Common Alloys In Fastener Design

When you go shopping for fasteners for any reason, one of the themes you will find is that there are many types that are made of a mixture of two or more metals, known as alloys. The goal of making metal alloys is to ensure that the beneficial features of the two metals are merged, […]

When you go shopping for fasteners for any reason, one of the themes you will find is that there are many types that are made of a mixture of two or more metals, known as alloys. The goal of making metal alloys is to ensure that the beneficial features of the two metals are merged, to end up with a material that is more suited to a particular use.

For instance, there are some metals that are usually very light, but also tend to be weak. To use them to make fasteners that will be strong and light, it would be necessary to combine them with a metal that is strong. The proportions of the different metals in an alloy are usually carefully titrated to ensure that the end product is not compromised in any way.

If you want to, you can ask a fastener manufacturer to design an alloy based on your specific needs. However, there are some that are very common, so you don’t need to make a special request to get them. Some of the most common of these include:

Inconel

When you go shopping for fasteners, you may come across Inconel bolts and nuts. Inconel is an alloy that comprises nickel and chromium mixed in various ratios to yield the alloy. Some of the properties of this particular alloy include the fact that it’s resistant to oxidation, and also happens to be very strong as well. This, together with the fact that it is resistant to corrosion, makes it very useful for use in areas with extreme conditions such as very high or very low temperatures. When the alloy is heated, it usually forms a layer of oxide which protects the rest of the metal from further degradation by heat. If you are interested in using the fasteners in areas where the temperatures are very high or in sites with high rates of oxidation, making a point of using Inconel would be advisable.

 
Hastelloy

This is a complex alloy that is made by mixing chromium, tungsten, molybdenum and nickel in a controlled manner. The ratios of each of the metals have to be carefully titrated in order for one to end up with this particular alloy. This particular alloy is very popular for use in chemical plants and in areas where the fasteners are likely to be in contact with potentially corrosive chemicals. Due to the composition of the alloy, Hastelloy hex tap bolts and other fasteners made from the same material tend to resist such corrosion better than most other metals.

Monel

Monel is an alloy that is made by combining nickel, copper, iron and manganese. Some of the major attributes that you can get from fasteners made of this material include increased resistant to corrosion. Environments that have a lot of salty water and a lot of steam tend to corrode metals to a high degree, but Monel is one of the few alloys that can resist this. This is why it is the alloy of choice for people who need fasteners for marine applications, as well as in areas where hot water is going to be used.