Materials Selection Guidelines
Or how to avoid breakage, berylliosis and/or bankruptcy
Overview
Important material properties
Design-centered Environmental Fabrication Metals Polymers Ceramics Composites
Material classes and common examples
When in doubt, ask your machinist!
Material Properties - Overview
Design-Centered Properties
Satisfy functional requirements Constraints based on operating environment of apparatus Constraints based on cost, available processes, and manufacturing quantity
Environmental Properties
Fabrication Properties
Material Properties - Overview
Resources
MatWeb (www.matweb.com) Machinerys Handbook Chemical Resistance Database (http://www.coleparmer.com/TechInfo/ChemComp .asp) McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)
Material Properties - Design
Mechanical Properties
Youngs modulus, density, fracture toughness Dielectric strength, transparency, permeability Thermal conductivity, heat capacity
Electromagnetic Properties
Thermal Properties
Material Properties Design Mechanical Properties
Youngs Modulus Density Yield Strength (???)
Material Properties Design Mechanical Properties
Failure is not as simple as yield stress! Yield stress
Processing sensitive, maybe anisotropic Stay below 1/3 of melting point (in K) Some materials fatigue even at low stress Very common failure mode, but very complex
Creep
Fatigue
Fracture
Material Properties Design Mechanical Properties
Watch for tempers, fillers, and/or temperatures used for mechanical property measurements Brittleness indicators
Low elongation (< ~10%) UTS close to yield stress Very different notched/unnotched impact energy (Izod or Charpy tests)
Material Properties Design Electromagnetic Properties
Dielectric Strength
Watch out for short circuits! There are very few clear materials
Transparency / Color
Electrical Conductivity Magnetic Permeability / Hysteresis
Special alloys with tailored properties are available
Material Properties Design Thermal Properties
Thermal Conductivity
Good insulators are not strong materials
Thermal Diffusivity
Material Properties Environment
Operating temperature range
Remember to watch the low end, too! If in doubt, buy a material sample and test it Cleaners matter too! Includes solar UV radiation! Does it need to be shiny and impressive?
Chemical resistance
Radiation resistance
Appearance
Material Properties - Fabrication
You are making one machine, not 106
Casting, molding, forging, and stamping are not economical Benefits of rapid prototyping may offset poor material properties
Machinability directly impacts cost Hazardous materials more expensive to work
DONT TRY THESE YOURSELF!
Beryllium, magnesium, glass-reinforced plastics, etc.
A Reminder:
When in doubt, ask your machinist!
Materials - Metals
Aluminum Properties
High strength/weight ratio No fatigue limit (vibration = trouble!) Widely variable toughness Most alloys resistant to air, humidity, solvents
Acids and bases very bad!
Inexpensive and easy to work
Materials - Metals
Aluminum Alloys
Machining
6061, 2024, 7075 5052, 3003, 6063 6061, 5052
Forming
Welding
Materials - Metals
Carbon and Alloy Steel Properties
Heat treatment allows even a single alloy to have widely variable properties In general, toughness and yield strength inversely proportional Well-defined fatigue limit Poor corrosion resistance Inexpensive, but can be hard to machine Weldable
Materials - Metals
Steel Alloys
1018: General purpose, low strength 4140: Higher strength, heat treatable Tool Steels
Many proprietary varieties available Difficult to machine or form S7 good for high-impact structural applications Ultra-high strength and toughness, but very expensive
Maraging Steels
Materials - Metals
Stainless Steel Properties
Wide range of corrosion resistance
Some little better than alloy steel!
Difficult to machine Moderate cost Most corrosion-resistant alloys not strong
Good at low temperatures
Can be easy to weld
Materials - Metals
Stainless Steel Alloys
304: Most common, resistant to common conditions 316: Extreme corrosion resistance, very difficult to machine, low strength 440C: High strength, relatively low corrosion resistance
Materials - Metals
Copper Alloy Properties
High thermal and electrical conductivity Widely variable strength and machinability Moderate cost Corrosion resistant, but can tarnish Easy to join by brazing/soldering
Materials - Metals
Copper Alloys
Brass
Alloy 360 is strong and extremely machinable Alloy 630 is very hard and wear-resistant Superb properties, but VERY TOXIC Few shops will work it, and only for big $$$
Bronze
Beryllium Copper
Materials - Metals
Magnesium
Lightest structural metal Flammable during machining Tarnishes and corrodes easily Very high strength/weight ratio More corrosion resistant than stainless steel Very difficult to machine or form
Titanium
Materials - Plastics
Acrylic
Transparent and UV resistant Stiff and strong Very brittle Easily solvent-welded Easily laser cut Difficult to drill or machine
Materials - Plastics
Polycarbonate
Transparent, but not UV resistant Impact resistant, but notch-sensitive Easy to machine
Materials - Plastics
Delrin
Very easy to machine Somewhat brittle Low friction Very easy to machine Very solvent resistant Expensive
Teflon
Materials - Ceramics
Not machinable without special equipment/experience
Even machinable ceramics arent
High strength with high dielectric strength High temperature capability Very brittle Very expensive
Materials - Composites
FR-4 Fiberglass-Epoxy Composite
Circuit board material; inexpensive Machining dust is hazardous Strong, but somewhat brittle Very expensive Sheets, tubes available w/o custom tooling Very strong, but a bit brittle
Carbon Fiber
