Mechanical Engineers’ Handbook

Myer Kutz

Preference :

Steel is the most common and widely used metallic material in today’s society. It can be cast or wrought into numerous forms and can be produced with tensile strengths exceeding 5 GPa. A prime example of the versatility of steel is in the automobile where it is the material of choice and accounts for over 60% of the weight of the vehicle. Steel is highly formable as seen in the contours of the automobile's outer body. Steel is strong and is used in the body frame, motor brackets, driveshaft, and door impact beams of the vehicle. Steel is corrosion resistant when coated with the various zinc-based coatings available today. Steel is dent resistant when compared with other materials and provides exceptional energy absorption in a vehicle collision. Steel is recycled and easily separated from other materials by a magnet. Steel is inexpensive compared with other competing materials such as aluminum and various polymeric materials.