Materials, ISO & unified thread tables, fits & tolerances, surface finish, hardness conversion, drill & tap charts, fasteners, bearings, steel profiles and more — all searchable.
Materials DB
Engineering Reference Library — Materials, Threads, Fits & Steel Profiles (EN / ISO)
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The MechanixCalc Engineering Reference Library puts the core reference tables every mechanical engineer needs into a single, instantly searchable tool. The materials database covers 100+ grades across structural steels (EN 10025), alloy steels, stainless, aluminium alloys, copper alloys, cast irons, titanium alloys and engineering plastics under generic designations — each with typical Young's modulus E, shear modulus G, yield strength Sy, ultimate strength Su, estimated endurance limit Se, hardness (Brinell for metals, Shore A for elastomers), thermal expansion coefficient α and thermal conductivity λ. Thread tables cover ISO metric coarse and fine threads (ISO 261/724) and unified threads (UNC/UNF), with stress areas, minor diameters and pitch dimensions. ISO 286 fits and tolerances, hardness conversions (HB ↔ HRC ↔ HRB ↔ HV ↔ tensile), drill and tap charts, and steel profile section properties (IPE, HEA, HEB, IPN, UPN, W-shapes, S-shapes, CHS, SHS, RHS, equal and unequal angles) complete the dataset.
The library is built for practising engineers who need a reference number quickly — without hunting through multiple standards documents or supplier PDFs. The dimensional datasets are on the basis of the relevant standards (ISO 261, ISO 724, ISO 286, ISO 273, EN ISO 898, ASTM A6, EN 10365); material properties are typical values, so take design values from the material standard or the supplier's data sheet. All tables are free to use and open with a free MechanixCalc account (no credit card) or during a free preview session. Use it alongside any MechanixCalc calculator: look up a material's properties before entering them into the shaft or gear tool, check a thread's stress area before sizing a bolt, or verify a steel beam's second moment of area before running a beam analysis.
What this calculator does
- 100+ engineering materials with typical mechanical and thermal properties (E, G, ν, ρ, Sy, Su, Se, hardness, α, λ) — structural steels, alloy steels, stainless, aluminium, copper alloys, nickel alloys, cast irons, titanium, plastics and elastomers under generic EN/ISO/ASTM designations
- ISO metric coarse and fine thread tables (ISO 261/724) and unified thread tables (UNC/UNF) — pitch, major/minor/pitch diameters, stress area and root diameter, instantly searchable by nominal size
- ISO 286-1 hole-basis fits and tolerances — ten preferred fit codes from H7/h6 to H11/c11, with fundamental deviations, tolerance grades and typical applications for each
- Hardness conversion table (HB, HRC, HRB, HV and equivalent tensile strength) based on ISO 18265 / ASTM E140, with rows beyond the Brinell test's 650 HBW limit and beyond the ISO 18265 strength conversion marked as extrapolated
- Drill and tap charts for ISO metric coarse threads — clearance-hole sizes per ISO 273 (fine, medium and coarse), plus the tapping-drill diameter D − P for about 70 % thread engagement
- Steel profile section properties for 15 profile families: IPE, IPN, HEA, HEB, HEM, UPN, UB, UC, W-shapes, S-shapes, CHS, SHS, RHS, equal angles and unequal angles — area, Ix, Iy, Wx, Wy, ix, iy, mass per metre (EN 10365, ASTM A6)
- Radar-chart mechanical-property comparison and stress-strain curve overlay for any two selected materials — strength, stiffness, density and thermal properties shown at a glance
Method & formulas
Material properties and endurance limit estimation
Mechanical properties (E, G, Sy, Su, hardness) are MechanixCalc typical values under generic designations: strength and hardness are rounded down, and structural steel grades follow the minimum values their EN 10025 designation names. They are for comparison and first estimates — take design values from the material standard or the supplier's data sheet for the actual product form, size and condition. Plastics carry no Brinell value (the test is not used on them) and elastomer hardness is Shore A. The estimated endurance limit Se for steels is derived from the empirical Shigley relation: Se ≈ 0.5 · Su for Su ≤ 1400 MPa, based on rotating-beam fatigue test data. Non-ferrous materials (aluminium, copper alloys, cast iron, stainless austenitic) do not exhibit a true endurance limit; Se is set to zero and a fatigue strength at a specified cycle count should be used instead. The thermal expansion coefficient α and thermal conductivity λ are nominal room-temperature values taken from standard references and are not corrected for elevated temperature.
Se ≈ 0.5 · Su [for Su ≤ 1400 MPa]where Se = estimated uncorrected endurance limit (MPa); Su = ultimate tensile strength (MPa). This is an empirical approximation for steels; actual fatigue strength depends on surface finish, size, load type and stress-concentration factors.
ISO 286 fits and tolerances
ISO 286-1 defines fits through a system of fundamental deviations (letters A–ZC for holes, a–zc for shafts) combined with tolerance grades (IT1–IT18). The fundamental deviation positions the tolerance zone relative to the nominal size; the tolerance grade specifies the width of the zone. For a given nominal diameter d and tolerance grade IT n, the tolerance value T is computed from the standard tolerance unit i and the grade multiplier: T = k · i, where i = 0.45 · ∛d + 0.001 · d (d in mm, i in µm). The Reference Library computes each fit from the published ISO 286-1:2010 per-band tables — the standard tolerance grades and the fundamental deviations are looked up, never scaled or interpolated — through the same shared module that serves the Tolerance Analysis and Press Fit calculators, so the three cannot drift.
i = 0.45 · ∛d + 0.001 · d [µm, d in mm]where i = standard tolerance unit (µm); d = geometric mean of the nominal diameter step (mm). The tolerance value for grade ITn is then T = k_n · i, where k_n is the grade multiplier from Table 2 of ISO 286-1.
Steel profile section properties
Section properties (cross-sectional area A, second moments of area Ix and Iy about the principal centroidal axes, elastic section moduli Wx and Wy, radii of gyration ix and iy, and linear mass) are tabulated directly from the published standards: EN 10365 for European IPE, HEA, HEB, HEM, IPN, UPN and angle sections; BS 4-1 for UB and UC; ASTM A6 for American W and S shapes. No approximation is used — the values are the same as those in the standard tables and manufacturer section books. The relevant formula for moment capacity is shown below as a reminder of how section modulus Wx enters a beam bending check.
Wx = Ix / y_maxwhere Wx = elastic section modulus about the x-axis (cm³); Ix = second moment of area about the x-axis (cm⁴); y_max = distance from centroid to extreme fibre (mm, half the total depth for doubly-symmetric sections).
Worked example
Identify the tolerance on a 50 mm nominal diameter shaft specified as 50 h6, and find the upper and lower limit dimensions. This is a common step when specifying a bearing seat or shaft–hub interference fit.
Given
- Nominal diameter50 mm
- Shaft tolerance codeh6
Result
- Upper shaft limit (es = 0)50.000 mm
- Lower shaft limit (ei = −16 µm)49.984 mm
- Tolerance band T (IT6)16 µm
- For the h deviation, the fundamental deviation (upper deviation es) is zero by definition: es = 0 µm. The shaft may be at or below the nominal size — never above.
- Find the standard tolerance unit i for the 50 mm diameter step (30–50 mm range, geometric mean d = √(30 × 50) ≈ 38.73 mm): i = 0.45 · ∛38.73 + 0.001 · 38.73 = 0.45 × 3.382 + 0.03873 ≈ 1.521 + 0.039 ≈ 1.560 µm.
- IT6 multiplier from ISO 286-1 Table 2 is k₆ = 10. Tolerance T = k₆ · i = 10 × 1.560 ≈ 16 µm (ISO rounds to 16 µm for this step).
- Lower deviation: ei = es − T = 0 − 16 = −16 µm.
- Shaft limits: upper limit = 50.000 mm; lower limit = 50.000 − 0.016 = 49.984 mm.
Illustrative — the Reference Library reads limits directly from the ISO 286-1 tables for all standard codes and diameter steps. Always verify against the current edition of ISO 286-1 for safety-critical fits.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard does the Engineering Reference Library use?
Different datasets use the relevant authoritative source for each subject: EN 10025 designations for structural steel grades (material properties are typical values); ISO 261 and ISO 724 for metric thread dimensions; ISO 286-1 for fits and tolerances; ISO 273 for drill and tap sizes; EN ISO 898-1 for fastener grades; EN 10365 for European steel profile section properties; ASTM A6 for American W and S shapes; ISO 18265 / ASTM E140 for hardness conversions. The governing reference for each datum is noted in the library.
Is the Reference Library free?
Yes — the Reference Library is free. Its tables open with a free MechanixCalc account (no credit card), or during the free 30-minute preview session, which needs no sign-up and also gives access to every calculator on the platform. A free 14-day account trial (no credit card) unlocks all tools. Saved calculations and branded PDF reports are included in the free 14-day trial and in every paid plan.
How do I find material properties for a specific grade?
Use the search bar in the Materials tab — type any part of the grade name (e.g. '42CrMo4', 'S355', '6061', '304') and the library filters the table instantly. Select a material to expand the full property card, which shows E, G, Sy, Su, Se, hardness, α, λ, typical applications, heat-treatment condition and the governing standard. You can also compare any two materials side-by-side with the radar chart overlay.
Can I look up the tolerance band for any ISO fit code?
Yes. Open the Fits & Tolerances tab, enter the nominal diameter and select the hole and shaft codes (e.g. H7/h6, H7/p6, G7/h6). The library returns the upper and lower deviations, the tolerance band, the nominal clearance or interference range and a plain-language description of the fit type and typical applications.
Which steel profile families are included?
The library covers 15 profile families: IPE and IPN (European I-beams), HEA, HEB and HEM (European wide-flange beams), UPN (European channels), UB and UC (British universal beams and columns), W-shapes and S-shapes (American wide-flange and standard beams per ASTM A6), CHS (circular hollow sections), SHS and RHS (square and rectangular hollow sections), plus equal-leg and unequal-leg angles. Section properties listed are: area A, Ix, Iy, Wx, Wy, ix, iy and mass per metre.
Related calculators
- Shaft Analysis CalculatorLook up material properties in the Reference Library before entering Sy, Su and E into the shaft fatigue calculation.
- Bearing Analysis Calculator (ISO 281)Use the ISO 286 fits table to select the correct shaft and housing tolerances for the bearing seat.
- Beam Analysis CalculatorCross-reference steel profile Ix, Wx and mass per metre from the Reference Library before sizing a beam.
- Bolt & Fastener CalculatorThread stress areas from the Reference Library's thread tables feed directly into bolt preload and joint calculations.
- Unit ConverterConvert material properties, thread dimensions or section properties between SI and imperial units alongside the reference data.
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