Ceramic vs Styrofoam at NTI

This is a snowman riding a snow duck at NTI - perhaps a new rodeo event? Probably not but it does bring up the topic of material science. The snowman is made partly from styrofoam. The duck is made from snow (ice crystals).
Styrofoam is not edible although it is a carbon-based material. Since it is a light weight material, some folks use it as a "filler". Again, just because it is filling, don't eat it!
Snow is simply water in a solid form. Water is made from a metal (hydrogen) and a non-metal (oxygen). Some folks don't believe that hydrogen is a metal. At room temperature, hydrogen is not only a metal, it is a vaporized metal. Other people wonder why water doesn't burn since it contains hydrogen and oxygen (actually water is burned up, oxidized, hydrogen ..... hydrogen ashes???). Anyway, another generic name for a metal & non-metal combination is "ceramic". Aluminum Oxide is a popular ceramic. Like "Plastic", "Ceramic" isn't really a material. Ceramic is a property - a set of characteristics - if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck!
That leaves us wondering ... are Igloos ... are they ceramic houses?

Arkansas Machinst School .........NTI.............. The Ability to Get Things Done

College is great. A well-rounded education is great. But sometimes a manager can't find a job. One the other hand, a plumber, a machinist, an electrician, a welder ..... they can always find work at above-average wages.
Imagine calling a plumber to unstop your commode. Do you want the plumber to engage you with lively, well-rounded conversation about Shakespeare and global warming OR would you prefer the individual to focus on the task at hand?
A lot of times, we don't want a well-rounded person. We want a specialist who is willing and able to do the job right now, properly. That's what technical school is all about!
Machinists use lathes, mills, grinders, drills and laser beams to make things - nails, parts for the space shuttle, medical equipment, jewelry, artificial knees - all kinds of things.
If you think paper is for writing on, go be an accountant. If you think paper is for making paper airplanes, maybe machining is for you!