something else to consider about ceramics:

machining can be a pain.

-- and there is a big difference between "ceramics" and "ceramic/polymer composites"

In addition to its properties, the reason we use steel is... it is cheap.

Still, Boeing is doing some amazing things with composites these days. (Just don't ever ask me how much of a 787 is 'made of plastic' ;-) )

Would it be the case with ceramics that you'd attempt to cast everything as-needed, and by-pass machining altogether? I am woefully uninformed here.

That is what you'd probably try to do as much as possible (heck, that is what they try to with metals most of the time, when they can.)

On the other hand, there are some things which still require machining. To fill properly, there are sprues and runners ('filling bits' and 'draining bits') which need to be removed afterwards, it is quite difficult to cast in threads, and to meet strict dimensional tolerances and/or surface finish requirements, often the surface has to be trimmed down a bit.

Thank you. That makes sense to me.

Ceramics That Won't Shatter — Some cool materials science stuff. And today's new word is "biomimetic".

Biomimetic is only a new word to those of you who don't watch enough Star Trek :>

Fascinating, Captain.

And speaking as someone who grew up without television, and abandoned it again as an adult at the age of 30, erm, no, I haven't watched all that much Star Trek. Portions of the original series, portions of STNG, and most of the first season of DS9. That's about it. And I gave up on the movies years ago.

Ah -- for many folks, DS9 was actually the most interesting and complex of the series' -- and where the reference to "biomimetic getl" comes from. As for the movies -- it seems that it's been very true for most people that the even numbers (2, 4, 6, & 8 particularly) are the preferred movies -- though some us rather like "2nd acts" with somewhat less action and somewhat more "story background". I will note, for general reference, that while *I* like #10, it's not a favorite of either fans or critics.

On the off hand chance that you're something of a rebel, I'd still watch movie #8 before #10 ;>.

Why do we park in the driveway and drive on the parkway?

I don't know. Why do you drive on the pavement? We walk on it. Why do we both table motions, and mean the opposite thing?

AotD: Because George Carlin is dead.

>sniff

Isn't that a Moody Blues song?

Yep, that was me, disguised by my real name.