Why BTEC 3D works with Inconel in its Additive Manufacturing Process.

Inconel 718 contains Nickel, Chromium and other metals such as Molybdenum, Iron, Niobium, Aluminum and Titanium. This alloy is strong, flexible, and corrosion-resistant. It can withstand temperatures up to about 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Inconel Alloys are highly engineered to offer a superior combination of heat resistance, high temperature corrosion resistance, toughness and strength for the most demanding applications.

Inconel is classified as a super alloy because of its high-performance qualities and resistance to corrosion and oxidation. It performs well in both low and high temperature applications where other materials such as steel and aluminum would fail, and is also resistance to pitting, corrosion cracking and crevice.

Inconel has a higher melting point of 2,540°F-2,600°F (1,390°C-1,425°C).

It is used for a range of applications, including:

Aerospace

Inconel Powder

Power generation

Nuclear reactors

Gas turbines

Pressure vessels

Oil and Gas Industry

Inconel is often used in marine applications because of its extraordinary resistance to sodium chloride (salt) at a variety of temperatures. So, for processes that use salt or factory locations near the ocean, Inconel is ideal.

Jet Engines are unique in that they have to withstand extreme temperatures, both high and low, frequently during use. At 36,000 ft. (well within a passenger jet’s standard cruising altitude), the average air temperature is -56.3°C (-69.3°F), but the combustion process can exceed temperatures of 1,150°C (2120°F).

Cooling technologies are used to rapidly reduce temperatures, but temperatures can still easily exceed the tolerances of many metals. Inconel 600® retains high oxidation resistance and tensile strength despite rapid changes in temperature from the combustion process and cooling technologies employed in the aerospace industry.

Basically, Inconel is an ideal material whenever extreme temperature and chemical resistance are a must, and for any process where temperature highs would normally degrade the oxidation resistance of other metals.