Elgiloy wire is a high-performance material widely regarded for its applications, particularly in manufacturing springs and wire form components. Dubbed a ‘super-alloy,’ Elgiloy is a type of stainless steel known for its unique mechanical and chemical properties. Consisting of cobalt, chromium, carbon, nickel, molybdenum, iron, and manganese, the alloy is noted for its resistance to corrosion and stress corrosion cracking and ability to withstand high temperatures. Readily worked and formed into various shapes without losing its desirable properties, Elgiloy is a common material used in spring applications by various industries, from aerospace and automotive to chemical processing and medical device manufacturing.
Mechanical and Chemical Properties
Elgiloy’s unique combination of mechanical and chemical properties makes it suitable for a wide range of demanding spring and wire form applications. Beginning with its excellent corrosion resistance, Elgiloy will perform exceptionally well in a range of oxidizing and reducing atmospheres and in harsh or acidic environments where other materials might corrode or degrade.
Its exceptional tensile strength makes it highly resistant to deformation under load, and its elasticity is beneficial for those applications that require repeated flexing or bending without permanent deformation. Elgiloy’s corrosion resistance and high tensile strength combine to make the material exceptionally resistant to stress corrosion cracking, a form of degradation that can occur in other materials under tensile stress in corrosive environments. This unique property ensures the material’s longevity and reliability under the most exacting conditions.
With a high melting point and excellent high-temperature strength, Elgiloy offers temperature stability that maintains its corrosion resistance at both high and low temperatures, making it suitable for use in extreme temperatures. Its low thermal expansion means the material does not expand much during such temperature changes. This property makes it an excellent choice for applications with critical dimensional stability.
Elgiloy is also regarded for its ability to endure cyclic stresses without significant degradation over time. Such fatigue and wear-resistant properties make it an ideal material choice where spring component applications are subject to high cyclic loading and unloading and exposed to constant wear and tear. In addition to its fatigue and wear resistance, Elgiloy is noted for its high strength-to-weight ratio, offering excellent strength and durability while being lightweight. This property makes it an excellent choice for spring applications where strength and weight reduction are essential, such as aerospace applications.
Elgiloy is essentially non-magnetic, too, which makes it suitable for use in applications where magnetic interference must be minimized, such as spring components necessary for certain electronic and medical devices. Another important property when considering Elgiloy is the material’s biocompatibility, which, combined with its non-magnetic properties, makes it ideal for spring components and wire form applications used in electronic medical devices and surgical implants in both the medical and dental fields.
Industrial Applications
Elgiloy’s unique combination of properties makes it ideal for numerous industrial applications. Elgiloy is used in aerospace components due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent fatigue resistance, high strength, resistance to corrosion and oxidation, and ability to withstand high temperatures. It is commonly found in turbine blades, fasteners, springs, and other wear-resistant parts and critical components in aircraft engines and structures.
Due to its excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation, Elgiloy is used in the chemical processing industry to manufacture equipment and parts such as heat exchangers, pumps, and valves that handle or are exposed to aggressive, corrosive chemicals and high-temperature processes.
Medical Industry
As mentioned above, the alloy’s biocompatible, non-magnetic properties, along with its resistance to corrosion and oxidation, make Elgiloy ideal for medical applications. The medical industry uses the material to manufacture medical devices such as surgical instruments, implants, orthodontic appliances, stents, and other medical-grade wire and spring components. Its ability to maintain strength and flexibility over time is another crucial factor for these applications.
Automotive Industry
In the automotive industry, Elgiloy manufactures various components such as engine parts, springs and suspension components, and other wear-resistant parts. Its high strength, resistance to corrosion and oxidation, and ability to withstand high temperatures make it an ideal material for high-performance automotive applications, like exhaust systems, turbocharger components, and fuel injection systems.
Fossil Fuel, Oil, and Gas
The fossil fuel and nuclear power generation industry relies on Elgiloy as a material in manufacturing components such as turbine blades, compressor blades, pumps, valves, fuel rod components, reactor vessel components, and other wear-resistant parts. Its high strength, resistance to corrosion and oxidation, stability, and ability to withstand high temperatures make it an ideal material for power generation applications.
Elgiloy is also a popular material used in the oil and gas industry on land or at sea to manufacture wellhead components, downhole tools, valves, and pressure control equipment. Its wear resistance, as well as its resistance to corrosion and oxidation, makes the material highly suitable for such applications. As hydrogen sulfide is a byproduct of oil and gas drilling and can be present in high concentrations in some reservoirs, many parts, components, casings, and offshore tools used for drilling operations are subjected to hydrogen embrittlement and sulfide stress cracking, causing premature failures. Elgiloy’s resistance to sulfide stress corrosion cracking makes it valuable in this sector. Its resistance to seawater corrosion makes it ideal for deep-sea drilling operations and other marine applications, including underwater equipment, fasteners, and springs used in marine environments.
Eligiloy: A High-Performance Alloy
Overall, Elgiloy is a high-performance alloy known for its excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and good mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. At James Spring & Wire Company, we can manufacture many types of custom springs and wire form components made from Elgiloy wire for a wide range of industries. We offer design assistance and expertise to ensure the success of your products. For more information on custom spring manufacturing, contact us today.
