Material Properties

Malleability describes the property of a metal's ability to be distorted below compression. It is a physical property of metals by which they can be hammered, shaped and rolled into a very thin sheet without rupturing. A malleable fabric could be planate by a blow or rolling.

Malleability in metals is very important in the appliance and automotive industries. This property helps to construct refrigerators, microwaves and stoves, and also helps to construct flat and curved metal objects.

Malleable metals will bend and twist into numerous shapes when affected by a hammer, whereas non-malleable metals might break apart into pieces.

Examples of malleable metals are gold, iron, aluminium, copper, silver and lead.

Weldability is the ability of any material (usually metals and its alloys) to weld with similar materials. Many metals and thermoplastics can be welded together to fabricate a final material that is required further in the fabrication process or any other industrial process.

Weldability may also be known as joinability.

In terms of weldability, commonly used materials can be divided into the following types:

• Steels

• Stainless steels

• Aluminium and its alloys

• Nickel and its alloys

• Copper and its alloys

• Titanium and its alloys

• Cast iron