SMS: Stainless Metric Stock - The UK's leading distributer of metric stainless steel

The UK’s leading distributor of metric stainless steel

Image representing Metal Glossary

Metal Glossary

Aluminium Metal Glossary (U)


Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), Tensile Strength

The maximum load, in tension, that a material can withstand before breaking. It is calculated as a breaking load for a standard cross section area.


Ultrasonic Test

A non-destructive test method using ultra high frequency sound waves to locate and assess the size of internal material defects.


Under-Ageing

An artificial ageing treatment that fails to achieve maximum or optimum increase in mechanical properties/hardening. It is caused either by processing for an insufficient time or at too low a temperature.


Upper Critical Strain

The minimum amount of cold work needed prior to annealing or solution treatment to produce a fine recrystallized equiaxed grain structure by eliminating the cold worked structure of elongated grains.