One of the most fundamental decisions in mechanical design is selecting which material a part should be produced from. Often, a variety of factors will influence the success of a part: strength, elasticity, durability, machining requirements, cost… not to mention electrical, thermal, and chemical effects can also conspire against ongoing part performance and longevity.
This may sound daunting, but material selection has been greatly simplified through advancements in our understanding of material properties. Countless material properties that characterize almost every imaginable dimension are now organized within digital catalogs to provide engineers with quick insights as to how a given material should behave when put into service.