Ukuminyana kungenye yezakhiwo eziningi zensimbi.Ibalwa ngokuhlukanisa ubukhulu ngevolumu.Insimbi iza ngezindlela eziningi ezahlukene.Ukuminyana kubalwa ngokuhlukanisa ubukhulu ngevolumu.Ukuminyana kwensimbi ye-carbon cishe ku-7.85 g/cm3 (0.284 lb/in3).

Ziningi izinto ezisetshenziselwa insimbi.Insimbi engagqwali, isibonelo, isetshenziselwa amathuluzi okuhlinza kanye nezitsha zasekhishini.Iwuhlobo lwensimbi oluqukethe amazinga ekhabhoni aphansi futhi okungenani u-10.5% we-chromium.Lokhu kubangela ukumelana nokugqwala.Olunye uhlobo lwensimbi, insimbi yamathuluzi, isetshenziselwa amathuluzi okusika insimbi ama-drill bits ngoba iqinile, kodwa i-brittle.Inani lekhabhoni ensimbi ye-carbon linquma ubulukhuni bensimbi.Lapho iqukethe ikhabhoni eyengeziwe, insimbi iqina kakhulu.Insimbi ye-carbon ivame ukusetshenziselwa izingxenye zezimoto.

Insimbi kanye namafomu ayo ahlukahlukene asetshenziswa kaningi emhlabeni jikelele.Imvelo yensimbi incike kokuqukethwe kwayo, okuholela ekukhuleni okuhlukahlukene.Ezimweni eziningi, ukushuba kwensimbi, kuba nzima nakakhulu.Amanani ahlukahlukene ekhabhoni, phakathi kwezinye izakhi ohlotsheni ngalunye lwensimbi adala izinhlobonhlobo ngokuminyana noma amandla adonsela phansi athile.(Amandla adonsela phansi akhethekile noma ukuminyana okuhlobene isilinganiso sokuminyana kwento ethile naleyo yamanzi.)

Kunezigaba ezinhlanu ezinkulu zezinsimbi: i-carbon steel, i-alloy steel, insimbi enamandla aphansi enealloy, insimbi engagqwali nensimbi yamathuluzi.Izinsimbi zekhabhoni yizona ezivame kakhulu, eziqukethe amanani ahlukahlukene ekhabhoni, zikhiqiza yonke into kusukela emishinini kuya ezinsikeni zokulala kuya kumaphini e-bobby.Izinsimbi ze-alloy zinenani eliqondile le-vanadium, i-molybdenum, i-manganese, i-silicon ne-cooper.Izinsimbi ze-alloy zikhiqiza amagiya, imimese yokubaza ngisho nama-roller skates.Izinsimbi ezingenasici zine-chromium, i-nickel phakathi kwezinye izakhi ze-alloy ezigcina umbala wazo nokusabela ekugqwaleni.Imikhiqizo yensimbi engagqwali ihlanganisa amapayipi, amaphilisi omkhathi, izinto zokuhlinza eziya emishinini yasekhishini.Okokugcina, izinsimbi zamathuluzi zine-tungsten, i-molybdenum phakathi kwezinye izakhi ze-alloy.Lezi zici zidala amandla nekhono lemikhiqizo yensimbi yamathuluzi, ehlanganisa izingxenye zemisebenzi yokukhiqiza kanye nemishini.