From how to find out technical information, to tracking down sustainable materials, Chris Lefteri answers your questions and queries about materials and suggests where best to start your search
It is easy to overlook the most common directory available to virtually everyone, which is the Yellow Pages. Beyond this there are a number of specific directories for manufactures and suppliers such as Kompass and the Kelly directory. Both these companies have websites, but you will find that the list posted on the websites is not as comprehensive as the catalogue. The catalogues themselves are expensive to buy but are held by many main public libraries. There are also web-based directories for specific materials, some of which are listed below.
Generally speaking there are associations and federations for specific materials: glass, metal, plastic, etc. They are always a good starting point for any specific search. They will always have a list of members who they will put you in touch with without charge. Most large suppliers of specific materials will have technical tables that list all their materials with key properties. They will usually all have a technical department that would be able to advise you on specific questions.
This is a common question, generally asked by designers who have a great idea for a product or who have created a unique concept, where the only catch is that the material probably won't exist this side of the next millennium. The problem with these ideas is that they start with the material and work towards the product. It is easier to use a particular grade of an existing material or a key requirement as the starting point.
Engineering Training Services has a great website which lists all the plastics together with their relevant trade names, manufacturers and even the abbreviations.
There are some excellent books, some of which can be found in Recommended reading, that discuss the various manufacturing processes. And once you have a supplier of the material in question they will always be able to advise on processing.
There are plenty of organisations, which focus on sustainable materials. It is much easier to find what is available through them rather than asking general suppliers about ecological materials. A good starting point may be the Centre for Sustainable Design or Kingston University's rematerialise website, an excellent resource that allows you to search for materials under a range of criteria, including manufacturing method, application and visual characteristics.