How to Buy Specialty Metals: A Practical Guide – Part 1

How to buy specialty metals

What Purchasers Need to Know About How to Buy Exotic & Refractory Metals

Purchasing specialty metals for various applications can be complex, so it’s important to know how to buy before you start.

That’s why we’re introducing a 3-part series on how to buy exotic and refractory metals, culminating in a handy downloadable guide that aims to simplify, streamline, and optimize the specification and purchase journey by highlighting key considerations for buyers, including:

It all starts with the application, the metal’s properties, and established industry standards. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to buy specialty metals

Exposures, Machining, and How to Buy for Your Application

It may seem obvious, but before starting an order, you need to be clear on the purpose, environment, and standards for the specific metal you’re ordering. The details will help you determine how to buy it. The more information you (and, therefore, we) have, the more precise your order will be and the better your exotic or refractory metal materials will perform.

What’s Your Application?

Every customer order starts with a specific application. That means where and how you’ll use the material, which varies greatly across industry sectors. We work with many industries, but the most common are:

Aerospace & Defense—Common applications include missile and rocket components, counterbalance weights, jet and turbine engines, sensors, armor and protective gear, and advanced communication systems.

Electronics—Common applications include semiconductors, thin-film resistors, electrodes, integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMs), displays, connectors, and contacts.

Energy—Common applications include fusion reactors, nuclear reactor components, heat exchangers, chemical process equipment, turbine blades, oil/gas drilling equipment, solar panels, batteries, and hydrogen production.

Medical—Common applications include implants and prosthetics, surgical instruments, imaging equipment, pacemakers and defibrillators, stents, dental applications, radiation therapy equipment, and biocompatible coatings.

Research and National Laboratories—Common applications include analytics equipment, cryogenics, high-temperature vacuum systems and furnaces, nuclear materials research, particle accelerators, beam collimators, superconducting magnets, and high-pressure studies.

What Are Your Exposure Conditions?

Understanding the environmental exposures the metal will face also helps in determining the right production practices. The choice of metals and how to buy them depend on the properties of the metals and their ability to endure the conditions they will be exposed to during their service life. Exposures include factors such as:

Temperature—How high of a temperature can the material withstand? Consider factors like thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, melting point, creep resistance after prolonged exposure to stress and high temperatures, oxidation, and thermal shock resistance in the face of rapid temperature changes.

Corrosion Resistance—Can it withstand damage from oxidizing or reducing environments or chemical reactions? Oxidation is a reaction that leads to rust and deterioration. For corrosion resistance, we look for metal properties of inertness, or low reactivity with environmental chemicals that it will be exposed to.

Formability—Capacity for shaping, bending, stretching, drawing, stamping, etc. without damage? These metal properties include ductility, malleability, tensile and yield strength, elasticity, and work hardening.

Biocompatibility—Properties of the metal that enable it to perform as intended without adverse effects, especially for applications like medical implants and instruments. Key metal properties include non-toxicity, corrosion resistance, fatigue life and surface properties like roughness.

Radiation Resistance—Especially important in environments with high radiation levels like nuclear reactors, space exploration, and medical imaging equipment. Key considerations in how to buy include the ability to shield or focus the radiation while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing radiation-induced hardening, cracking, and deformation.

Exposures like these are crucial in determining how to buy the needed materials. For instance, metals used in the fusion reactor industry must withstand extremely high heat and thermal expansion and meet conductivity requirements. Every detail is essential in the specification process.

Machining/Fabrication Requirements

The final component relative to the application is any machining or fabrication needed to meet the specific application’s requirements. These specifications depend highly on the customer’s procuring document and may require a machinability test to confirm that the metal properties are sufficient for the unique case.

One key consideration is magnetic permeability, or the extent to which refractory and exotic metals can become magnetized in response to an external magnetic field occurring during machining, fabrication, or welding. Depending on the application, this can be something necessary, or something to avoid, and that also helps determine which material is needed.

Standards and Minimum Requirements

Several organizations publish standards for how to buy and specify exotic and refractory metals {and other materials) by industry and application. The authoritative organizations on standards for properties of metal include:

One quick way to cut to the chase on the standards is to visit our materials pages. There, you will find the applicable standards for the properties of the metal.

These standards ensure that materials meet the minimum requirements set by industry guidelines. When we say minimum, we mean it, and it’s important to understand. Industry specifications may be influenced by the capabilities of the producing mill or the requirements of the end user. Your application could require higher-level specifications or tolerances than those “required,” and we can help you determine the right level beyond the standards.

The Easiest Thing is to Talk to Our Pros About How to Buy

Contact us to discuss how to buy specialty, refractory, and exotic metals or request a quote to cut right to the chase. Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter, and join the conversation on LinkedIn.

We compiled this information and developed this article meticulously under the watchful eye of our Chief Metallurgist, Bob Desberg. Except for our Chief Morale Officer Bonzo, who had no paw in this article, we are human. If you see anything missing or incorrect, please advise us and we’ll be sure to update or correct it!