High temperature environments are one of the harshest for parts, and using the right materials is essential for functionality. When temperatures rise, most materials expand and become weaker. When there are moving parts, this can become a big issue. 

There are some metals and alloys that perform better in high temperatures.

Some of the best high heat resistant metal alloys include titanium, stainless steel, nickel alloys, and certain steel alloys. Here’s an overview of some of the best metals for high-temperature environments and why they work well.

4000 grade steels are Molybdenum steel alloys, meaning they have a small amount of Molybdenum (Mo) in them. 

However, most of these alloys only have a very small percentage—a maximum of ~0.5%. Molybdenum has a very high melting point (4,753°F) which makes it useful for aircraft parts, military armor, and engines. It’s commonly used in steel alloys to increase strength, corrosion resistance, and weldability.

4130, 4140, and 4340 steel alloys are very similar, and commonly used for precision machined steel parts. This article will compare the 3 different alloys and help you decide which one is best for your next project.

The aerospace industry has some of the toughest part and material requirements. Aerospace parts need to be extremely strong, lightweight, and highly resistant to environmental changes.

A Boeing 747 has roughly 6 million individual parts. The materials used for the parts vary depending on the use case, but the three primary metals used are aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium.

These alloys have some of the best strength to weight ratios, and corrosion resistant properties. This article will explain different pros and cons of each and help you decide which metal might be the best for your aerospace parts.

Free machining steel refers to steel alloys that break into small chips during the machining process. This results in better machinability, better surface finishes, and increases the lifetime of the cutting tools. These steel alloys also have sulfur, lead, and/or bismuth, which each act as a dry lubricant when the metal is machined.

The opposite to free machining steels are steel grades that produce long strings of metal as it’s machined. The longer metal shavings can get tangled in the spinning cutting tools causing issues.

Stainless steel is one of the best and most commonly used materials for precision machined parts.

Like most materials, there are 100s of different stainless steel alloys, each with slightly different compositions and use cases. But, not every stainless steel alloy is suitable for precision machined parts. Out of the 100s of different alloys, the majority of precision stainless steel parts are made from a few alloys, and a few more are used for specialty parts.

Spex uses about 15 different stainless steel alloys to machine precision parts for a wide variety of industries. The versatility, corrosion resistance, and strength of stainless steel make it the ideal choice for CNC machined parts. 

This chart gives you a brief overview of the most common stainless steel alloys, their costs, and common uses for each.

Steel is one of the best and most commonly used materials for precision machined parts.

Like most materials, there are 100s of different steel alloys, each with slightly different compositions and use cases. But, not every steel alloy is great for precision machined parts. Out of the 100s of different alloys, the majority of steel parts are made from a few alloys, and a few more are used for specialty parts.

Spex uses about 15 different steel alloys to machine precision parts for a wide variety of industries. The cost efficiency and strength of steel make it the ideal choice for CNC machined parts. 

This chart gives you a brief overview of the most common steel alloys, their costs, and common uses for each.

Steel is one of the best and most commonly used materials for precision machined parts.

There’s an endless variety of uses for CNC machined steel parts, and they’re essential for many different industries.

Spex uses many different steel alloys to machine millions of precision parts. The cost efficiency and strength of steel make it the ideal choice for CNC machined parts. This article will give you an overview of how different steel alloys are used, and how a variety of industries use steel parts and components.

Stainless steel is one of the best and most commonly used materials for precision machined parts.

There’s a seemingly endless variety of stainless steel alloys, which makes it harder to choose the best one for your specific machined parts.

Spex uses many different stainless steel alloys to manufacture tons of precision parts. 316 stainless steel is also called marine-grade stainless steel, because it’s highly resistant to water and chemical corrosion. This alloy is harder and more expensive to machine compared to 303 and 304. But, when you need the extra durability, 316 is a good option for machined parts and components.

We’ll provide you with an overview of the 316 and 316L stainless steel, and help you decide if it’s the right choice for your part.

You’ve likely heard of the term alloy, but what exactly does that mean? Metal alloys are used everywhere. From the tiny screws that hold eyeglasses together, to the frame of a skyscraper. Parts of the phone or computer you’re reading this on are metal alloys.

Most of the metal parts and structures you see are metal alloys.

In simple terms, a metal alloy is a specific mixture of metallic and nonmetallic elements. The elements used to make the alloy are melted down into a liquid, mixed together, and then cooled to resolidify. This process is sometimes called alloyization.