Safety Factor (AKA Factor of Safety) isn't technically about safety; it's the ratio of how strong the material
is over how strong it needs to be. A Safety Factor of 1 means the part is expected to bend or break right at the
maximum load, with ZERO margin for error. Engineers use Safety Factor to build in some margin for unavoidable
uncertainties, such as:
- The material is weaker than advertised
- Part tolerances
- Excessive impact and fatigue
- Surface imperfections causing stress concentrations
- Effects of temperature, corrosion, wear, and aging
The following table has some loose guidelines for various applications. Be sure to check with any regulatory bodies
for your specific field.
