Stamping Material Density and Shear Strength Reference Table
Weight, cost and press tonnage all start with two material properties: density and shear strength. This reference lists both for the alloys most often stamped, so you can fill the calculators without searching a handbook.
| Material | Typical grade or temper | Density (lb/in3) | Density (g/cm3) | Approx. shear strength (ksi) | Stamping note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carbon steel | CR 1008/1010, drawing quality | 0.284 | 7.85 | 35 to 45 | Baseline for most tonnage and weight estimates. |
Carbon steel | HR pickled and oiled, 1010 | 0.284 | 7.85 | 38 to 48 | Thickness tolerance is wider than cold rolled. |
Carbon steel | Spring steel 1050 to 1095, annealed | 0.284 | 7.85 | 55 to 75 | High force; check tonnage and punch wear. |
Galvanized steel | G60/G90 coated | 0.284 | 7.85 | 35 to 45 | Coating adds a small weight; zinc can build up on tooling. |
HSLA steel | 50 to 80 ksi yield | 0.284 | 7.85 | 45 to 65 | More springback; use more clearance. |
Stainless steel | 304 annealed | 0.289 | 8 | 55 to 70 | Work hardens; sharp tooling and good lubrication. |
Stainless steel | 316 annealed | 0.289 | 8 | 55 to 70 | Similar to 304; often more galling. |
Stainless steel | 301 full hard | 0.285 | 7.88 | 90 to 120 | Very high force; common for springs and clips. |
Stainless steel | 430 annealed | 0.28 | 7.75 | 40 to 50 | Ferritic; lower work hardening than 304. |
Aluminum | 1100-O to H14 | 0.098 | 2.71 | 7 to 11 | Soft; good for deep draws. |
Aluminum | 3003-H14 | 0.099 | 2.73 | 14 to 16 | Common general-purpose aluminum. |
Aluminum | 5052-H32 | 0.097 | 2.68 | 18 to 21 | Good formability and strength balance. |
Aluminum | 6061-T6 | 0.098 | 2.7 | 28 to 32 | Cracks when bending sharp radii in T6. |
Copper | C110, half hard | 0.322 | 8.91 | 24 to 30 | Used for busbar and terminals. |
Brass | C260, half hard | 0.308 | 8.53 | 38 to 46 | Cartridge brass; strong deep draw alloy when annealed. |
Phosphor bronze | C510, half hard | 0.32 | 8.86 | 45 to 55 | Spring contacts and connectors. |
Beryllium copper | C172, annealed | 0.298 | 8.25 | 45 to 60 | Hardens on heat treat; special handling for fumes and dust. |
Titanium | Grade 2 | 0.163 | 4.51 | 35 to 50 | Galling; often warm formed. |
Densities are standard handbook values. Shear strengths are approximate ranges for planning and vary with temper, thickness and lot; use the mill certificate for design. A common shortcut is shear strength of about 0.75 times ultimate tensile strength for steels.
Standardize material master data
Optional: a short review of how material grade, density and spec data is held in your ERP item master.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the table
Search by alloy, grade or temper. Use density in lb/in3 to convert strip area and thickness into weight, as in the strip layout and coil calculators, and use g/cm3 when a metric supplier quotes by kilogram. Use the shear column as a starting point in the tonnage calculator. Where an alloy appears at several tempers, pick the one that matches the purchase order; the strength range can be a factor of two between annealed and full hard.
Where the numbers come from
Densities are the standard handbook figures for each alloy family. Shear strength ranges are typical for the temper listed and are rounded. For steels, ultimate shear strength is about 75 percent of ultimate tensile strength. For aluminum, the ratio is about 0.6 to 0.65. These are planning values, not specifications; they do not replace the mill test report for the lot you will actually run.
- Density does not change with temper in any practical way.
- Shear strength rises sharply with cold work.
- Coatings such as zinc add small weight; ignore for estimating unless the spec is tight.
Common mistakes
Using steel density for stainless or aluminum is the most common mistake in weight estimates, and it is easy to do when a calculator default is left unchanged. Another is using tensile strength in a tonnage formula that expects shear strength. A third is ignoring that full hard and spring tempers can double the force; verify the temper on the print before you pick a press.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the density of steel in lb/in3?
Carbon steel is about 0.284 lb/in3, which is 7.85 g/cm3. Stainless 304 and 316 are about 0.289 lb/in3 or 8.0 g/cm3. These are the values used in most sheet metal weight calculations.
How do I estimate shear strength from tensile strength?
For many steels, ultimate shear strength is roughly 75 percent of ultimate tensile strength. For aluminum, use about 60 to 65 percent. Use the mill certificate if you have it; it is better than a table range.
Why do ranges differ so much for the same alloy?
Temper and cold work. Annealed stainless is around 55 to 70 ksi shear, while full hard 301 can be above 100 ksi. Always confirm the temper on the print before using a value for tonnage.
Can I use these for non-stamping work?
Densities are general. Shear values are for sheet and strip in typical stamping tempers, so check them against the relevant material standard for structural or fatigue design.
If material properties and grades are scattered across item descriptions and spreadsheets, we can help structure them in the ERP so weight and cost calculations stay consistent.
Related Tools
Stamping Press Tonnage Calculator for Blanking and Piercing
Cutting force from perimeter, thickness and shear strength, plus stripping and forming load, with a press size that includes a safety margin.
Supply Chain & InventoryStamping Coil Weight, Length and Parts per Coil Calculator
Convert coil OD, ID, width and thickness into footage, weight, PIW, parts per coil and press run time, with a sweep against outside diameter.
Engineering & PLMStamping Strip Layout Material Utilization Calculator
Turn blank size, bridge and edge scrap into strip width, pitch, utilization percent and material cost per part, with a sweep of utilization against bridge width.
Discrete ManufacturingSheet Metal Flat Blank Length Calculator
Turn outside leg dimensions and bend data into the flat pattern length, using outside setback, bend allowance and bend deduction.
More Industry Templates tools
See all- Distributor Free Freight Policy Template
- Job Shop Quote Cover Letter Template
- Monthly Operations Review Meeting Pack Template
- OEE Improvement A3 Charter Template
- Sheet Metal Job Traveler Template
- Press Brake Setup Sheet Template
- Sheet Metal Cut List and Material Takeoff Worksheet
- Welding Wire Deposition Rate Calculator
- Shielding Gas Consumption and Cost Calculator
Keep exploring
Free tools
- Stamping Press Tonnage Calculator for Blanking and PiercingCutting force from perimeter, thickness and shear strength, plus stripping and forming load, with a press size that includes a safety margin.
- Stamping Quote Breakdown WorksheetAn editable worksheet that builds unit cost and price for several stamped parts at once, with annual revenue totals.
- Stamping Piece Price at Volume CalculatorBuild up the piece price of a stamped part from die amortization, die maintenance, setup, press time, material and secondary operations, and see how price falls with volume.
Guides
- How to Calculate Coil and Scrap Cost in Metal StampingCalculate coil cost per part in stamping: blank weight, yield, carrier loss, scrap credit, steel surcharges and how to track real utilization from the floor.
- Stamping Quote Estimating: Faster Quotes Without Guessing the Press RateHow metal stamping shops estimate quotes: press rate, die amortization, coil yield, secondary ops and where software or AI shortens the cycle without losing margin.
- Press Scheduling and Capacity Planning for Stamping PlantsSchedule stamping presses by tonnage, bed size, die readiness and coil availability, and plan capacity against customer releases without overloading the die room.
Manufacturing hubs
- PMA and the metal stamping ecosystem: plants, standards and ERP realitiesThe Precision Metalforming Association serves stampers, die makers and metalformers. See the ecosystem, standards, ERP and private AI issues for plants.
- Metal forming, polymers and fasteners in Northeast OhioNortheast Ohio manufacturing in Cleveland and Akron: metal forming, polymers, fasteners, MAGNET, PMA, standards and where private AI on ERP data helps.