Materials, thermodynamics, and mechanical design.
I use a real 7,146 Btu/kWh combined-cycle heat rate to show why single-cycle plants are a waste of fuel, and walk through the thermodynamics that prove it.
Stop blaming the material. Your aluminum part failed because you confused stiffness with strength. Learn the one number that actually governs deflecti...
We argue that yield strength, not stiffness, should drive material selection for metal parts—unless deflection or weight dictates otherwise. A practic...
A practical, no-nonsense guide to sizing heat engines and cooling systems using the first and second laws, with concrete steps and a hard-earned warni...
A practical, opinionated guide to assessing heat engines using first and second law principles, with real numbers and a clear recommendation.
The common belief that stiff materials are strong is wrong. I explain why stiffness and strength are independent and how to choose the right one for y...
Picking materials by yield strength alone is a trap. Here's why stiffness, machinability, and fatigue matter more—and how to choose smarter.
You can't beat thermodynamics. The second law caps every heat engine's efficiency at the Carnot limit. Stop chasing perfection and design for real-wor...
Picking materials by yield strength alone leads to parts that bend too much. Start with a deflection budget. Here's how stiffness drives geometry, wei...
Think strength is the key material property? Wrong. For most mechanical designs, stiffness (Young's modulus) matters more. We compare steel and alumin...
We need to stop treating tight tolerances as a default. Manufacturing costs balloon when we ignore the material's machinability and stress state. A pr...
Fatigue cracks cause ~90% of mechanical failures. Many engineers pick strong alloys but ignore endurance limits. Here's what actually matters in mater...
Confused why 7075-T6 aluminum can be stronger than stainless steel yet flex more? Learn the difference between stiffness and strength, and how to choo...