Metal strength is one of the most critical factors for professionals in engineering and manufacturing to consider. It dictates the viability of metals when creating new machinery and the overall safety of its users in the future. The knowledge also empowers scientists who aspire to assess the functionality.
While details on how strong most metals are available are available, it’s still important to understand what factors influence them. Minuscule changes in handling these materials can affect their overall durability, which is imperative to use to your advantage.
1. Material Composition
A basic way to determine a metal’s strength is to assess its makeup. For instance, it is common knowledge that tungsten is considered the strongest metal.
Many use it to create bullets, missiles and other forms of ammunition. While it is an element in its pure state, some collect and forge it from various minerals before mixing it with other metals.
Steel is one of the most common engineering and construction materials. In general strength ratings, it is second only to tungsten. However, specific applications may prefer steel due to its unique properties, such as its impact strength.
2. Thickness
Thickness is one of the most fundamental factors in determining metal strength. As a general rule, thicker products usually have greater strength. It’s part of why industrial machinery tends to have a diameter greater than commercially available ones.
Manufacturers categorize thickness by gauge. 10-gauge steel will be around 0.1406 inches in diameter and is common in construction applications. Meanwhile, 16-gauge steel will only be 0.0625 inches, which is typically for kitchen appliances and medical devices.
Upsetting alters metal thickness. Striking one area to another can move the girth and strengthen it. When you want to reduce the thickness, the best way is to score and bend the area you wish to adjust.
3. Metal Density
Metal density — which refers to the mass of the alloy per unit volume — is another indicator. It slightly differs from thickness because a high-density metal does not equate to increased metal strength. In fact, weight can be misleading.
For instance, lighter components are suitable for aerospace or automotive applications since they involve plenty of motion. As a result, engineers choose materials with a lower weight while checking the strength-to-weight ratio for such projects.
That said, there are cases when higher-density materials like steel seem more favorable, especially when lower-density options lack superior strength. Manufacturers can just adjust the overall thickness to improve stability.
4. Structural Design
Mechanical design is often viewed as a secondary element to the structural soundness of items. However, understanding the nuances in these materials’ placement can be a defining figure in just how strong the metal is.
For example, optimizing the interface can improve the overall strain distribution, which simultaneously minimizes breakage and enhances durability. These techniques are crucial in the engineering and architecture industries.
There’s also the technique of reinforcement. Adding extra metals to assist the base is imperative in preventing external forces from collapsing the overall design of a building.
5. Tensile Strength
Tensile strength refers to a material’s inherent resistance to decomposition when it undergoes tension. As many know, mechanical force can make certain materials bend and break. If something can resist being pulled apart, that’s a good show of strength.
Many professionals prioritize items with high tensile strength, particularly when the final application involves interaction and movement. The tensile strength can also be increased in various ways, with one of the main methods geared toward making it more ferrous.
Ferrous means incorporating iron into the elemental makeup of a composition, increasing overall hardness. People create steel by combining iron with carbon, which makes it harder than regular metals.
6. Compressive Strength
Pull and push are two sides of the same coin. Compressive strength refers to a metal’s resistance to squeezing forces without collapsing permanently. While it’s essential to consider in interactions, compressive strength also matters when reshaping and reforming materials.
For instance, upsetting requires a pushing force. When too much internal stress occurs, the item simply deteriorates instead of getting more compact. The best-case scenario is the increased pressure will create residual stress and shorten the metal’s longevity.
It’s paramount to prevent fatigue from breaking metals. Shot peening can be a helpful process that counteracts the internal stress with compression and increases metal strength. It also reduces corrosion failure, further lengthening the material’s life span.
7. Yield Strength
Yield strength is the factor that determines how much force a metal can take before absolute deformation. It is similar to tensile strength but pertains more to the maximum load a particular material can carry.
For example, low-carbon steel has good tensile strength because manufacturers can form and weld it to their being. However, it cannot be used as a platform to carry heavy materials as it has minimal load-bearing components.
These applications would benefit more from maraging steels, which have exceptional yield strength performance. Builders can also experiment with better structural design techniques to improve a metal’s ability to absorb weight.
8. Impact Strength
Some materials with a high yield strength can accommodate big loads when dropped onto them slowly. However, they become brittle once the items they are holding suddenly shift. Impact strength refers to how metals can resist heavy loads dropped within an instant.
Impact strength is often standard, especially with metals of lower thickness or density. Thus, one of the best ways to improve durability is to enhance those factors before application. Reinforcements in structural design can also make a difference.
Manufacturers may also attempt heat treatment. Raising the temperature can make the material’s microstructure more compact, boost the metal’s durability and help it bear sudden sharp loads as applications require.
9. Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion is also a significant element, especially when creating metal-based structures. Heat increases materials’ length, surface area, volume and malleability. The effects may be lasting and become a concern in areas with warm climates.
Generally, increased metal temperature is associated with decreased strength. However, a recent study found copper’s strength increases by about 30% with a 157-degree Celsius increase in temperature. Such treatment empowered the material to rival steel’s strength rating.
The same effects were observed with gold and pure titanium. Thus, it is worth examining the thermal expansion capabilities of your metal to understand whether heat strengthening can be utilized.
Assess Metal Strength Accurately
Several factors impact metal’s overall strength, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It’s essential to gather as much information as possible to achieve the ideal durability and maintain safety during the assessment and production process.
Known for his expertise in industry dynamics, Jack Shaw serves as the editor of Modded. Through his insightful analysis and practical advice, Jack seeks to empower readers with the knowledge to thrive in the ever-evolving mechanical landscape, guiding them toward success in their professional endeavors.