The document outlines 17 essential engineering material properties that mechanical engineers must understand, crucial for various branches of mechanical engineering, particularly automobile engineering. Key properties include strength, elasticity, isotropy, anisotropy, plasticity, ductility, brittleness, toughness, stiffness, hardness, machinability, damping, creep, and embrittlement. Mastering these properties is vital for pursuing a successful career in mechanical engineering.

1. 17 Engineering Material Properties: Mechanical
Engineers Must Know

2. Whether it is any branch of mechanical engineering like automobile
engineering, knowing the properties is a must. If you are pursuing a
mechanical engineering career, then you must keep looking into this
space. You should be clear with all the basics of mechanical
engineering and you must excel with the technical skills of a
mechanical engineer.The jobs for mechanical engineers are vast and
versatile but you need proper grooming from the start.

3. The Mechanical properties associated with metals are:
1. Strength
The capacity of a material to withstand the load without failure is called strength. If a
material can bear more loads, it means more strength. Strength depends on the type of
loading and distorts before fracture. According to loading types, strength is classified into
three types.
• Tensile
• Compressive
• Shear
According to the deformation before fracture, strength can be classified into three types.
• Elastic
• Yield
• Ultimate

4. 2. Elasticity
The capacity of a material to regain its original dimension after removal
of the load. The material is elastic material and the property is elasticity.
Every material has some elasticity. It is a measure of the ratio of stress to
strain under the elastic limit.
3. Isotropy:
A material with elastic properties along its all loading direction is called
material.

5. 4. Anisotropy:
A material exhibiting various elastic properties in the various direction of
loads is called an­isotropic material.
5. Homogeneity
A material that retains properties throughout the geometry is called as
homogeneous material and the property is called homogeneity. It is an
ideal situation but the fact is that no material is homogeneous.

6. 6. Plasticity:
The ability of a material to have some degree of permanent deformation
without failure after removal of loads. The property is used for shaping
material by metal working. It mainly depends on temperature and elastic
strength of the material.
7. Ductility
The property by virtue of which metal can be made into wires. It is a
property which allows permanent deformation before fracture. The
amount of permanent deformation determines if the material is ductile or
not.
Percentage elongation = (Final Gauge Length – Original Gauge
Length)*100/ Original Gauge Length
If the percentage elongation is more than 5% in a length of 50 mm, the
material is ductile and if it lesser than 5% it is not.

7. 8. Brittleness
The property with the help of which, a material will fail under
loading without significant change in dimension. Glass and cast
iron are well known brittle materials.
9. Toughness
The ability to withstand plastic or elastic deformation without any
fail. It is defined as the amount of energy absorbed before actual
fracture.

8. 10. Stiffness
The ability of a material to resist elastic
deformation while loading.
11. Hardness
The property of a material to have a good
resistance to penetration is hardness. It is an
ability to resist scratch, or cut.
It is also defined as an ability to resist fracture
under point loading.
12. Machine-ability

9. 14. Damping
The capacity to dissipate the energy of vibration
or cyclic stress is called damping. Cast iron has a
very good damping property; hence most of the
machine’s body is made of cast iron.
15. Creep
The slow but continuous change in dimension of a
material when influenced by its working stress for
a long time is called creep. Creep depends on
time and temperature.
16. Embrittlement

10. 14. Damping
The capacity to dissipate the energy of vibration
or cyclic stress is called damping. Cast iron has a
very good damping property; hence most of the
machine’s body is made of cast iron.
15. Creep
The slow but continuous change in dimension of a
material when influenced by its working stress for
a long time is called creep. Creep depends on
time and temperature.
16. Embrittlement