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The diagram
is for strength versus density and the pink band crossing the diagram
is for the design criterion (sy2/3/r) = 25, a plausible value for a front
fork application. Red dots on the various material fields locate possible material
candidates and final selection should then examine other properties.
The
Reynolds 531 steel is easy to fabricate and low in cost. Carbon-fiber
reinforced polymer (CFRP) is the best performer but is of high cost and
is not easy to fabricate. All of the light metal alloys can be made into tubes
and be joined by brazing, welding, or gluing. Corrosion resistance and price
are factors that must be considered. Perhaps surprisingly, wood used along
the grain is also a viable choice, and laminates of the material made into
airfoil type cross-sections might be interesting. Fabrication and issues of
weather resistance probably make this natural material less attractive. |
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