Nickel Inconel Alloys

What is Inconel?

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Inconel® is a family of highly versatile nickel-chromium-based superalloys. A registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation, Inconel is considered is remarkable resistant to oxidation and corrosion and has high-performance capabilities under high temperatures. Inconel alloys also offer a superior combination of toughness and strength for demanding applications or harsh environments subject to pressures and heat.

When heated, Inconel forms a thick but stable oxide layer that protects a material&#;s surface from increased attack. Its outstanding high-temperature strength comes from solid solution strengthening or precipitation hardening, depending on the alloy. Inconel differs from Incoloyâ in composition and use. Inconel works better in demanding elevated temperature applications than Incoloy&#;although Inconel is harder to fabricate than Inconel.

Critical Advantages of Inconel alloys include:

• Good resistance to acids (sulfuric, phosphoric, nitric, and hydrochloric)
• Virtually free from chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking
• Superior mechanical properties at all temperatures
• Exceptional resistance to pitting, crevice corrosion, and inter-crystalline corrosion
• High resistance to oxidation at elevated temperatures

Several types of Inconel alloys exist, each with its own composition. Inconel alloys have specific traits that make them effective in different circumstances. Inconel 600, for example, is often used in chemical and food processing equipment because of its resistance to corrosion and oxidation. Inconel 625, on the other hand, is often used in aerospace and marine engineering applications because of its high level of strength without going through heat treatment.

Typical Applications and Uses of Inconel Alloys

Inconel alloys are well-suited for various industrial applications, including aircraft, marine, chemical processing, power generation, nuclear, gas turbine, aerospace, and automotive. Typical uses of Inconel are turbine blades and seals, submersible well pump motor shafts, and high-temperature fasteners on special machinery. Additional uses are chemical processing and heat exchanging tubing, steam generators, pollution control equipment, and critical core components in nuclear-pressurized water reactors.

Is Inconel Considered Steel?

Inconel is not considered steel or stainless steel. While stainless steel and Inconel both have silver finishes and use a numbering system for alloys and strengths, they are different in qualities, characteristics, uses, and weight.

Inconel features a nickel, chromium, and molybdenum composition, resists corrosion and pitting, and is available in several different alloys. Inconel costs more than stainless steel and can be superficially textured for a matte finish or smoothed for a shiny finish.

Stainless steel features a carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, chromium, and nickel composition; and a protective oxide layer that can be damaged by continuous exposure to extreme conditions. It&#;s available in several different grades.

Stainless steel is also heavier than Inconel alloys. Inconel jewelry, for example, looks like stainless steel but feels a lot like aluminum in weight. Stainless steel also doesn&#;t withstand heat as well as Inconel. That makes Inconel better suited for certain industrial products than stainless steel.

Forging Inconel Alloys

Inconel is widely used in forging industries for quality and oxidation-resistant end products. That&#;s because corrosion is among the most common problems within industries using forging materials. Manufacturers tried using Inconel in various applications and found it both practical and useful, so they&#;ve continued using it.

Forging presses metal under great pressure into high tensile strength components. This manufacturing process refines the grain structure and improves the physical properties&#; ductility, toughness, and strength&#;of a metal so that the grain flow can be oriented in the direction of principal stresses encountered in actual use.

Critical advantages of forging are:

• Beats casting or machining bar stock
• Stronger parts than other metalworking processes
• Highly shapeable into almost any product
• Versatile enough for use in any industry
• Cost-effective for manufacturing in large quantities

Machining Inconel

Machining Inconel requires high cutting forces and a highly developed skill set to ensure it is done correctly on a consistent, repeatable basis. To properly work with Inconel takes an understanding of its properties and how to compensate for its limitations. Machining tips include:

• Check tooling frequently for signs of wear
• Start with a solutionized piece of metal
• Use ceramic cutting tools for continuous cuts
• Avoid pecking when drilling Inconel
• Endmill with more flutes
• Drill with replaceable tips
• Use cobalt roughers for
• Think rigidity&#;fixture, machine tooling

These are just a handful of machining tips manufacturers should know when working with high-nickel alloys such as Inconel.

Inconel Alloys We Offer

Tech Steel & Materials is committed to meeting your most exacting standards and demands. Below is information on the Inconel alloys we offer:

Offers good resistance in carbonizing and chloride-containing environments, corrosion and heat. Has high strength and good workability. Used extensively in chemical processing plants, nuclear reactors, steam generators, and chemical manufacturing components.

Features very high resistance to oxidation and corrosion at higher temperatures. Has excellent mechanical properties. Is easily workable with standard procedures. Used in harsh environments exposed to wide temperature ranges and the presence of corrosives, such as acids.

Brings various other outstanding properties to materials, including resistance to oxidation at high temperatures, thanks to added aluminum. Ideal for ducting, combustion cans, chemical production, heat-treating baskets, power-generating plants and gas turbines.

A non-magnetic nickel-chromium superalloy. Features superb corrosion resistance and is very strong. Characterized by the wide range of fabrication possibilities. Used in a broad spectrum of applications that require exceptional corrosion resistance characteristics.

Provides superior oxidation resistance from ° F to ° F (° C to ° C)&#;though you should avoid high-heat sulfur atmospheres. This nickel-chromium alloy offers moderate strength and is ideal for combustion applications.

Used at temperatures ranging from -423° Ft o ° F (-253° C to 705° C). Age-hardenable. Readily fabricated in complex parts and has outstanding welding characteristics. Also has good tensile, fatigue, creep, and rupture strength. Used in liquid-fueled rockets, rings, and casings, sheet metal parts for aircraft, and land-based gas turbines.

A Gamma Prime strengthened alloy with excellent mechanical properties at both elevated and cryogenic temperatures. Suitable for temperatures up to around F. Can be readily worked and welded in fully aged condition. Excellent strength from -423º F to º F (-253º C to 705º C).

Widely used for manufacturing gas turbine structural components, like turbine section frames. Can be annealed, cold worked using standard methods and machined using conventional techniques. Strengthened by adding titanium and aluminum. Age-hardenable by heat treatment.

Used extensively in rocket-engine thrust chambers, airframe applications, hot-air ducting systems, and large pressure vessels, as well as heat-treating fixtures, forming tools, extrusion dies, and test machine grips. Made precipitation hardenable by adding Al and Ti. Has creep-rupture strength at high temperatures to about º F (700º C).

Tech Steel & Materials offers nickel alloys in various shapes and parts &#; rod, bar, wire, sheet, plate, strip, tube, pipe, castings, and forgings &#; for use in the aerospace, military, marine, and power plant industries.

If you have any questions regarding Inconel, please contact us. Put our expertise in metals and alloys to work for you.

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View Our Popular Inconel AMS Numbers

When you need a metal with outstanding physical properties that can withstand extreme conditions, Inconel alloys are often the best choice.

Ulbrich offers a variety of nickel superalloys that will stand up to just about any high-temperature or oxidation element you throw at it.

What Are Inconel Superalloys?

Alloys are created by combining two or more substances to create a product with more desirable properties than any of its parts. Alone, pure metal is often soft and prone to corrosion.

Inconel superalloys are one alloy class that has proven valuable in applications like jet engines, offshore marine platforms, and automotive parts.

So, what exactly are Inconel superalloys?

Basically, these compounds are nickel-based alloys that contain chromium and iron. Together, the elements form supermetals with traits that are highly sought after and difficult to find. These characteristics include high corrosion resistance and great performance in extreme temperatures, which are ideal for heat treatment.

It&#;s important to note that Inconel is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation. So, if you&#;re purchasing Inconel 625, you are buying their product. When this alloy is produced and sold generically, it is often called Nickel Alloy 625. This naming convention follows for the entire family of Inconel alloys and their generic counterparts.

Characteristics of Inconel Alloys

Inconel material is known for oxidation resistance, creep resistance, corrosion resistance, and high strength in extreme temperatures in real-world applications &#; and when tested in simulations run by supercomputers.

Additionally, Inconel alloy can be produced in a small grain size, which increases its yield strength and physical properties. When milled properly, an alloy like Inconel x 750 can withstand over 1,300° Fahrenheit (704° Celsius).

Special Properties of Inconel Superalloys

You&#;re already aware of the high strength and corrosion resistance that Inconel superalloys possess in elevated temperatures. Here&#;s a look at some additional properties that make them special.

Properties of Superalloys

Superalloys earn their name by being more versatile than their parent metals, and thus more valuable to their users. In general, superalloys have incredible high-temperature strength and resist the extreme environments they&#;re exposed to. They also have a smaller grain boundary than regular alloys, which prevents them from becoming brittle.

In other words, when more typically used metals aren&#;t durable enough, superalloys can get the job done.

Special Properties of Inconel Material

Inconel material is known for performing well, even as it reaches its melting point. Its microstructure and physical properties allow an Inconel alloy to have excellent corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance compared to other metals.

These special properties are why Inconel Strip & Shaped Wire are widely used by stampers, and manufacturers producing parts for a wide range of industries. It's also one of the most common powdered metals used in additive manufacturing.

Uses and Applications of Inconel Superalloys

Many industries requiring extremely strong material tend to gravitate toward metals like a titanium or stainless steel alloy. However, thanks to their versatility, Inconel material and other superalloys are gaining traction and are often the best choice for certain applications.

Common Uses for Inconel Alloys

Inconel alloys are commonly used in applications where thermal expansion occurs due to high temperatures. Thanks to their extreme temperature resistance, Inconel material is a core component of automotive parts, the aerospace industry, marine applications, and the oil and gas industry.

Each Inconel alloy has its own strengths and characteristics, so it&#;s important to understand the differences in order to choose the right one for your application.

Applications for Different Types of Inconel Alloys

Although a nickel-based superalloy like Inconel has all sorts of applications, there are different types of Inconel alloys&#;and each has its own unique properties. Here are a few of the Inconel superalloys that Ulbrich works with:

Learning the various applications helps you understand the advantages of Inconel superalloys. So, are there any disadvantages?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Inconel Superalloys

Like any material, Inconel superalloys have a wide range of advantages&#;but also a few disadvantages. If you&#;re not sure which material is best, just rely on the Ulbrich Team to help you through!

Advantages of Superalloys

The elements mixed to produce superalloys create an alloy with premium physical and mechanical properties. They become stronger. They&#;re more resistant to corrosion, oxidation, and high temperatures. Thus, they&#;re invaluable to industries like power generation.

Costs of Inconel Superalloys

Inconel alloys tend to be more expensive than basic steel or iron. However, their physical properties far outweigh cheaper alternatives. For example, you can build a bridge with steel, but you wouldn&#;t trust it to hold up to the extreme environment of a gas turbine. That&#;s a much more intense, specialized application better suited for Inconel material!

Disadvantages of Inconel Superalloys

Cost can be one disadvantage of Inconel superalloys.

Another potential downside of a nickel alloy is how challenging it can be to work with. Inconel's high strength and excellent corrosion resistance properties make it an ideal material for use in extreme environments. However, these same properties also make it challenging to stamp and deep draw, as it can be prone to cracking, wrinkling, or tearing during manufacturing processes.

In addition, Inconel's high hardness can cause excessive wear on stamping or deep drawing tools, leading to shorter tool life and increased manufacturing costs. Therefore, special care must be taken when stamping or deep drawing Inconel to ensure that the final product meets your desired specifications.

The Difference between Nimonic and Inconel Alloys

As durable as Inconel material is under pressure, if you&#;re working with gas turbines or internal combustion engines, you might also consider a Nimonic alloy.

Like Inconel, Nimonic is a nickel superalloy discovered through materials science that resists heat and corrosion. Both compounds are popular across many industries that require great performance under extreme conditions. However, there are some key differences, including:

• Inconel contains nickel, chromium, and iron; Nimonic generally contains at least 50 percent nickel, 20 percent chromium, and other elements like titanium and aluminum.
• Nimonic has slightly more tensile strength at high temperatures, but Inconel has higher corrosion resistance when exposed to salt water and chemicals.
• Due to its chromium content, Inconel tends to be more expensive than Nimonic.

Choosing the right superalloy for your unique application is vitally important, so let the precision metal experts help!

How to Choose the Right Inconel Superalloy

As the leader in precision metals since , Ulbrich Stainless Steel has the expertise you need to choose the right Inconel superalloy for your unique application. We offer a variety of nickel-based alloys in a range of shapes and sizes, and we&#;re here to guide and educate you on each of them.

Contact us to learn more about the products we offer&#;and the cutting-edge technology that we&#;ll use to customize your material's properties.

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