Introduction to Optimization Process in Material Selection

This lecture introduces the course on manufacturing technologies, emphasizing the importance of manufacturing in Switzerland and worldwide. It covers examples of manufacturing research at EPFL, including soft bioelectronic interfaces and multi-material functional fibers. The lecture explores various manufacturing processes through interactive Mentimeter sessions and discusses the material selection process using Ashby plots. Students are also introduced to the Ashby method for material selection and given exercises to apply the methodology. The lecture concludes with instructions for a reverse engineering project, including object selection constraints and practical grading criteria.