TABLE OF CONTENT
Types of engineering
materials
Reasons for the choice of
material
Engineering materials and
preventive health
The role of engineering
material in diagnosis
Engineering materials in
surgery and treatment
Rehabilitative health and
engineering materials
Use of engineering material
in health,
Promotion
Conclusion
References
INTRODUCTION
Engineering as a course can be referred
as the application of science, technology, art and economics and helps in
definition and solution of real socio-economic and ecological problems. We can
also see engineering as the sum total of all actions we take to put technology
to work. (Adeboye etal 1995) Engineering as a profession is one of the oldest,
one of the biggest challenges is to utilize the available resources of nature
to restore the dignity of man by improving the comfort, timeliness of operation
and removing the drudgery usually associated with the performance of labour
intensive, and time consuming activities of mankind. Because of the nature of
human problems, the application of the knowledge of Engineering is in the area
of conception design, development, manufacture, selection, testing adoption,
operation maintenance of machines implements, equipments, tools, structures and
systems. In every field of life endeavour, the knowledge and application of
engineering are felt.
Engineering
application is witnessed in the areas of road construction. Building of houses
such as sky scrappers and temples; dam, canals, motor, trucks, ship, aircrafts,
railways, refrigerators, air conditioners, nuclear power stations, and infact
in all life endeavour. Another major area engineering can be applied is the
area of health care delivery. Engineers make use of materials called
Engineering materials. These are of two types. Metals and non metals. The
metallic components may be ferrous or
non ferrous.
The
development and advancement as well as sustenance of modern medicine is
principally based on the design and manufacture of medical tools, equipment and
machines. These range from the simplest tools, syringes, needle etc to the
complex radiological laboratory and pharmaceutical machines.
Because
of these machines and equipment, it is widely believed that modern medicine
heavily depends on the advancement of the engineering filed in order to carry
out the diagnosis of health and medical problems of mankind effectively and
most efficiently. Other applications include building of hospitals and related
medical complexes as well as artificial limbs.
This work will clear some concepts involved in the
study, it will look at the various types of Engineering materials, reasons for
the choice of materials, the engineering materials used in preventive health,
diagnosis, treatment and surgery, rehabilitative health as well as promotion
health.
CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION ENGINEERING
Engineering means the use of knowledge
of physical, natural, biological and management sciences, humanities and arts,
gained through studying and experience applied with a good judgment to develop
ways of utilizing economically the materials and forces of nature of the
benefit of mankind. Those who are academically empowered in this profession are
called Engineers. Engineering has many sub-sections or areas of specialization
such as Metallurgical, Agricultural, Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical/
Electronics, Environmental and Computer etc (Oluka, et al 1999)
MATERIAL
Materials are the things, substances
that we use, we have metals and non metals as engineering materials. We are
concerned with the science and technology of development, selection and use of
metals and non-metals. The choice of materials, the design process, the
technology to apply in the extraction, Fabrication, design and manufacture of
the things we use in engineering profession. Materials may be metal alloys or
ceramics, plymers, foam or textiles etc.
HEALTH
The World Health Organization (WHO)
defines Health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not
merely the absence of disease. While some people believed that “Health is
wealth”, others see it as a condition of improved life conditions leading to physical,
mental, social, spiritual and psychological alertness.
PUBLIC HEALTH
The act and science of maintaining,
protecting and improving health of the people through organized community
effort. It includes those community efforts and programmes aimed at improving
their own health.
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Health Professionals are people trained
in one form/ section of health care delivery or the other. From those involved
in preventive health, curative and promotive Health such as Environmental
Health Officers, Health educators, sanitary Engineers, Health economists,
Hospital & Health Administrators, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Health
Records Officers, Pharmacists, Pharmacologists, Doctors, Nurses, Radiologists,
Physiotherapists, Allied medical and paramedical personnel’s.
TYPES OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS
Engineering materials occur in different
sizes, shapes and they have varying chemical and physical properties.
Engineering materials includes both
organic solids that we use in the fabrication of tools, structures and
instruments. According to Okorafor (2008) two major classes are outstanding:
a)
Metals
and
b)
Non
metals
The metals are subdivided into ferrous
alloy and non ferrous metals. The ferrous alloy contain carbon and iron while
on ferrous metal are all metals other than iron and its alloys.
Four major types of Engineering
materials are metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. Metallic materials
include, cast iron, steel, white cast zink, tin, copper, aluminum and others.
Non metallic materials includes oil, wood, plastic, ceramics, rubber, asbestos
etc.
REASONS FOR THE CHOICE OF
MATERIAL
A lot of materials exist in nature and
the choice of selecting one for a particular job is usually onerous this is
because the engineer makes a lot of considerations before making up his mind.
The Engineer or designer must look at the properties of the material, its
weight, and usage. Generally, the necessary requirements or consideration to be
made will center on its service requirement, which studies the materials
properties as elasticity, conductivity, heat resistance, hardness, rigidity etc
to determine its suitability for that particular purpose.
Another reasons for the choice of any
material is its fabrication requirements. The malleability, machinability,
ductibility, castibility and ease of joint must be considered before a choice
is made.
It is also important to consider cost of
the raw material, its manipulation, machinery, finishing with regards to its
alternative to decide which one to be used. This is called economic
requirement.
ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND
PREVENTIVE HEALTH
Preventive health also called Public
Health of which environmental Health is a major component is known to be one
area of major breakthrough, considering the number of lives saved and diseases
avoided. However, professionals in this area speak glowing that Engineering
material is a major contributor to their success story. In this aspect of
Health care system we talk about those things that will ensure the safety of
lives and property those things that can protect us from various forms of
hazards in our domestic and industrial environment. The nose mask, the eye
goggle, ear muff, hand gloves, booth, helmets, coverall and other body
protective wears in the industries are made of various forms of Engineering
materials such as rubber, plastic, polymers, cotton etc.
The sanitary conveniences that we enjoy
which have reduced the rate of feaco-oral born diseases are all engineering
materials, they include the plastic soil pipes, the ceramic squatting basins,
baths, the concrete soak away pits etc.
The pressurized sprayers, knapsacks and
cans for disinfectants and pest control are made of tins, plastics, rubbers,
and cast iron. We also use materials such as shovels, rake, knife, hoe and
other engineering materials in keeping the environment clean and reducing
morbidity rates. Environment Health professionals and others involved in this
area wouldn’t have made any impact if not for engineering materials.
ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND MEDICAL
DIAGNOSIS
Medical diagnosis, screening and
conduction of various tests, now has been made possible because of engineering
materials. In the laboratory, we use tourniquets made of plastic/ polymer. We
use slides and glasses. The microscope, centrifuge, autoclave and other
sophisticated laboratory diagnosis equipment are made with iron, glass, steel
and rubber components. The test kits, the reagents, the galamicals are stored
in cars. Without engineering materials, screening medical diagnosis, laboratory
tests etc will not be possible.
USE OF ENGINEERING MATERIAL IN
TREATMENT AND SURGERY
There is no gain saying the fact that
Health professionals see their ideas come to life as a consequence of
engineering materials. This is evident in the endless list of medical
instruments used in treatment and surgery. Treatment and surgery have saved the
lives of millions of people. The instrument used by the Health professionals
involved in this field includes steel needles of various sizes with plastic
based and cap; the barrel and splunger are all made of plastic.
Forcepts, scizzors, razor blades,
surgical blades, kidney dish and trays are made of ferrous alloy of carbon
steel which does not rust, and has high strength, conductivity and are malleable.
These materials have economic, service and fabrication ease advantages over
their alternatives.
In considering the material to be used
for drips and blood bags, synthetic bags/ polymers are used along side
drip-rapes for infusion and blood transfusion. This material that does not
rust, rot or conduct electricity is chosen. The surgical rope, the loop used
for family planning, oxygen used to resuscitate life is stored in a material.
The pharmaceutical products, injections,
vaccines, drugs, tables and even capsules that are encapsulated in simple
dissolvable cap are beautifully designed for ease of use.
In the radiological section, we use
highly automated X-ray machines, which helps in life saving. The dialysis
machine used in the treatment of diabetes is all made of various engineering
materials.
Physicians and clinicians use
stetescopes, sphygmomanometer, mercury thermometers to check the heart beat,
blood pressure and temperature which are indispensable for early detection of
various ailments and health conditions that promotes treatment and wellness.
The medical profession makes use of
bandages, plasters POP (Plaster of Paris) clothes made of polymers, plastics,
and composites. The consideration of their possession of certain physical
properties which has made then to have advantages over their engineering
materials.
REHABILITATIVE HEALTH AND
ENGINEERING MATERIALS
Engineering materials are put into
proper use in the area of rehabilitative health. It could be recalled that
Health professionals are basically involved in life saving, reduction of
mortality and morbidity rates. To actually carry out their responsibilities,
the preventive curative, rehabilitative and promotve components of health care
system are considered. In rehabilitative health, we talk about how to
rehabilitate recuperating, disabled and heavily injured persons. Engineering
materials in use includes; stretchers, wheel chair, staff, clutches,
physiotherapy machines of different shape and sizes. Massaging machines,
artificial limbs, artificial tooth made from composites, cellulose and plastic.
Professionals in the field of physiotherapy and rehabilitative health will
testify to the fact that they are been able to realize their dreams and ideas
of effective rehabilitative health as a result of the use of various
engineering materials.
USE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS IN
HEALTH PROMOTION
We also use engineering materials in
promotive health and Health Education. engineering materials are used in the
fabrication/ manufacturing of flasks, fridges freezers, ice linings and cold
boxes used in the transfer, storage and preservation of vaccines. Health education involves, health
talks, presentation, symposium and passing health information to he people,
usually, mass media, (Radio and Television), posters, handbills, projectors,
power points etc and papers, plastics, polymers, cupper, wood and other
components are used in the production of these materials.
CONCLUSION
I wonder what life would have been if
not for Engineering materials. Engineering materials provided solution to
almost every life problems. Our pattern of life is shaped with Engineering
materials. Infact life would have been worthless, empty, frustrating and stressful.
The relevance of engineering materials to health professionals cannot be
overemphasized simply put without engineering materials, medical practice would
be in a state of disarray. Thanks to Engineering materials.
REFERENCES
Adeboye, T. O. Bagachwa, M.S.D. and
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Ventures Nig Ltd.
Oluka, S. I. Onwuali, A. P. and Eneh, I.
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FEDERAL
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI
SCHOOL OF HEALTH
TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
TOPIC
“HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SEE THEIR IDEAS COME TO LIFE,
THANKS TO SOLUTION IN ENGINEERING MATERIALS”
PRESENTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNOLOGY IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF COURSE PHT 615:
ENGINEERING MATERIAL