Properties
There are many commercialAssociated with business and profit. products that are made from metal. These products are used daily either at home or in a Design and Technology workshop. Designers need to give great consideration to the purpose of their product and select materials that have appropriate propertiesThe mechanical, physical or optical properties of materials that define how they behave in use. for this purpose.
aluminiumA chemical element often used for making drinks cans. is a lightweight but strong material that does not rustIron oxide formed on iron or steel, orange coloured, flaky. when exposed to water. This makes it ideal for drinks cans or the frames of greenhouses, which are exposed to all types of weather and are typically constructed by homeowners.
Titanium is a strong, stiff material with low densityCompactness of a material. and has good resistance to corrosionA gradual destruction of metal due to a chemical reaction that leaves an oxide on the surface.. As a result, it is a material that is commonly used for spectacle frames, and medical devices such as hip joints, as it is strong but is light in comparison to its size.

Cooking utensils such as knives and pans are mostly made of metal. stainless steelA steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5% chromium. is the likely choice of metal for making both pans and knives. Between 10.5 per cent and 27 per cent of chromiumA hard and brittle metal alloyed with steel to make stainless steel. is added to ironA chemical element - when alloyed with carbon it becomes steel. to produce an alloyAn alloy is a mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal. of stainless steel. The chromium produces an oxide layer on the outer surface of the steel and prevents corrosionA gradual destruction of metal due to a chemical reaction that leaves an oxide on the surface..
Pans made from stainless steel usually have a polished finishA protective or decorative layer added to a product such as varnish or paint. and can be classed as non-stick if they have a special coatingsLayers of a product such as paint or varnish that are applied to a surface. on the inside. polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)A synthetic polymer used to coat pans so they become non-stick., is the coating that is most common, but other coatings such as ceramicA brittle material often used to make plates, bricks and pan linings. and enamelAn opaque or semi-transparent glossy substance that is a type of glass. are also popular.

Some pans are made from copperA chemical element often used for making water pipes. as it conducts heat very well, but these are expensive because of the cost of copper as a raw materialBasic material that goods are made from such as crops, metals, wood and animal products such as wool and leather.. Aluminium can also be used for making pans as it heats up evenly, avoiding ‘hot spots’ on the base, with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) being a common non-stick coating.