Recently it seems that not a day goes by without someone announcing a new innovation in 3D printing. From guns to full scale houses, the items that can be created via additive manufacturing seem potentially limitless.
By G.P. Thomas
11 Jul 2013
The presence of large amounts of chromium in stainless steel alloys is what provides it the high level of corrosion resistance than other steels. Stainless steels are classified into martensitic, ferritic and austenitic based on their crystalline structure.
Tungsten is a good carbide former that increases temperature and red hardness, prevents gain growth and improves toughness. It is a steel gray metal used in high speed steels and hot forming tool steels.
Chromium hot-work tool steels are designated as group H steels according to the AISI classification system. This series of steels start from H1 to H19. The most commonly used chromium hot-work steels are H11, H12, and H13, which can be air hardened in 150 mm thick sections.
A8 Tool Steel - Air-Hardening, Medium-Alloy, Cold-Work Steels
UNS C72650 copper alloy has high conductivity, high strength and formability, and excellent solderability. It also possesses good resistance to stress relaxation during high temperature of more than 204°C (400°F) while soldering.
The important alloys of copper and tin from an industrial point of view are the bronzes. The cast tin bronzes are designated by UNS C90200 through C91700. Lead is added to tin bronzes for improving machinability and pressure tightness.
Aluminum bronzes are a type of copper-bronze alloy where the key additive is aluminum rather than the usual tin. Copper UNS C95410 is an aluminum bronze casting alloy. This alloy has good wear resistance.
Bronze has been in use for centuries. Tools, armor, weapons, and several building materials such as decorative tiles were made of bronze. It was realized then that bronze was harder and more durable than stone and pure copper.
Aluminum bronze alloys are the alloys of copper with 5-10% aluminum in addition to some amount of silicon, nickel, manganese and iron. They are available in cast and wrought forms. They are stronger than tin bronzes or brasses with better corrosion resistance.