Mechanical and Safety Engineering Material Defects

Material defects occur when a material does not have the expected characteristics, chemical composition, or mechanical properties of an established standard material.  This can be due to an improper material being used in the manufacturing process, or flaws in the material that are apparent to the eye but that can result in reduced strength or lifespan of the material.  Flaws can include lack of important additive metals or amounts of additives that negatively impacts the performance of the material and can result in premature failure.  Using the wrong material entirely can result in overload failure, or can increase corrosion rates due to metal interaction.