Superalloys and nickel alloys for aerospace
Aerospace is where these alloys were invented, and it is also the most paper-heavy market: the material is usually the easy part of the order.
All 18 grades on this page are melted, forged and tested at our own plant in Shanghai and released with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 documentation. Chemistry, mechanical results and the heat number travel with the material.
Three mechanisms that decide the grade
Not a materials handbook — just the three things that most often change the answer on a real enquiry.
718 for strength, and for being weldable
Inconel 718 is the workhorse. It is age-hardenable to high strength and, unusually for a high-strength superalloy, it welds without the strain-age cracking that makes others difficult. That combination is why it dominates airframe and engine components.
X-750 and the Nimonics where temperature climbs
Above the range where 718 softens, X-750 and the Nimonic grades 90, 105 and 115 take over for blades, springs and fasteners. Each of them is age-hardenable, and each has its own ageing treatment that has to be specified rather than assumed.
Instrument and expansion alloys are a different discipline
The 4J and 1J grades are not chosen for strength. They are chosen because their expansion coefficient or magnetic behaviour is stable over a temperature range, which is why they appear in instrumentation and optical assemblies more than in structures.
18 grades we melt for Aerospace
Each one links to its specification page, with chemistry, standards by product form and the EN 10204 documents we issue. Showing 12 of 18.
Inconel 718
INCONEL 718 has excellent mechanical properties, including high tensile, creep, and rupture strength, maintained up to 700°C.
Inconel X-750
INCONEL X-750 maintains its strength and stability in high-temperature environments, withstanding up to 704°C, which makes it ideal…
Inconel 625
Inconel 625 exhibits strong resistance to various corrosive media, including seawater, acidic solutions, and alkaline environments.
Nimonic 90
The cobalt addition lifts rupture strength above 80A in the 700 – 920 °C band.
630 / 17-4PH
After precipitation hardening (aging treatment), it exhibits ultra-high tensile strength (1000-1300 MPa) and yield strength…
4J36
The 35-37% nickel content forms a Fe-Ni ordered alloy (Invar phase) that exhibits near-zero thermal expansion in the range of -250°C…
Inconel 600
Withstands temperatures up to 2000°F (1093°C) without losing mechanical properties.
Inconel 601
Exceptional oxidation resistance at temperatures up to 1200°C; resistant to spalling, which is beneficial during thermal cycling.
Inconel 602CA
Exceptional oxidation resistance at temperatures up to 1250°C, making it suitable for continuous service in high-heat environments.
Inconel 690
Excellent resistance to oxidation and sulfidation at high temperatures, ideal for use in extreme heat environments.
Monel 401
The addition of 0.25% silicon significantly improves chip breakage and reduces tool wear during machining.
Monel K-500
The alloy achieves tensile strength exceeding 1000 MPa (yield strength ≥ 760 MPa) after heat treatment…
Three things to put on the enquiry
- AMS number, not just the trade name. — For this market the AMS specification carries the mechanical and cleanliness requirements. A quote against “718” alone is not quotable against an aerospace drawing.
- Condition and ageing on the order. — Solution-treated and aged are different products with different lead times. Say which one the drawing calls for.
- Ultrasonic and cleanliness requirements early. — If the part needs an ultrasonic inspection standard or a cleanliness rating, that has to be known before the billet is chosen, not after machining starts.
Aerospace: questions buyers ask
The answers below are drawn from the same grade data as the tables above.
Which grades do you supply into aerospace work?
Inconel 718, X-750, 625, 600, 601, 690 and 602CA, Monel 401 and K-500, 17-4PH and 17-7PH, 321, Nimonic 95 and the expansion alloys 1J50, 1J79, 4J32 and 4J36.
Do you supply material to AMS specifications?
Yes, where the grade and form are covered by the AMS specification named on your drawing. Name the AMS number on the enquiry so the quotation references the right edition.
Can you supply small quantities for qualification?
Yes. Qualification lots and sample cut lengths are quoted on the same basis as production quantities, with the same documentation, so the qualification data transfers.
Send the grade, the size, the quantity.
We will quote against your specification, including lead time, inspection level and documents.