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ASTM A387 Grade 12 Steel vs. MDF

ASTM A387 grade 12 steel and MDF belong to fundamentally different material chemistries. ASTM A387 grade 12 steel is a metal, while MDF is a polymeric material. Therefore, their performance will be even more dissimilar than would be suggested by the difference in properties. There are 15 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (19, 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 ASTM A387 grade 12 steel and the bottom bar is MDF.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 190
4.0
Elongation at Break, % 25
0.5
Poisson's Ratio 0.29
0.25
Shear Modulus, GPa 73
2.5
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 470 to 520
18

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 470
1700
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 44
0.3
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 13
12

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm3 7.8
0.75

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 13
3.0
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 24
71
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 16 to 18
6.7
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 17 to 18
20
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 12
0.24
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 14 to 15
27