EngineerHub.orgWhat this tool does
Ashby charts place materials on logarithmic property–property maps so whole families, trade-offs and unusually efficient materials become visible at once. This expanded version contains 100 engineering-material records with representative points and screening ranges spanning structural, aerospace, marine, process, nuclear, electrical, thermal, manufacturing and biomedical applications. Use the chart first to screen and rank; then verify shortlisted materials against grade-specific requirements.
100 materialsmodulus vs densitystrength vs densityconductivity vs densitymaterial rangesfamily envelopesindex linesbox selectionspecific stiffnessspecific strength
Guided selection presetsApplies chart + performance index
Chart controls
Only physically compatible index choices are enabled for the current Y-axis property.
Moves the equal-performance line through the visible material set. Materials above the line have the higher index.
Material families
Controls how a material range is counted when a selection box is active. Performance-index ranking still uses the representative point.
Classic stiffness–density chart
Young's modulus versus densityYoung's modulus vs density — material property space
Translucent material rectangles show independent min–max screening ranges; the dot is the representative value. Hover or click a material, or turn on Box select and drag a property region. The box rule can use the representative point, any range overlap, or require the whole range to fit.
Maximize E / ρ
Ranked candidates
Material inspector
Select a material
Click any chart point or material range to pin its representative value, property ranges and application context here.
How to read an Ashby chart
01 / Property spaceEach dot is a representative value and each translucent rectangle is an independent density/property range. Log axes let foams, polymers, metals, ceramics and composites share one readable map despite orders-of-magnitude differences.
02 / Family envelopesMaterials of similar type cluster in regions. The family envelopes here are derived from the displayed material ranges; they are not proprietary Granta MaterialUniverse boundaries.
03 / Performance indexAn index combines the property needed by the limiting constraint with density or another objective. Constant-index lines identify materials that perform equally for the idealized design model.
04 / Screen, then verifyAshby selection narrows the field. Final engineering selection still requires minimum property limits, geometry, manufacturing, environment, cost, standards and grade-specific data.
Model assumptions & data limits
The expanded dataset contains 100 room-temperature screening records. Each record has a representative value and independent min–max ranges. Named grades and selected technical materials are anchored to public manufacturer or government data where practical; generic families remain deliberately approximate. It does not reproduce Granta MaterialUniverse or any other commercial database.
The translucent rectangle for each material spans its independent density and Y-property min–max screening values. It is deliberately not an ellipse, covariance region, probability distribution or statistical confidence interval. The corners can combine extrema that do not occur simultaneously in a real grade. Use the range to understand variability, then verify the exact grade and condition.
The strength chart intentionally uses a mixed characteristic-strength basis. Metals are generally yield/proof-like values; polymers and composites use yield or tensile/failure-like values; foams use compressive-scale values; ceramics use flexural/fracture-scale values; concrete uses compressive strength. The exact basis is shown in the material inspector. Do not treat σ/ρ here as a universal tension design index across all classes.
Wood and fiber composites are direction-dependent. The plotted values are representative directions only. A real design must distinguish longitudinal, transverse, shear and laminate properties.
Performance indices depend on function, limiting constraint, objective and free geometry variable. The same material can rank very differently for a tie, beam and panel because the governing index changes.
A box screen is a property-limit filter, not an optimizer. Representative-point mode is the traditional simple screen; Any range overlap is permissive for exploration; Entire range inside is conservative with respect to the displayed property ranges. Performance-index thresholding remains based on representative values.
Background & FAQ
Material properties span many orders of magnitude. Logarithmic axes keep very light foams and dense metals, or soft elastomers and stiff ceramics, visible on the same chart. They also turn many power-law performance indices into straight lines.
The geometry variable enters the stiffness and mass equations differently for bending than for pure axial tension. Eliminating the free geometry variable produces a different material index. That is why function and loading matter.
Only for the particular index and idealized objective being maximized. Other requirements—strength, temperature, corrosion, fatigue, cost, manufacturability, safety factors or regulations—can eliminate a material that scores highly on one index.
No. Use them for educational screening and intuition. For engineering design, obtain the exact grade, process, orientation, temperature and statistical design data required by the applicable standard or supplier.
Method references
Data validation references
- Kaiser Aluminum — 6061 sheet, coil & plate technical data
- Victrex — unfilled PEEK 450PF datasheet
- Copper Development Association — C11000 properties
- CoorsTek — alumina technical ceramics
- CoorsTek — silicon carbide technical ceramics
- CoorsTek — silicon nitride technical ceramics
- Hexcel — carbon/epoxy unidirectional laminate property context
- BASF — EPS / Neopor thermal-conductivity context
- Kaiser Aluminum — 2024, 6061, 7075 and other alloy technical-data library
- TIMET — titanium alloy datasheet library including TIMETAL 6-4
- Haynes International — Alloy 718 physical and mechanical properties
- Outokumpu — Duplex 2205 engineering data and applications
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory — wood engineering property data
- Haynes International — Alloy 625 mechanical and physical property context
- Outokumpu — Forta SDX 2507 applications and grade context
These references validate selected anchors and range neighborhoods in the educational dataset. Generic records still represent broad screening classes and should not be interpreted as certified grade data or statistical distributions.