3.A04 | Fall 2008 | Undergraduate

Modern Blacksmithing and Physical Metallurgy

Course Description

Physical metallurgy encompasses the relationships between the composition, structure, processing history and properties of metallic materials. In this seminar you'll be introduced to metallurgy in a particularly "physical" way. We will do blacksmithing, metal casting, machining, and welding, using both traditional and …
Physical metallurgy encompasses the relationships between the composition, structure, processing history and properties of metallic materials. In this seminar you’ll be introduced to metallurgy in a particularly “physical” way. We will do blacksmithing, metal casting, machining, and welding, using both traditional and modern methods. The seminar meets once per week for an evening laboratory session, and once per week for discussion of issues in materials science and engineering that tie in to the laboratory work. Students will begin by completing some specified projects and progress to designing and fabricating one forged and one cast piece.
Learning Resource Types
Image Gallery
Photo of an anvil chained to a block stand.
The anvil is the blacksmith’s basic workspace, forming curved and flat surfaces and providing a stable base for accessories. (Image by MIT OpenCourseWare.)