Nickel-Iron Alloys According to NF A13-601-1980
Nickel-iron (Ni-Fe) alloys are used in a variety of industries, ranging from aerospace to automotive, energy and power plant, and industrial applications. According to French norm NF A13-601-1980, nickel and iron are alloyed into a range of offerings with specific properties and applications.
The alloying process begins with either baling scrap or buying raw material with a specific chemical composition. To ensure the desired properties in the finished product, the raw material must cohere to elemental composition standards provided in the norm. Raw material will then must undergo a homogenizing process in order to evenly distribute and refine the chemical composition.
After homogenization, the material is forged into billets in distinct shapes, such as bars, rounds, flats and squares. The shape of the billet is important because it determines the grain structure and size of the finished product. The billet is then heated to a temperature a few hundred degrees higher than its recrystallization temperature. During this process, the iron and nickel atoms become solvated, as well as boron, magnesium and phosphorus atoms, where applicable.
Once the material is heated, it is ready to be worked into the desired shape. This is usually done via cold or hot working, or a combination of both. The choice of method depends on the desired properties of the material. Forging is used when improved strength and ductility are desired, while cold working is better suited to increase strength and hardness.
To finish the process, the material is heat treated to obtain the desired microstructure. This is done by first heating the material to a predetermined temperature and then rapidly cooling it in an emersion bath, water or air. Heat treating is done to modify the material’s properties, such as improving its ductility, tensile strength, resistance to corrosion and wear, or ease of machining.
After heat treating, nickel-iron alloys are ready for use. They are suitable for a variety of applications, from valves, springs and bearings in the automotive industry, to tools and suspension members in the aerospace industry.
Nickel-iron alloys, according to French norm NF A13-601-1980, offer a variety of customized solutions, tailored to specific applications. Their combination of strength and ductility, corrosion, temperature and wear resistance, makes them a viable option for a variety of industrial applications.
