Ash vs Birch
Natural Material · grade comparison
Ash and Birch are both natural material grades. Birch is the more ductile: elongation 1.5% versus 1% for Ash. Birch is stiffer (13.9 GPa vs 12 GPa) and Birch runs hotter in service (95°C vs 80°C continuous). On the shop floor, Birch sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than Ash (standard, $$).
BirchChoose it when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when the part sees heat.
Ash vs Birch: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Elongation at Break
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Same in both: Min Service Temperature -60°C-76 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
Dielectric Strength
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Polishability
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Same in both: Embodied Energy (primary production) 11 MJ/kg4,729 BTU/lb · Typical Recycled Content 5%
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 0.1 mm²/s · Thermal Shock Resistance Index 0
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every natural material grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | Ash | Birch |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Ash vs Birch — frequently asked
What is the difference between Ash and Birch?
Ash and Birch are both natural material grades. Birch is the more ductile: elongation 1.5% versus 1% for Ash. Birch is stiffer (13.9 GPa vs 12 GPa) and Birch runs hotter in service (95°C vs 80°C continuous).
Which is cheaper, Ash or Birch?
Birch is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while Ash is standard ($$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Which is easier to machine, Ash or Birch?
Birch, by a small margin. Both rate very good for machinability — 75/100 against 70/100 for Ash.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Ash and Birch side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.