For Part 2 of our raw materials series, we’re taking a look at some of the other materials we make use of here at Exacto Spring.
Music Wire
Music wire is cold drawn high, with uniform tensile strength. It is the most common material in our industry. In addition to being used to manufacture high quality springs and wire forms, it is also suitable for high stress applications. It is available in plain or coated varieties, depending on application.
Chrome-Silicon
This is the material to use when you need your spring wire to survive and thrive under high stress situations. It’s an alloy steel that’s cold drawn and heat treated before fabrication, enabling it to withstand stress, shock, impact loading, and extreme temperatures.
Phosphor Bronze
Cold drawn phosphor bronze is one of the most popular copper-based alloys in the spring making world. It exhibits good electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. An interesting side note: it is used in some modern keyboard instruments, as well as other musical instruments.
Oil Tempered
Also known as ASTM A229, this general purpose high-carbon steel wire is cold drawn and heat treated before fabrication. It’s a popular choice due to its low cost when compared with other materials.
Inconel
Our final material is a member of the superalloy family. As that designation suggests, this nickel-chromium based wire—available as Inconel 600, Inconel 718 and Inconel X-750—is perfect for high temperature applications. Cold drawn—and in the case of 718 and X-750 precipitation hardened after fabrication—Inconel also provides good corrosion resistance at high temperatures. It is important to point out that Inconel is a trademark of the U.S. based company, Special Metals Corporation. They are also the makers of Incoloy, Nimonic, and Udimet.
So there you have it, a quick look at some of the more common wires in the industry. Here at Exacto Spring we make use of these materials every day to create our industry leading springs and medical products. If there’s a material we didn’t list that you’re interested in using, don’t worry—odds are we have it or can get it quickly.
