Imitative Procedure

The imitative procedure involves finding out what material has been used for the same or similar component (or a component as similar as possible). Using this, an improved material, or a material modified to suit the actual working conditions can be specified. Successful implementation of this procedure not only verifies design and reduces the time for materials-property evaluation but also very substantially reduces prototype testing because the most likely causes of failure are already known and taken care of. The problem is to ensure that the information obtained is accurate comprehensive and fully understood.

However, within an organization, operators' reports are not completely reliable. A report of satisfactory performance may merely mean that the operator knows when the component is about to fail so that he can replace it without extra outage. A particular operator may know how to handle such as component however a similar component may fail disastrously in the hands of another operator. This difficulty gets compounded when information is obtained from an outside source. Informants do not mean to mislead. The information they withhold is usually information that they cannot imagine the recipient does not already possess.

The ability to obtain information when it is required depends on the particular organisation. Ideally, there should be a materials engineer who combines knowledge of all the materials and requirements of the organisation with an acquaintanceship or, ideally, friendship with all similar persons throughout the world. The right person, when presented with a problem, be able to contact the person who already has experience of the matter wherever she or he may be and obtain the benefit of his experience. His or her knowledge of the other organisation is comprehensive enough to enable him or her to assess the effect of different procedures between the two organisations.