New qualification received

We have made the list of qualified vendors for SpaceX. Both facilities, Windfall and Tipton are on the Falcon 9 approved vendors list. We are very excited about all the new work that SpaceX is taking on to facilitate travel to the ISS (International Space Station) as well as many other launches to come.

Elon Musk will be known as a visionary of our times. His work already exhibited through bringing PayPal to the masses, his other ventures - while larger are just as noteworthy. SpaceX, Tesla and SolarCity among many others. You can read part of his biography here: https://astrumpeople.com/elon-musk-biography/

Manufacturing highlight: Mechanical property enhancement through the use of grain refinement

Grain refinement

There are many applications that can benefit from grain refinement. Grain refinement is a result of specific manufacturing techniques which allow for a finer grain. In almost every case, a finer grain material will outperform a coarser grain item of the same material. The basis of finer grains being stronger is that while there are more dislocations in the material, it is more difficult to make all these dislocations line up. Finer grains also typically have less precipitates in the boundaries. Precipitates are oxides, carbon, and interstitial elements that are not in solution of the grain. Precipitates are normally not as strong as the material itself - tending to make a precipitated material more brittle.

Microphotograph above shows ASTM Grain size No. 5.5, ALA ASTM No. 1

Some grain refinement comes from the material itself, through additions of elements such as Columbium (Cb), Zirconium (Zr) and Boron (B). In small amounts, known as trace or residual amount, these elements tend to be grain creators or form grains in localized sites around them. While this type of grain refinement is good because it enhances the properties of the materials, it doesn't have to be the end of the grain refinement process.

Materials can receive further grain structure enhancement through specific manufacturing techniques of the material while it is being forged, rolled, or drawn. The steps immediately preceding the final processing and anneal can be essential to having the best product possible. This means during the last major heating cycle, the temperatures attained during the processing, as well as the final anneal it is given. Proper manufacturing techniques and methods of processing are essential, and rarely will it make up for abuses the material could have been subjected to in prior processing during a more raw stage.

Quality requirements

You want to ensure that the billet a product is going to be made from is of good quality. Heating metals to temperatures outside its normal limits can cause issues like burning out Carbon, incipient melting, or cause oxides or precipitates to collect at grain boundaries. A simple billet test can reveal many of these by performing a macro view of the ends of the material. ASTM A604 is a common specification for preparation and macroetching of samples. You may see spots, pins, rings or nodules in this very simple test. It is pretty commonly used for higher melt materials, such as VIM VAR and ESR melt methods, as it ensures the quality of the billet at a fairly early stage. It could even be used by lower quality melted materials such as EF and AOD.

 Macrophotograph above shows ASTM A604

Processing methods

Now that we have covered the basis of good melting, processing and checks along the way we can now cover the final steps that can really have an impact on your material and its resultant properties. Mechanical strengthening of materials can be achieved by several methods. The most commonly used is through heat treatment, sometime known as aging or precipitation hardening. We briefly touched on these earlier, but we failed to mention the impact of such an easy method of raising the strength. Not only do precipitation hardening treatments lower ductility (more brittle), it can also cause the material to be subject to corrosion issues that the annealed material was not.

How can this be, it is the same material - and the composition didn't change? The mechanics of precipitation are basically the elements contained in the material change. During the temperature cycle(s), various phases in the material will be developed. The most common is gamma, or gamma prime - used in Inconel 718. This is the effect of Titanium & Vanadium additions. In Titanium Grade 5, the strengtheners are Aluminum and Vanadium to make Alpha-Beta phase alloy. Many elements can have phases associated with them, some are good and some are bad. The good ones are typically not as brittle as the bad ones, and when I say good typically it is enhancing the strength of the material rather than detrimental.

I know what question you are asking: If precipitation hardening is sometimes too brittle or it affects the corrosion resistance too much, what options are left? There are still a few ways to strengthen the material without having to use precipitation hardening. One way is through the use of hot rolling. Hot rolling material does elevate the mechanical properties, but the effects are normally reversed when it is annealed after processing. It is hot rolled and left it in the unannealed condition. I say hot roll, but it could also be hot forged, warm forged, warm worked or warm rolled. Do these methods attain the same strength as precipitation hardened material? Well, no they don't. Normally not enough strength is imparted during warm or hot processing to reach near 180 KSI UTS. It might get between 115 to 155 KSI UTS though, which helps in many instances.

I might add at this point that hot or warm processing can leave precipitates in the grain boundary, so refer back to the quality issues already identified, and you may need to look at the microstructure as well to tell if the issues could be detrimental. Typically if the outside of the grains are completely enclosed with precipitation or carbides, you have found what is called sensitized. Sensitized is a condition where precipitates are left at the grain boundary, rather than being in solution or homogeneous of the grain. The etchant would eat away the precipitates around the grain and leave a trench, known as a ditch structure. The etchant solution is your friend, because it will tell you what could happen in the field. If a corrosive media can dissolve these areas with a short treatment, how well will they hold up in real life? Pick an etchant solution and technique that is commonly used for the alloy, has good coloring or dye properties and is aggressive enough to show the detail you need without lots of prep.

The problem of attaining 200 KSI UTS isn't over yet. We still have a few processing methods to review that can attain the strengths of a precipitation hardened material. We have cold processing, which at the basic level, means that there is no heat added to the material before forming. It's basically processed at room temperatures, and it might be called cold rolling, cold drawing, cold forging, or cold swaging. Cold processing is, what I feel, the best way to mechanically strengthen a material. Let me clarify with - it's the best way if it has good quality going into production (a minor caveat). I'm sure you have heard the term garbage in equals garbage out. It definitely applies, and it applies on every type of metal processing. With that said, can you mess up good material? As long as you stay within known strain rate limits of the material, it is difficult to process material cold and end up with something bad. Bad is kind of relative, so let's look at it compared to precipitation hardened material and make some comparisons. Depending on the level of strength needed the elongation is going to be at least twice that of precipitation material. Elongation (Elon. %) is typically showing the ductility a material has. When a material only has 3 or 5% Elongation, we think of it as not very ductile. Most applications want 10-15% as a minimum Elongation. It should also be noted that the reduction of area is normally much higher in sold processed then precipitated material. A materials reduction of area property (R/A %) of a material shows its tendency to be brittle, or have low impact resistance. Lower numbers means it is more brittle, or that the material has been sensitized at some point.

Superalloy and Super-stainless Alloy Summary

So what alloys and strengths are available with this mechanical strengthening? High Performance Alloys supplies several alloys with properties capable of 180 to 200 KSI UTS. Many superalloys are austenitic, which means it has low magnetic permeability. Superalloys are either a Nickel-base or Cobalt-base material and will normally have a UNS that starts with N or R. So if you wanted a high strength C-276, the UNS would be N10276 and you simply state the properties that you need. High Performance Alloys also works with C-22 or Alloy 622, which is UNS N06022. 686 is UNS N06686.

There is also a group of material called super-stainless, which means that they normally outperform a stainless counterpart. High Performance Alloys can attain these properties with super-stainless NITRONIC grades; such as NITRONIC 60 UNS S21800 and NITRONIC 50 UNS S20910.

If you look at the alloys mentioned that can be work strengthened so far, you will notice that these are all corrosion materials, alloys that are used to solve corrosion issues. There is not much point in cold processing alloys that will be used for high heat. For medium temperatures to 1600F, work strengthening a cobalt base high temperature material that can be aged can enhance its properties at temperature as well. Examples of these alloys are L605 (Haynes 25), as well as MP35N. These two grades actually also have medical applications for their corrosion resistance.

While many Superalloys and super-stainless material can be strain hardened, there are only a few that will reach these ultra high strengths. A few were mentioned, the common ones, but there are more. There are many more that can be strengthened through grain refinement that will only take 10 to 30 percent reduction, and will benefit from an enhanced grain structure as well as enhanced properties.

Contact High Performance Alloys at: sales@hpalloy.com,
call +1-765-945-8230, toll free in the USA (800) 472-5569
or visit at: http://www.hpalloy.com

Visit us at NACE CORROSION 2017

Come meet with us at NACE CORROSION 2017, March 28-30 in New Orleans.

David and Glenda will be at booth # 828.  Please stop by and say hello. Existing and past customers have promotional items waiting for them!

If you need a complimentary pass to attend the expo booth, please ask David, Glenda or your salesperson.

Understanding Nitronic alloys

As seen on Modern Metals November 2016

Nitrogen-strengthened stainless steels can provide many benefits, says Jeff Kirchner, COO of High Performance Alloys

 - MM: How did Nitronic alloys get their name? Are there any common misconceptions about these grades?
Jeff Kirchner: Armco, the inventor of these grades, had several alloys. They were calling them 21-2N, 21-4N/22-4-9, and those became 21-6-9, 18-2Mn, 18-3Mn and 22-13-5. The commonality among these alloys was chromium, manganese and nickel with saturation additions of nitrogen. For marketing purposes in the 1970s, these alloys were branded as the Nitronic series and given alloy designation numbers. A common misconception is that the number relates to strength, when in actuality all the Nitronic grades have yield strengths in the 50-60 ksi range when annealed. The numbering system has more to do with the order in which the alloys were developed than with strength, so it just makes it more literal and associative to the manufacturer.

MM: What are some of the benefits of adding nitrogen to stainless steel?
Kirchner: Adding nitrogen to alloys has several effects on the properties. The most common benefit is an immediate boost in the yield strength, or the point at which a material will deform. The nitrogen also improves the impact resistance of alloys. For an example of the enhanced impact resistance, many of these grades will need to be Charpy tested at sub zero temperatures to conduct a valid V-notch test, which is where it breaks.

MM: Can you briefly touch on the different grades of Nitronic alloys, their characteristics and applications?
Kirchner: Nitronic 30 is a corrosion resistant, or basic, stainless-manganese steel, meaning it is good for abrasion resistance. It is commonly used for liners, chutes, and because of its extra strength and lightweight properties, it is now also being used for body panels in transportation. Nitronic 30 is available primarily in heavy sheet and light plate.
Nitronic 40 is a high-temperature stainless with low magnetic permeability. Common applications include instrument or hydraulic tubing, but it is also found in bar and sheet. 22-13-5 Nitronic 50 is a corrosion-resistant stainless, commonly used for saltwater and marine applications. It has a very low magnetic permeability. 18-8Mn (+Si +N) Nitronic 60 is an oxidation resistant (elevated temperature) as well as a corrosion- and wear-resistant stainless. It is well known for its resistance to wear and galling, but the composition performs well in many environments.

MM: What should material specifiers consider when questioning the applicability of Nitronic alloys?
Kirchner: The obvious advantage to the Nitronic series is an immediate increase in strength. Many times we have recommended Nitronic 60 to replace grade 304L or Nitronic 50 for grade 316L. They are basically quick upgrades with little change in their machining or processing capabilities. Another consideration is that these two alloys excel at the low magnetic permeability, but the biggest difference is the permeability doesn’t change when forming and fabricating. During forming and welding, grades 304L and 316L are known to transform some austenite to ferrite, raising the magnetic permeability. There are definitely some applications where this magnetism potential is not an issue at all, but it can be a concern if you have magnetic fields or sensitive electronics near a rotating assembly.
Nitronic 60 solves a common problem where a stainless or corrosion-resistant grade is needed that must also resist wear and galling. It is unique in that it has these characteristics and can still be formed and fabricated with a moderate price point. There are some great cobalt alloys that can be used for wear and galling and will resist staining from the atmosphere or cleaning, but these cost more as cobalt is normally above $12 per pound.

High Performance Alloys, based in Tipton, Indiana, with locations in Oregon and Texas, is a global distributor of wear-, corrosion- and heat-resistant alloys. Kirchner has been with the company for more than 25 years. Call or browse at 800/472-5569 or www.hpalloy.com.

Source: Modern Metals, November 2016

eStore overview of benefits and capabilities

Create an item in the eStore

Benefits

• Custom cutting to size 
• Low order minimum quantity 
• Instant inventory check 
• Quantity discounts 
• Available 24/7 

Store Links

• Sign Up to create an account
• Log in / Recover Password
• Create a product
• Review Account and Orders
• Pick up a quote to Order

The store makes creating a quote easy. Here are the steps in creating your item. 

Select the Alloy that you are interested in either through an Alloy page specific to that grade in the store, [see links below in Available Alloys] or from a central page where any Alloy we carry can be selected.

Just make sure you are signed in and authorized (approved) for the item creation to appear.

1. Select Alloy and then the form
   Build the item using a top down approach. First select Alloy type from drop down, then the product form offered that you need. 
2. Select proper condition if different than default.
   If the item is available in different conditions/tempers you can select an alternate strength. 
3. Enter thickness and dimension
   Enter the thickness of the item you want in decimal format. Then enter the length and or width according to the item need (we cut all the time, so if you need something exact - just enter it here). 
4. Select whether the length is exact or random
   Cut and random length options allow flexibility on the overall tolerance of the length needed. Enter the quantity required. 
5. Enter comments on tolerances or specifications needed
   Comments cannot be automatically reviewed or priced, so if you have a tolerance or specification you can list it there - but it doesn't mean that we will accept the order when submitted. If it is out of the ordinary, it is probably best to submit as a custom quote to salesperson. 
6. Select Get Price
   With all that information entered, you are ready to get your price. Press the 'Get Price' button to calculate price and check stock. 
7. Change Values
   If the store cannot process a quotation for you, it provides you the opportunity to let a salesperson review it (use the email button) and quote the item. You do not have to re-renter anything. The salesperson will contact you if there are questions or concerns. If our sales is available, you can use the WebChat feature to message with them live. 
8. Add to Cart
   When the store is successful checking the stock available to ensure that we can fill your requirement, it will list the Unit Price and Total Price. At this point, you may add the item to your cart. 
9. Go to Cart
   Once the quote is complete, you can order the item, going to the cart screen. 
10. Proceed to Checkout
    Your terms will be shown, as well as the billing and shipping information on file for your account. 

If you need more help - just ask, More help information here.

Available Alloys

Hastelloy, Inconel, Monel, Nitronic, Nickel and Cobalt Alloys

600

601

625

718

Nitronic 60 / HPA N60 

Ferr 255 / Alloy 255

Hast B-2

Hast C-22

Hast C276

Hast X

Stellite 6B HPA Cobalt 6B

HPA Cobalt 6B H

Incoloy® 27-7 MO

Incoloy® 800 H

L605

Monel 400

Monel K500

Monel R405

Nickel 200

Nickel 201

Nitronic 30 / HPA N30

Nitronic 50 / HPA N50

Material samples provided by High Performance Alloys

Times are tough and you need to get that new project going. Let us help with your sample needs to demonstrate how well your idea will work! Tell us what material samples you need.

Customer Reviews Summary

Customer service is important. We know, we have to buy products too. We have all experienced bad customer service and we know it is to be avoided. At High Performance Alloys, the service comes before the sale, with the sale and after the sale. We are extremely proud of our customer service. Here are some of the reviews we have received from customers:

"HPA has always been a trusted supplier for our Nitronic stainless steel needs. Quotations are always prompt and clear as to what is being offered if a substitution is being made. That said, HPAlloys is a pleasure to work with."

"I appreciate the ability to easily order small quantities of hard-to-find materials. I also appreciate being able to specify my desires regarding composition and mechanical properties and mostly get exactly what I need."

"Many times the order goes to the company that responds quickest. HP Alloys quotes are always quick. You don't have to nag them to get your quotes. "

"I do like that I go to the same sales rep. for each order not just another operator in the system."

"One area of concern in general with metal suppliers is the quality of packaging / protection during delivery. Your pieces arrive to our shop without marring, packaging intact and ready to machine. We are able to order closer to final dimensions when this is done which saves us time and money."

"High Performance always help us find the materials we need with the quickest turn around possible. We normally don't have a lot of time to too work with and they always seem to help us get the job done."

Still not convinced? Read more

Give us a call at +1 (765) 945-8230 or toll free in the US @ (800) 472-5569