When manufacturing products for different industries, some sectors often require specific raw materials that meet unique industry specifications. The manufacturing materials used to fabricate medical products, for instance, will vary from those used to manufacture aerospace parts or from products used in oil and gas.
Some factors that come into play when selecting the materials to use in different industries include durability, structural properties, environmental impact, economic aspects, and specialist properties, such as thermal conductivity, stability, corrosion resistance, etc. If you are wondering which metals are ideal for your industry, we have you covered.
Material Selection for Different Industries
Before choosing a product for use in your industry, it’s essential to understand the properties of the manufacturing materials used. Ideally, you want to pick a product manufactured from a metal with ideal properties. Here are the best metals used in different sectors.
Energy Sector
Metals used in the energy industry should meet some requirements, such as high corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand extreme heat and high temperatures. Metals in this category include Inconel 625, Inconel 718, Waspaloy, A28, Multi-Phase 159, and 660 Stainless steel. Typical applications of these metals include making fasteners and studs in natural-gas processing engines and large-scale compressors.
Aerospace Sector
As you would expect, metals ideal for the aerospace industry should be lightweight, strong, and reliable. These manufacturing materials should also maintain structural integrity at any temperature and should have lower density values to ensure high-end stability. Since it’s difficult to find one metal with all these properties, metal alloys are commonly used.
An example is aluminum alloys, thanks to their corrosion-resistance properties, lightweight nature, and cost-effectiveness. Some metals, such as titanium, are also used. Typical applications of these metals include lock nuts, tie bolts, gear legs, hex jam nuts, socket-head cap screws, and lock washers.
Medical Sector
Metals used in the medical sector are classified into two: those used to manufacture medical equipment and those implanted inside the body. Metals used to manufacture medical equipment should be durable, non-reactive, and compatible with different fluids and environmental conditions. On the other hand, medical implants should be lightweight, biocompatible, and strong.
Titanium 6AL4V is considered the industry standard in the medical industry since it meets all the compatibility requirements and is relatively inexpensive compared to other metals in the same category.
Oil and Gas Industry
This industry is one of the most critical sectors that rely on high-quality and reliable manufacturing materials. Some components the materials will interact with include flammable gases and liquids, high-pressure fluids, and viscous liquids at extremely high temperatures. An ideal material should be strong, durable, resistant to corrosion, and can handle extreme temperatures and pressure. Examples of such materials include Stainless steel 304, Grade 304 strain-hardened, Grade 316, and 316 strain-hardened.
These materials are ideal for manufacturing fasteners for refineries, gas and offshore installations, shutdowns, and repair services. Other applications include the manufacturing of valves, pipelines, heat exchangers, pumps, and storage tanks. The added benefits of stainless steel are that it’s cost-effective and readily available. Plus, it is low maintenance and has high tensile and yield strength.
Defense Sector
Every military equipment should be precise, durable, and highly reliable. The best military-grade metals meet the highest strength and corrosion-resistant standards. Examples include high nickel super alloys and alloys such as K500, A286, NICU 405, NICU 400, 625, and 718. These materials are often used to manufacture fasteners and special machined components on military equipment and naval ships. The alloys have good conductivity, high melting points, and malleability.
Choosing the Right Metal for Your Applications
When choosing manufacturing materials for your critical applications, you want to work with an industry expert to ensure you exhaust your options and make the right choices the first time. At B&G Manufacturing, we are committed to offering the best specialty fasteners and complex machined components to serve your critical applications across industries. Let us know what you want, and we’ll go the extra mile to deliver on your expectations.
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