1. Define the duty
Loads, stiffness, fatigue, wear, sealing, conductivity, temperature, fluids, fire, radiation, vacuum, life and safety consequence.
Special Processes Institute · sp-i.org
Materials & Processes Engineering Report
MatPro - Materials & Processes Database
A comprehensive engineering reference, material selection and manufacturing process database covering metals, alloys, polymers, elastomers, adhesives, sealants, composites, ceramics, glasses, electronic materials, foams, surface engineering, heat treatment and other manufacturing processes. It provides typical engineering properties, metallurgy, process guidance, compatibility information, standards and selection tools to support design, manufacturing and quality professionals. All values are representative guidance and should be verified against the applicable specifications, certified material data and approved design allowables before use.
Live embedded database Metallurgy and phase guidance Selection and comparison tools Verification required
0
Materials & Process Records
0
Material families
0
Named grades and systems
0
Selected for comparison
JSON / PDF
Portable project and report output
How to Select Manufacturing Materials
Requirements → candidates → process → evidence → controlMaterial selection is not a lookup exercise. A grade name alone does not define product form, condition, directionality, heat treatment, processing history, coating, allowable property or environmental suitability. Selection must integrate design, manufacturing, special processes, supply chain, inspection, certification and lifecycle risk.
2. Define the product form
Sheet, plate, bar, forging, casting, extrusion, powder, moulding compound, prepreg, adhesive film, seal compound or coating system.
3. Control the process route
Heat treatment, welding, brazing, bonding, moulding, curing, plating, anodising, painting, machining, NDT and cleanliness can change performance.
4. Use design allowables
Typical handbook values are educational. Safety-critical design requires approved statistically based allowables and environmental knock-downs.
5. Verify compatibility
Check galvanic couples, chemical resistance, thermal expansion, seal fluids, adhesive surfaces, fire/smoke/toxicity and contamination.
6. Build assurance
Approved source, specification revision, certificate, traceability, inspection, process qualification, change control and retention.
Searchable Materials & Processes Database
Showing all material records
Iron–Carbon Teaching Diagram
Conceptual only. It shows why carbon content and thermal path affect ferrite, austenite, pearlite and cementite. Real heat treatment also depends on time, alloying, section size, cooling rate and prior microstructure.
Crystal Structures
◈
FCC
Generally ductile with many slip systems. Examples: aluminium, copper, nickel and austenitic stainless steel.
◇
BCC
Strength and low-temperature toughness can be strongly temperature/rate dependent. Examples: ferritic steel, chromium, tungsten.
⬡
HCP
Fewer easy slip systems at ambient temperature. Examples: magnesium, alpha titanium and zinc.
TTT and CCT
Use grade-specific diagrams to understand transformation during isothermal holding or continuous cooling. They are essential for hardenability, martensite formation and avoiding undesirable products.
Precipitation hardening
Solution treat, quench and age to form strengthening precipitates. Over-ageing may improve corrosion or toughness while reducing peak strength.
Grain and texture
Grain size, flow lines, crystallographic texture and test direction can dominate toughness, fatigue, formability and stress-corrosion performance.
Equivalent Grade Finder
The tool finds records containing the term. It does not certify substitution.
Selection Wizard
Galvanic Compatibility Guide
Similar metals
Lower risk
Lower risk
Aluminium / steel
Control exposure
Control exposure
Magnesium / noble metal
High risk
High risk
Carbon fibre / aluminium
Isolate
Isolate
Copper / aluminium wet
High risk
High risk
Risk depends on electrolyte, area ratio, potential difference, coating damage, geometry and duration. Use an approved galvanic series for the actual environment.
Ashby-Style Density–Modulus Map
Indicative family-level teaching plotMaterial Comparison
Select up to six recordsNo records selected. Use Compare in the database.
Material Selection Project
Create an auditable engineering decision recordConfirm each requirement before approving the material selection. Every item uses the same fixed-size control and remains fully selectable by clicking anywhere on its card.
Complete the project and generate the report.