Engineering Material Properties Reference
Density, yield strength, ultimate strength, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and thermal expansion for 40+ engineering materials — steels, aluminum, copper, titanium, and plastics.
Properties Explained
Low carbon mild steel. Most common general-purpose steel. Good weldability and machinability. Used for shafts, spindles, pins, rods, and general machine parts. Not for heat treatment (low carbon).
Medium carbon steel. Higher strength than 1018. Can be flame or induction hardened. Used for gears, shafts, studs, and bolts. Good machinability, moderate weldability.
Chromium-molybdenum alloy steel. High strength, good toughness, excellent fatigue resistance. Quench and temper to 28-32 HRC. Used for shafts, gears, spindles, tool holders.
Nickel-chromium-molybdenum steel. Very high strength and toughness. Deep hardenability. Used for critical shafts, gears, and aerospace components. Can be heat treated to 50+ HRC.
Free-machining steel with lead. Excellent machinability (195% vs 1018). Lower strength and toughness. Used for high-volume turned parts where strength is not critical.
Austenitic free-machining stainless. Contains sulfur for machinability. Good corrosion resistance. Not for welding. Used for fittings, fasteners, and machined parts requiring corrosion resistance.
Most common stainless steel (18-8). Excellent corrosion resistance, good formability. Non-magnetic annealed. Used for food equipment, chemical tanks, fasteners, and architectural trim.
Marine grade stainless with molybdenum. Superior pitting corrosion resistance vs 304. Used in marine, chemical, and medical applications. Higher cost than 304.
Precipitation hardening stainless. Very high strength with good corrosion resistance. Age harden at 480-620°C. Used in aerospace, nuclear, and high-strength corrosion applications.
Tool steel, high carbon high chromium. Excellent wear resistance and compressive strength. Hardened to 60-62 HRC. Used for dies, punches, cutting tools, and forming tools.
High carbon spring steel. Excellent elasticity and fatigue resistance. Oil quenched and tempered. Used for springs, clips, washers, and retaining rings.
Most versatile aluminum alloy. Good strength, weldability, machinability, and corrosion resistance. Used for frames, brackets, structural sections, and general fabrication. T6 temper.
Architectural aluminum. Excellent extrudability and surface finish. Lower strength than 6061. Used for window frames, door frames, and architectural extrusions.
Aerospace aluminum. Very high strength (stronger than many steels by weight). Poor weldability. Used for aircraft structures, gears, shafts, and high-stress components.
Aerospace alloy with high fatigue resistance. Common in aircraft skin and wing structures. Poor corrosion resistance — usually clad (Alclad). Not weldable.
Marine grade aluminum. Excellent corrosion resistance, especially in saltwater. Good formability. Used for fuel tanks, marine components, and sheet metal parts.
General purpose aluminum. Excellent workability and weldability. Low strength. Used for sheet metal work, ducts, gutters, and chemical equipment.
Pure electrolytic tough pitch copper (99.9% Cu). Excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Used for electrical conductors, bus bars, heat exchangers, and roofing. Soft and ductile.
Free-machining brass (60% Cu, 36% Zn, 3% Pb). Excellent machinability (100% rating). Used for screw machine parts, fittings, valves, and decorative hardware.
Aluminum bronze. High strength and excellent corrosion resistance. Used for bearings, bushings, marine hardware, and valve components. Good wear resistance.
High strength copper alloy (C17200). Precipitation hardened. Excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance. Used for springs, electrical contacts, and non-sparking tools.
Most common titanium alloy (90% Ti market). Excellent strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Used in aerospace, medical implants, and high-performance engineering.
Commercially pure titanium. Excellent corrosion resistance, especially in seawater. Lower strength than Ti-6Al-4V. Used for chemical processing, marine, and medical applications.
Nickel-chromium superalloy. Excellent high-temperature strength (up to 700°C). Used in gas turbines, jet engines, nuclear reactors, and cryogenic applications. Very difficult to machine.
Nickel-copper alloy. Excellent corrosion resistance in marine and chemical environments. Used for valves, pumps, shafts, and marine fasteners. Good at sub-zero temperatures.
Nickel-molybdenum-chromium alloy. Outstanding corrosion resistance in severe chemical environments. Used in chemical processing, pollution control, and waste treatment.
Grey cast iron (EN-GJL-250). Excellent compressive strength, vibration damping, and machinability. No yield point (brittle). Used for engine blocks, machine bases, and housings.
Ductile cast iron (EN-GJS-400-15). Has yield point and ductility (unlike grey iron). Good machinability. Used for crankshafts, gears, and pressure-containing parts.
High-strength ductile iron (EN-GJS-600-3). Higher strength than GGG40. Used for gears, crankshafts, and high-stress cast components.
Heat-treated cast iron with improved ductility. Used for pipe fittings, brackets, and components requiring impact resistance. Being replaced by ductile iron in many applications.
Excellent dimensional stability, low friction, and good fatigue resistance. Used for gears, bearings, bushings, and precision parts. Easy to machine. No water absorption.
High strength, toughness, and wear resistance. Absorbs moisture (affects dimensions). Used for gears, bearings, fasteners, and structural components. Glass-filled grades much stronger.
High-performance thermoplastic. Excellent mechanical and chemical resistance up to 250°C. Used in aerospace, medical implants, and semiconductor equipment. Very expensive.
Lowest friction coefficient of any solid. Excellent chemical resistance. Very low strength. Used for seals, gaskets, bearings, and non-stick surfaces. Soft and cold-flows under load.
Excellent optical clarity (92% light transmission). Good UV resistance. Brittle. Used for windows, lenses, display cases, and light guides. Easy to machine and polish.
Extremely high impact resistance (250× acrylic). Good optical clarity. Used for safety glasses, machine guards, bulletproof glass, and electronic housings. Prone to stress cracking.
Tough, impact-resistant, and easy to machine. Used for housings, automotive interior parts, and 3D printing. Good balance of strength, cost, and processability.
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Excellent abrasion and impact resistance. Very low friction. Used for wear strips, chute liners, and marine dock fenders. Difficult to bond.
Nylon with 30% glass fiber reinforcement. 2-3× stronger than unfilled nylon. Better dimensional stability and heat resistance. Used for structural brackets and gears under load.
Material Properties Advanced Efficiency Guide
Material Properties Efficiency Optimization & Best Practices
Strength-to-weight ratio comparison
By absolute strength, steel is strongest. But by strength-to-weight ratio: Ti-6Al-4V (σy/ρ = 199 MPa·cm³/g) beats 4340 steel (90), 7075-T6 aluminum (179), and 17-4 PH stainless (150). For weight-critical designs, titanium and 7075 aluminum are often better choices than steel despite higher material cost. Always consider cost: steel is ~$1/kg, aluminum ~$3/kg, titanium ~$30/kg.
Thermal expansion in design
Aluminum expands 2× more than steel (23.6 vs 11.9 ×10⁻⁶/K). When combining aluminum and steel in assemblies, differential thermal expansion can cause stress, loosening, or binding. Design with expansion slots, use elastomeric gaskets, or select materials with similar expansion coefficients. For precision equipment, Invar (α = 1.3 ×10⁻⁶/K) is used where dimensional stability across temperature is critical.
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Engineering Methodology & Design Standards: Engineering Material Properties Reference
Discipline: Engineering Metrology, SI/Imperial Unit Conversion & Applied Physics
Governing Mathematical Formulation
In professional Engineering Metrology, SI/Imperial Unit Conversion & Applied Physics workflows, accurate sizing and performance verification require consistent unit normalization and adherence to closed-form analytical mechanics. This Engineering Material Properties Reference utility implements the standardized engineering formulation:
Standardized parametric evaluation for Engineering Material Properties ReferenceMechanical properties of steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, brass, and engineering plastics: density, yield strength, elastic modulus, Poisson ratio, and thermal expansion. Every input change triggers an instant client-side recalculation across all coupled dependent variables, enabling rapid sensitivity analysis during preliminary and detailed CAD design phases.
Applicable Codes, Standards & CAD Integration
Maintain full double-precision floating-point accuracy during intermediate engineering calculations and apply rounding only to final drawing callouts per ASME Y14.5 / ISO 80000 rules.
Engineering Verification Note: Analytical models assume homogeneous material behavior, steady-state boundary loading, and consistent dimensional units. Always apply appropriate service factors, corrosion allowances, or load and resistance factor design (LRFD / ASD) safety margins required by your governing code.
Frequently Asked Engineering Questions
Technical reference & verification guidelines for Engineering Material Properties Reference
What governing equation and methodology does the Engineering Material Properties Reference use?
The Engineering Material Properties Reference evaluates mechanical properties of steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, brass, and engineering plastics: density, yield strength, elastic modulus, poisson ratio, and thermal expansion within the Engineering Metrology, SI/Imperial Unit Conversion & Applied Physics domain using the governing formulation: Standardized parametric evaluation for Engineering Material Properties Reference. All intermediate quantities are computed in double-precision floating-point arithmetic to prevent cumulative rounding drift before final design verification.
Which international engineering standards apply to Engineering Material Properties Reference calculations?
Calculations and boundary assumptions in this utility align with recognized industry references including NIST Special Publication 811 (Guide for the Use of the International System of Units), ISO 80000-1 (Quantities and Units), BIPM SI Brochure (9th Edition). When preparing formal calculation packages or P.E. stamp submittals, always verify local jurisdictional code amendments and project-specific safety factors.
How should I integrate results from the Engineering Material Properties Reference into my CAD or BIM workflow?
Maintain full double-precision floating-point accuracy during intermediate engineering calculations and apply rounding only to final drawing callouts per ASME Y14.5 / ISO 80000 rules. Using the baseline benchmark (standard nominal boundary parameters for Engineering Material Properties Reference), the solver yields verified design compliance metrics for Engineering Material Properties Reference, which can be directly cross-referenced against your parametric 3D assembly constraints, 2D fabrication drawings, or bill of materials (BOM).