The weight of a sheet metal piece is determined by its volume and the density of the material it's made from. This calculator simplifies that process for common sheet metal applications.
The Formula
The fundamental formula used is:
Weight = Volume × Density
To calculate the weight of a rectangular sheet metal piece, we first determine its volume:
Volume = Thickness × Width × Length
Ensure all dimensions are in consistent units. This calculator uses millimeters (mm) for dimensions and converts them to meters (m) for volume calculation in cubic meters (m³), which is compatible with standard density units (kg/m³).
Detailed Steps:
Unit Conversion: Dimensions provided in millimeters (mm) are converted to meters (m) by dividing by 1000. For example, 10mm becomes 0.010m.
Volume Calculation: The volume in cubic meters (m³) is calculated: Volume (m³) = (Thickness (m) × Width (m) × Length (m))
Density Selection: The calculator uses a predefined density for the selected material type. These are approximate average values.
Weight Calculation: The final weight in kilograms (kg) is computed: Weight (kg) = Volume (m³) × Density (kg/m³)
Material Densities Used
Material Type
Approx. Density (kg/m³)
Mild Steel
7850
Stainless Steel (304)
8000
Aluminum (6061)
2700
Copper
8960
Brass
8500
Use Cases
This calculator is useful for:
Estimating material requirements for fabrication projects.
Cost estimation for raw materials.
Logistics and shipping weight planning.
Quality control and verification.
Educational purposes in manufacturing and engineering.
Note: Densities can vary slightly based on specific alloys and manufacturing processes. This calculator provides an estimate.
function getMaterialDensity(materialType) {
var densities = {
"steel": 7850, // Mild Steel (kg/m³)
"stainless_steel": 8000, // Stainless Steel (304) (kg/m³)
"aluminum": 2700, // Aluminum (6061) (kg/m³)
"copper": 8960, // Copper (kg/m³)
"brass": 8500 // Brass (kg/m³)
};
return densities[materialType] || 0; // Return 0 if material not found
}
function calculateWeight() {
var thickness = parseFloat(document.getElementById("thickness").value);
var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById("width").value);
var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById("length").value);
var materialType = document.getElementById("materialType").value;
var resultSpan = document.querySelector("#result span");
// Input validation
if (isNaN(thickness) || thickness <= 0 ||
isNaN(width) || width <= 0 ||
isNaN(length) || length <= 0) {
resultSpan.textContent = "Invalid input";
return;
}
// Convert dimensions from mm to meters
var thicknessM = thickness / 1000;
var widthM = width / 1000;
var lengthM = length / 1000;
// Calculate volume in cubic meters
var volumeM3 = thicknessM * widthM * lengthM;
// Get material density
var density = getMaterialDensity(materialType);
if (density === 0) {
resultSpan.textContent = "Unknown Material";
return;
}
// Calculate weight in kilograms
var weightKg = volumeM3 * density;
// Display the result, rounded to 2 decimal places
resultSpan.textContent = weightKg.toFixed(2) + " kg";
}