Steel vs Alternative Materials

Commenters compare steel to alternatives like aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber, debating advantages in strength, weight, durability, weldability, cost, and resistance to fatigue or rust for structural uses such as vehicles or frames.

📉 Falling 0.3x Hardware
4,042
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2035
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
1
2008
7
2009
22
2010
41
2011
39
2012
59
2013
109
2014
129
2015
172
2016
160
2017
206
2018
199
2019
316
2020
278
2021
386
2022
435
2023
673
2024
439
2025
355
2026
16

Keywords

e.g F1 electrek.co N3 wikipedia.org en.m grandprixhistory.org product.asp alcoa.com steel aluminum metal fiber materials strength carbon structural copper stronger

Sample Comments

bennyp101 Aug 17, 2014 View on HN

What are the advantages over say, Titanium?

throwaway4aday Feb 2, 2022 View on HN

Forgot the most important part, is it cheaper than steel?

RandomWorker Dec 19, 2020 View on HN

Stronger than steel? At what thickness?

basil-rash May 1, 2024 View on HN

They’re metal. Plastic would not stand up to the task.

hugh3 Aug 9, 2011 View on HN

Surely aluminium is the way to go?

chihuahua Jan 29, 2024 View on HN

Are other materials (e.g. aluminum, titanium, carbon) not real, or not as real as steel? Can you explain in what sense are they less real?

imglorp Jan 22, 2021 View on HN

True, bad idea, anyway there's many metals for that including steel, etc.

Xylakant Nov 21, 2018 View on HN

Steel can be welded or bend back into shape, aluminum and carbon fiber cannot. Even slightly bent aluminum may break at the next stiff bump, steel is much more forgiving.

randlet Jan 14, 2015 View on HN

Aluminum or steel I would imagine.

leetcrew Oct 24, 2021 View on HN

can you give an example of a material you would prefer over steel and why?