Aluminum
Cheap, light, durable, and functional. Aluminum is a silver-colored, low density metal that has moderate strength, and is very resistant to corrosion for most applications.
Brass
Brass is a metallic alloy that is made of copper and zinc. It is used for applications where low friction is required such as locks, gears, bearings, doorknobs, ammunition casings and valves, as well as for plumbing and electrical applications.
Bronze
Various kinds of bronze are used in many different industrial applications. Phosphor bronze is used for ships' propellers, musical instruments, and electrical contacts. Bearings are often made of bronze for its friction properties. It can be filled with oil to make the proprietary Oilite and similar material for bearings. Aluminum bronze is very hard and wear-resistant, and is used for bearings and machine tool ways.
Copper
The major applications of copper are electrical wire, roofing and plumbing, and industrial machinery. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Copper is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material, and as a constituent of various metal alloys, such as sterling silver used in jewelry, cupronickel used to make marine hardware and coins, and constantan used in strain gauges and thermocouples for temperature measurement.
Plastics
Due to their low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, and imperviousness to water, plastics are used in a multitude of products of different scale, including paper clips and spacecraft. There are many plastics to choose from based on whatever your needs are.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, and familiar lustre make it an ideal material for many applications.