Commonly Used Materials in Manufacturing
Introduction
Understanding the materials commonly used in manufacturing is crucial for engineers, designers, and manufacturers. This guide provides an overview of widely used materials across different standards, including domestic (China), European (EN), American (ASTM), and Japanese (JIS) standards. By familiarizing yourself with these materials, you can make informed decisions for your projects and enhance product quality.
Powder Coating is a popular method that involves applying a dry powder to the surface of steel parts, which is then cured under heat to form a durable finish. This treatment provides excellent corrosion resistance, UV protection, and a wide range of color options.
Characteristics: As a common plain carbon structural steel in China, Q235 has a good combination of mechanical properties, weldability, and machinability. It exhibits moderate strength, reasonable plasticity and toughness, and is relatively cost-effective.
Applications: Widely used in the construction of buildings, bridges, vehicles, ships, etc. For example, it can be found in the steel structure framework of buildings, bridge piers, and bridge deck steel plates.
Characteristics: This is a high-quality carbon structural steel with higher strength and better toughness compared to Q235. Through quenching and tempering treatment, it can achieve a good combination of mechanical properties.
Applications: Commonly used in the manufacturing of mechanical parts such as shafts, gears, connecting rods, etc., especially in the automotive and machine tool industries.
1. Domestic Commonly Used Materials (China)
Characteristics: It has excellent corrosion resistance, good machinability, and can be easily anodized to improve its surface hardness and decorative properties.
Applications: Widely used in architectural decoration, such as aluminum alloy doors and windows, curtain walls; also used in the manufacture of some mechanical parts that require light weight but certain strength, like heat sinks for electronic equipment.
Characteristics: With good corrosion resistance and formability, it is particularly suitable for applications requiring complex shapes and high strength-to-weight ratio.
Applications: Often used in the aerospace industry for aircraft skins and structural components, as well as in the shipbuilding industry due to its excellent resistance to marine corrosion.
Characteristics: As a general-purpose stainless steel, it offers good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and relatively good mechanical properties. It is non-magnetic and has good processing performance.
Applications: Widely applied in food processing (such as food storage tanks and processing equipment), medical equipment (like surgical instruments), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, handrails and decorative trim).
1.3 Stainless Steel
Characteristics: As a general-purpose stainless steel, it offers good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and relatively good mechanical properties. It is non-magnetic and has good processing performance.
Applications: Widely applied in food processing (such as food storage tanks and processing equipment), medical equipment (like surgical instruments), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, handrails and decorative trim).
Characteristics: Similar to the domestic 304 stainless steel, it has good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and processing performance. It is non-magnetic and has relatively good weldability.
Applications: Commonly used in food processing (such as food conveyor belts, storage tanks), medical equipment (like hospital sterilization equipment), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, decorative trim in public buildings).
CharacteristicsEquivalent to the domestic 316L stainless steel, with lower carbon content and higher molybdenum and nickel content compared to 1.4301 steel. It provides better corrosion resistance, especially in seawater and chemical environments, and has good weldability and machinability.
Applications: Mainly used in marine engineering equipment (such as seawater desalination equipment), chemical production equipment (for example, reaction vessels for storing strong acids and alkalis), and high-end building decoration in coastal areas (such as handrails and decorative trim on high-rise buildings near the sea).
Characteristics: With good corrosion resistance, weldability, and machinability, it can achieve high strength and good plasticity after appropriate heat treatment.
Applications: Widely used in the manufacture of aluminum alloy extrusions for architectural decoration, such as aluminum alloy profiles for curtain walls, door and window frames; also used in some high-strength structural parts that require light weight, like parts of aluminum alloy trusses in stage equipment.
EN AW-7020 Aluminum Alloy
2.2 Aluminum Alloys
Characteristics: This alloy has high strength and hardness, and good corrosion resistance. It is suitable for applications that require high strength-to-weight ratio but have certain requirements for formability.
Applications: Often used in the aerospace field for aircraft fuselage frames, wing ribs, etc.; also used to manufacture high-strength aluminum alloy wheels in the automotive industry.
Characteristics: Similar to the domestic 304 stainless steel, it has good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and processing performance. It is non-magnetic and has relatively good weldability.
Applications: Commonly used in food processing (such as food conveyor belts, storage tanks), medical equipment (like hospital sterilization equipment), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, decorative trim in public buildings).
CharacteristicsEquivalent to the domestic 316L stainless steel, with lower carbon content and higher molybdenum and nickel content compared to 1.4301 steel. It provides better corrosion resistance, especially in seawater and chemical environments, and has good weldability and machinability.
Applications: Mainly used in marine engineering equipment (such as seawater desalination equipment), chemical production equipment (for example, reaction vessels for storing strong acids and alkalis), and high-end building decoration in coastal areas (such as handrails and decorative trim on high-rise buildings near the sea).
Characteristics: One of the most commonly used structural steels in the United States, it has good mechanical properties and weldability. The price is relatively low, making it suitable for general building and engineering structures.
Applications: Widely used in the construction industry in the United States, such as steel frameworks for houses, bridge structures, highway culverts, and other infrastructure projects. It is also used to manufacture some ordinary machine parts and steel structure components.
3.1 Steel
Characteristics: As a high-strength low-alloy steel, it has higher strength compared to ASTM A36 steel while maintaining good toughness and weldability. It offers a good combination of strength and weight.
Applications: Commonly found in bridges (especially key parts of large bridges that require higher strength), high-rise building steel frameworks, vehicles (such as chassis of trucks and trailers), ships, and other fields where higher strength is required.
3. Commonly Used Materials (American Standards - ASTM)
Characteristics: Similar to the domestic 6061 aluminum alloy, it has good corrosion resistance, weldability, and machinability. After appropriate heat treatment, it can achieve high strength and good plasticity.
Applications: Widely used in architectural decoration in the United States, such as aluminum alloy doors and windows, curtain walls; also used in the manufacture of some mechanical parts that require light weight but certain strength, like heat sinks for electronic equipment and bicycle frames.
Characteristics:With good corrosion resistance and formability, it is particularly suitable for applications requiring complex shapes and high strength-to-weight ratio.
Applications: Often used in the aerospace industry for aircraft skins and structural components, as well as in the shipbuilding industry due to its excellent resistance to marine corrosion. It is also utilized in automotive manufacturing for parts like hoods and fenders where light weight is advantageous.
Applications:
Marine Equipment: Ideal for marine engineering equipment such as desalination plants, seawater pumps, and ship fittings due to its outstanding corrosion resistance in seawater environments. It can withstand the harsh conditions of saltwater exposure and marine atmospheres, ensuring long service life and reliability.
Chemical Processing Industry: Used in the construction of chemical reactors, storage tanks, piping systems, and valve components for handling a variety of chemicals, including strong acids and alkalis. Its corrosion resistance and ability to maintain mechanical integrity under chemical attack make it a preferred choice in this industry.
Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Industry: Employed in the production of medical instruments, surgical tools, and pharmaceutical processing equipment. Its corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and good mechanical properties make it suitable for applications where hygiene, precision, and reliability are critical.
Characteristics: Equivalent to the international 304 stainless steel, it has good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and relatively good mechanical properties. It is non-magnetic and has good processing performance.
Applications: Widely applied in food processing (such as food storage tanks and processing equipment), medical equipment (like surgical instruments), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, handrails and decorative trim). It is also commonly used in general industrial environments where corrosion resistance is required.
3.3 Stainless Steel
Characteristics: Similar to Type 304 but with the addition of molybdenum, which significantly enhances its corrosion resistance, especially in harsh environments. It is particularly resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion in seawater and chemical environments.
Applications:
marine engineering equipment (such as seawater desalination plants)chemical production equipment (for storing and handling strong acids and alkalis), and high-end building decoration in coastal areas (such as handrails and decorative trim on high-rise buildings near the sea). It is also prevalent in industries where hygiene and corrosion resistance are critical, such as pharmaceutical and food processing plants.
Excellent Strength and Hardness.
Good Toughness and Fatigue Resistance
Moderate Corrosion Resistance.
Characteristics:
Applications:
Automotive Industry: Widely used for manufacturing critical components such as crankshafts, connecting rods, tie rods, axles, and transmission parts. These components require high strength and durability to withstand the repetitive stresses and forces generated during vehicle operation.
Aerospace Industry: Employed in the production of landing gear components, aircraft structural parts, and other high - performance applications where a combination of strength, toughness, and reliability is crucial. For example, it is used in the manufacture of aircraft engine mounts and structural frames.
Industrial Machinery: Utilized for making heavy - duty machine elements like gears, shafts, spindles, and tool holders. Its ability to maintain shape and integrity under high loads and stresses makes it an ideal choice for industrial machinery that operates under continuous or heavy - duty cycles.
Characteristics: As a common structural steel in Japan, it has good mechanical properties and weldability. It offers a balance of strength and ductility, making it suitable for various general structural applications.
Applications: Widely used in building structures (such as steel frames for multi-story buildings), bridges, and general engineering construction. It is also employed in the manufacture of machinery parts, such as base plates for large machine tools.
4.1 Steel
Characteristics: This is a high-strength steel with better mechanical properties compared to SS400. It has higher yield strength and tensile strength, providing better load-bearing capacity.
Applications: Commonly found in bridges, high-rise building structures, and other infrastructure projects that require higher strength. It is also used in the construction of large
Characteristics: Pure aluminum with high plasticity and corrosion resistance. It has a relatively low strength but excellent workability, making it easy to process into various shapes.
Applications: Widely used in the manufacture of aluminum foil, packaging materials, chemical equipment (due to its resistance to chemical corrosion), and electrical conductors. It is also used in some architectural applications where formability is more important than strength, such as decorative trim and gutters.
4.2 Aluminium
Characteristics:Similar to the aluminum alloys mentioned in other standards, it has good corrosion resistance and formability. It offers a good combination of strength and plasticity, with higher strength compared to A1050 aluminum.
Applications: Used in architectural decoration (such as curtain wall panels and door and window frames), automotive manufacturing (for body panels and trim), shipbuilding (due to its good corrosion resistance), and general industrial applications where light weight and corrosion resistance are required.
Characteristics: Equivalent to the international 304 stainless steel, it has good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and relatively good mechanical properties. It is non-magnetic and has good processing performance.
Applications: Widely applied in food processing (such as storage tanks and processing equipment), medical equipment (like surgical instruments), chemical equipment, and building decoration (for example, handrails and decorative trim). It is also commonly used in general industrial environments where corrosion resistance is required.
4.3 Stainless Steel
Characteristics:Similar to SUS304 but with the addition of molybdenum, which significantly enhances its corrosion resistance, especially in harsh environments like seawater and chemical environments. It is particularly resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion.
Applications: Mainly used in marine engineering equipment (such as desalination plants), chemical production equipment (for handling strong acids and alkalis), and high-end building decoration in coastal areas (such as handrails and decorative trim on high-rise buildings near the sea). It is also prevalent in industries where hygiene and corrosion resistance are critical, such as pharmaceutical and food processing plants.
4. Commonly Used Materials (Japanese Standards - JIS)
Strength and Toughness: Depending on the application, the material must have sufficient strength to withstand applied loads without failure. For example, in structural applications, high-strength steel or aluminum alloys may be required. In applications where impact resistance is crucial, materials like nylon or ABS may be preferred.
Hardness: The hardness of the material determines its resistance to wear and deformation. Hard materials like some stainless steels or certain plastics (e.g., polycarbonate) are suitable for applications involving friction and wear, such as gears or bearing surfaces.
When selecting materials for specific applications, several factors need to be taken into account:?
Density: In applications where weight is a critical factor, such as aerospace or automotive industries, low-density materials like aluminum or certain plastics may be chosen to reduce overall weight.
Thermal Expansion: Materials expand or contract when exposed to temperature changes. In precision instruments or applications with tight tolerances, materials with low thermal expansion coefficients, such as certain ceramics or glass-reinforced plastics, may be preferred to ensure dimensional stability.
Machining Ease: Some materials are easier to machine than others. Aluminum, for instance, is relatively easy to machine compared to some high-strength steels. This can affect production costs and lead times.
Formability: The ability of a material to be formed into complex shapes is important in many manufacturing processes. Metals like aluminum and some stainless steels have good formability, while certain plastics can be easily molded or extruded into various shapes.
Corrosion Resistance: In environments where the material will be exposed to chemicals, moisture, or corrosive substances, it is essential to select a material with appropriate corrosion resistance. For example, stainless steels are commonly used in marine environments due to their excellent resistance to seawater corrosion.
Chemical Compatibility: When storing or handling specific chemicals, the material must be chemically compatible to avoid degradation or reactions. Plastics like PTFE (Teflon) are widely used in chemical processing equipment due to their excellent chemical resistance.
Material Cost: The cost of the raw material itself is a significant factor. Some materials, like titanium alloys, are much more expensive than others, such as carbon steel. The selection of the material should align with the budget and economic feasibility of the project.
Manufacturing Costs: Beyond the material cost, the manufacturing process can also add to the overall cost. Materials that require special processing or have high scrap rates can increase production expenses. It is essential to consider the total cost of the material from acquisition to finished product.
5. Material Selection Considerations
Expert Knowledge: Our team has extensive knowledge of materials across various standards, ensuring you receive the best recommendations.
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Choosing the right material is crucial for the success of any manufacturing project. By understanding the commonly used materials across different standards, you can make informed decisions that enhance product quality, performance, and compliance with industry standards.
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