Material selection
= Material selection
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= Materials selection
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<Material selection> chooses materials by matching their properties and processing routes to a component's requirements. First exclude candidates violating constraints such as operating <temperature>, corrosion resistance or minimum stiffness, then compare a performance objective such as mass or cost. A tension member carrying <force> $F$ over length $L$ needs area at least $F/\sigma_{\rm allow}$, giving mass at least $FL\rho/\sigma_{\rm allow}$. Thus <specific strength> is relevant for this strength-limited case. A stiffness-limited beam can instead have a different <material performance index>, so there is no universally best lightweight material independent of geometry and loading.