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MDF vs. SAE-AISI M3 Class 1 Steel

MDF and SAE-AISI M3 class 1 steel belong to fundamentally different material chemistries. MDF is a polymeric material, while SAE-AISI M3 class 1 steel is a metal. Therefore, their performance will be even more dissimilar than would be suggested by the difference in properties. There are 14 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (11, in this case) are not shown. Please note that the two materials have significantly dissimilar densities. This means that additional care is required when interpreting the data, because some material properties are based on units of mass, while others are based on units of area or volume.

For each property being compared, the top bar is MDF and the bottom bar is SAE-AISI M3 class 1 steel.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 4.0
200
Poisson's Ratio 0.25
0.29
Shear Modulus, GPa 2.5
77
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 18
770 to 2150

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 1700
440
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 0.3
26
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 12
12

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm3 0.75
8.3

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 3.0
13
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 71
23
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 6.7
26 to 72
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 20
22 to 44
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 0.24
7.2
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 27
24 to 67