Specialty Metals Supply

When you call Vulcan Metal Group for a quote, you will be speaking with knowledgeable specialty metals supply experts that speak your language.

We are here to make your projects work. With just one phone call, we will check specialty metal materials sourcing off your list, with competitive pricing, speed, and efficiency to ensure you meet your deadline with machined components, made right first time.

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Specialty Metals are defined as the following:

• Steel with a maximum alloy content exceeding one or more of the following limits: manganese, 1.65 percent; silicon, 0.60 percent; or copper, 0.60 percent; or containing more than 0.25 percent of any of the following elements: aluminum, chromium, cobalt, columbium, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, or vanadium.

• Nickel, iron-nickel and cobalt-base alloys containing a total of other alloying metals (except iron) in excess of 10 percent.

• Titanium and titanium alloys

• Zirconium and zirconium base alloys

How to Select the Right Specialty Metal

When selecting specialty metals, it’s important to know exactly what application and setting they’ll be used in. For example, Kovar or nickel iron are often used in glass or metal hermetic sealings because the expansion rate for these metals is roughly equal to that of the glass that they’re being sealed to. Regardless of temperature fluctuations, the materials will expand or contract at the same rate, thus ensuring a solid seal and no risk of breakage.

Nearly all types of metal can have a specialty use, from basic materials like carbon steel to the most expensive grades of metal. For example, you can procure a billet of carbon steel for a fairly low cost. However, if that metal is whittled down and turned into specialty wire, its cost may increase significantly.

If you’re looking for the right material to patch a hole or leak in a large, high-vacuum commercial furnace, your metal choices would likely include molybdenum, TZM molybdenum, tungsten or graphite. These specialty metals are most often used (versus stainless steel or aluminum) for such repairs due to the application’s high-temperature requirements. From there, you can whittle down the choices by looking at your application’s specifications. If the furnace is made of metal, then you wouldn’t be able to use graphite for the repair, for instance.

Choosing the right specialty metal for your project is critical to ensuring proper functionality. To ensure the best fit, start carefully assessing your own project needs and then compare them against the properties and specifications of each prospective metal.

Within the specialty metal category, refractory metals have very high melting temperatures and are wear-resistant. Many refractory metals have melting points of more than 2000°C and include niobium, chromium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten and rhenium. Refractory metals with melting points higher than 1850°C include vanadium, hafnium, titanium, zirconium, ruthenium, osmium, rhodium and iridium.

Refractory metals are used in many different practice applications. For example, refractory metals are often used in casting molds, wire filaments, hard tooling and other high-density applications. Because these metals have extremely high-temperature properties, they’re used frequently in nuclear applications. The typical nuclear reactor may include more than 300,000 feet of zirconium alloy tubing. Protected by a thin oxide layer, Zirconium is extremely resistant to corrosion by acids, alkalis and seawater. As a result, it’s also used extensively by the chemical industry.

Another popular refractory metal, molybdenum is often used to strengthen certain alloys. When used in steel alloys, for example, this meal increases strength, hardness, electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion and wear. “Moly steel” alloys are also used to build engine parts, in heating elements, and for drill and saw blades.

Titanium possesses similar strength as steel but is much less dense. It’s often used as an alloying agent with aluminum, molybdenum, iron and other metals and used in aerospace applications due to its low density and ability to withstand temperature extremes. Titanium alloys are also used to make laptops, golf clubs, crutches and bicycles.

Vulcan Metal Group LLC

23888 Madison Street
Torrance, CA 90505

United States

Phone: +1 310.882.6841
Fax: +1 310.893.0579

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