Paritian

Mechanics

Stress Calculator

Direct stress from a force acting on a cross-section, in MPa, psi and kgf/cm².

Results

Stress 50.000 N/mm² (MPa)
Stress 7251.9 psi
Stress 509.86 kgf/cm²

What this tool does

Stress is force spread over area, and it is what material strength values are compared against. Newtons divided by square millimetres gives megapascals directly, which is why N/mm² and MPa are interchangeable in material datasheets.

Formula

σ = F ÷ A

Variables

SymbolMeaningUnit
fForceN
aAreamm²
sStressN/mm² (MPa)
spStresspsi
skStresskgf/cm²

Worked example

  • Force25,000 N
  • Area500 mm²
  • Stress50.000 N/mm² (MPa)
  • Stress7251.9 psi
  • Stress509.86 kgf/cm²

Limitations

  • For work that must comply with a standard or be signed off, check the result against the applicable code and have it reviewed by a qualified engineer.
  • Mixing units is the most common source of error. Convert every input to the units shown next to each field before calculating.