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Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: Calculating Thermal Growth and Restrained Stress

August 26, 2026 by Shelle Parsons

Thermal expansion is easy to compute and easy to forget. Learn to calculate free growth (ΔL = αL·ΔT) and restrained stress (σ = E·α·ΔT) with worked examples and a table of common α values.

Categories Mechanical Design Tools Tags materials, Metal, Steel, stress strain

6061 vs. 7075 vs. 2024 vs. 5052: How to Choose the Right Aluminum Alloy

August 26, 2026 by Shelle Parsons

6061, 7075, 2024, and 5052 aluminum behave very differently. Compare strength, weldability, corrosion, and formability with a side-by-side table and a fast selection shortcut.

Categories Mechanical Design Tools Tags Alloy, Aluminum, materials, Metal

Stress-Strain Curves Explained: Yield, Ultimate, and What They Mean in Design

May 13, 2026 by Shelle Parsons

Understand stress-strain curves the way working engineers actually use them: yield point, ultimate tensile strength, modulus, and how each number drives real design decisions.

Categories Uncategorized Tags FEA basics, materials, mechanical engineering, stress strain, yield strength

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