Thread: Steel Frame
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Unread 18-01-2010, 17:15
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Re: Steel Frame
Quote:
Rough estimates would say steel is about 3 times the weight of an equivalent piece of typical aluminum.
Not exactly. I believe (don't hold me 100% to this, I am only in 1st year material science), the most important characteristic for a FIRST robot framing material is the specific stiffness [Elastic Modulus (willingness of the material to bend)/ Density]. Steel and Aluminium are pretty much equivalent in this regard. Still, you can get a more durable frame out of aluminium, for equivalent weight.

If you have the weight to spare, it is a cheaper (and easier to fabricate) solution, and cost is a real world parameter that many teams have to deal with.
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