Know the strength to weight ratio of a material is important when you are working with various metals. It will give you a better understanding of what you can and can’t do with the metal you are using.
The simplest way to explain the strength to weight ratio is that it is the strength of the material used divided by its weight (or mass). This is also known as specific strength.
Why Is It Important?
It is important to understand the strength to weight ratio of materials so that you can use them to their strengths and be prepared for any weakness that may be there.
When working with any material, strength and weight are often deciding factors in what is used, so this is another good reason to be in the know. Especially in the aerospace and automotive industries, where you need the material to be light but incredibly strong.
Which Metals Have High Strength to Weight Ratios?
Titanium, aluminium and magnesium are top choices when looking for metals with high strength to weight ratio. Unfortunately, both of these are quite expensive to use and so are budget dependant.
Steel also has the same strength, and more cost-effective but it is much heavier so again you may be limited to what you can do.
Often high strength metals are difficult to form correctly, and so require careful engineering to get the required shapes, among other features needed.
Modern Material
With the weight and cost of materials being taken into consideration, there are many sheets of steel being developed with high strength to weight ratios. Many companies also choose to go with a selection of different steel to help with both strength and budget.
Steelmor is one of the leading companies in the steel and metal manufacturing industry. If you require further information on strength to weight ratio, contact them on 011 747 5700 for friendly and professional services.