricey though. Syd, does the price include the test? What type of certification's do you receive and are they well recognized? I wan't this not just to have a well recognized certificate, but to understand the science behind it all. Thank you for that link, that looks like a great start! Possibly the exact information/schooling I was looking for. 1 week cram courses :x

 

[unclesyd]

The price includes everything. The certificates like all the others depends at lot on the employer and what credit they give to it. I have personally not had to see what they are worth. I do know that one local collage has give credit on two occasions for the courses. They also have a CEU value.
The courses go into the theory about as deep as you can go without getting into the physical sciences.

Due to the amount and completeness of the material presented in some courses I don't believe that you can absorb the information available in a course in one week.

 

[steelmtllrgst]

Full time schooling is not the only option for engineering degree, many of the larger universities offer night classes. Some even have online courses. In my experience, the classroom work is mainly generalized concepts and broad overviews of particulars to different parts of metallurgy. The real gain is in the understanding of fundamentals that allow you to fully understand the "why" and "how" of metallurgical concepts that are discussed in particular industries.

Have to decide how deep into metallurgy you want to get (for yourself), and what recognition you want for it. I have to speak with freshmen ENGR students next week - my final slide "what do you want? are you willing to do what is necessary to get it?"...

 

[geauxinspect]

Well I have my CWI now and that was the first step of many. That's where I wanted to start, and I'm here now! Like I said, within the next year or two I want to ease over into that world. I am willing to do what is necessary! I need to check with the local university here and see what is available as far as night classes, if any. I also need to look at the online courses to see exactly what is available/affordable. I have looked at the online degree's and the one's i've come across are expensive as well. Im 23 year's old and I don't have a bunch of money I can throw to that at this time! I will just have to look into it all... Yall have been very helpful, and I will repost my finding's. I thank all of you!

 

[HgTX]

Some of those ASM classes are available online or by mail for only a few hundred bucks. You lose the benefit of direct interaction with the instructor and the rest of the class, but there's some amount of email support and at least you get to see what the material's like before investing a whole lot more into a trip to Cleveland.

Hg


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[arunmrao]

you may also take a look at metals training institute. They too conduct courses and have long distance learning programs too.

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