What Metals Are Used in Metal Spinning?

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What Metals Are Used in Metal Spinning?

Metal spinning is a versatile forming process utilized for creating axially symmetric components across various industries. It involves rotating a pre-sized metal disk at high speeds while applying force to shape it using specialized spinning tools. When considering your metal spinning project, it’s crucial to understand the range of metals available.

We’ve previously walked through our 7 Design Tips for Your Metal Spinning Project and today we are taking a more in-depth look at what materials are common and not so common. At Excell, we offer a diverse selection of common and uncommon materials, each with its unique properties, uses, and industries they serve. Let’s explore them:

Table of Contents

Commonly Spun Metals

Aluminium

  • Appearance: Silvery-white metal.
  • Uses and Properties: Lightweight with excellent strength-to-weight ratio, high ductility and malleability, low density, and natural corrosion resistance. Ideal for aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, medical, engineering, and catering industries.

4 Types of Steel

  • Appearance: Dull, matte grey metal.
  • Uses and Properties: Carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, and tool steel are commonly used.
  • Carbon Steel: Varying carbon content affects properties. It is durable, hard, and can be strengthened with carbon addition.

 

Carbon Steel Properties

 

  • Alloy Steel: Enhanced strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, and machinability by adding alloying elements.
  • Stainless Steel: High corrosion resistance, durability, and easy fabrication.
  • Tool Steel: Ideal for cutting and drilling equipment due to heat resistance and durability.
  • Industries: Automotive, construction, defense, marine, medical, energy, agriculture, oil and gas.

Mild Steel

  • Appearance: Greyish white surface.
  • Uses and Properties: Low-carbon steel, more ductile, machinable, and weldable than high-carbon steel. Can be further strengthened with carbon addition. Not corrosion-resistant but can be painted or galvanized.
  • Industries: Construction, automobile, manufacturing, furniture.

Galvanised Steel

  • Appearance: Uniform matte grey appearance.
  • Uses and Properties: Steel coated with zinc, providing corrosion resistance and a harder surface. High-carbon steel with low ductility and malleability. Resistant to cracking and abrasion.
  • Industries: HVAC, automotive, oil and gas, agriculture, road construction.

304 Stainless Steel

  • Appearance: Lustrous bright appearance.
  • Uses and Properties: Versatile and widely used stainless steel. Resistant to oxidation, corrosion, and durable. Easy to fabricate, clean, and weld. Suitable for healthcare, culinary, electrical, and architectural industries.

316 Stainless Steel

  • Appearance: Lustrous bright appearance (similar to 304).
  • Uses and Properties: Contains molybdenum for increased corrosion resistance. Durable, easy to fabricate, clean, and weld. Suitable for pharmaceutical, marine, construction, and chemical equipment industries.

 

304 Vs 316 Stainless Steel

Uncommonly Spun Metals

Copper

  • Appearance: Reddish-gold metal.
  • Uses and Properties: Highly corrosion-resistant, antimicrobial, malleable, ductile, and excellent heat and electrical conductor. Widely used in marine, energy, plumbing, manufacturing, automotive, and roofing industries.

Brass

  • Appearance: Bright gold appearance (varies).
  • Uses and Properties: Alloy of copper and zinc, offering high strength, machinability, ductility, corrosion resistance, and antimicrobial properties. Ideal for lighting, decorative, music, and automotive industries.

Titanium

  • Appearance: Lustrous grey-whitish metal.
  • Uses and Properties: High strength-to-density ratio, lightweight, excellent corrosion resistance, and resistance to extreme temperatures. Suitable for aerospace, defense, energy, marine, medical, and manufacturing industries.

Inconel 625

  • Appearance: Silver metal resembling stainless steel with aluminum’s weight.
  • Uses and Properties: High tensile strength, corrosion-fatigue resistance, and excellent weldability. Commonly used in marine, engineering, oil and gas extraction, automobile, aerospace, nuclear, industrial, and chemical processing industries.

Monel

  • Appearance: Grey with a metallic lustre.
  • Uses and Properties: Nickel-copper alloy highly resistant to corrosion and acids. Malleable, easy to weld, braze, and solder. Used in chemical, marine, aerospace, chemical processing, and engineering industries.

Hastelloy

  • Appearance: Grey with a metallic lustre (similar to Monel).
  • Uses and Properties: Nickel alloy with exceptional corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance, and low silicon content for welding. Suitable for oil and gas, chemical processing, waste treatment, marine, and mining industries.

Overview

At first glance these materials may look similar, but as you can see each offers its own characteristics and performance enhancements. It is important that your projects application and needs are assessed before choosing a material to ensure the best outcome, this can be done by collaborating with your metal spinners.

 

At Excell, our team is ready to help you choose the right materials and tooling for your project for your production parts. We will be able to make recommendations to maximize both quality and your cost savings.

Materials in Metal Spinning Comparison

Your Next Project

As a leading expert in the field of Metal Spinning, and the leading organization in the UK Metal Spinning Industry, Excell’s services have been widely sought after worldwide. With the vast skills and knowledge required, we can ensure quality products are delivered on time and to your requirements!

 

To get started on your next project with us, and to determine the best possible solution for your industry needs, you can fill out a Quotation Form. Our team are on hand ready to help you!

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