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Alloy family

Inconel

Nickel-chromium superalloys. Materials that keep their strength above 1000 °C.

When Inconel is needed

Inconel is the brand name for a family of nickel-chromium superalloys. One property makes it indispensable: it does not lose strength when hot.

Stainless steel begins to scale and weaken around 600 °C. Inconel keeps working above 1000 °C. The chromium oxide layer on its surface is self-renewing, so it survives repeated heating and cooling cycles.

Its second property is corrosion resistance. Grades such as 625 withstand high temperature, seawater and acid at the same time — a combination stainless steel cannot offer.

Which grade where

Inconel 600 is the oldest and most general-purpose member. Heat treatment furnaces, heat exchanger tubes, chemical process equipment. Weak in sulphur-bearing environments.

Inconel 601 adds aluminium for better oxidation resistance. Burner components, radiant tubes, flue gas ducts. The first grade to consider when 600 is not enough.

Inconel 617 adds cobalt and molybdenum and has among the highest creep strength in the family. Load-bearing parts above 1000 °C, gas turbine components, advanced power plants.

Inconel 625 is the most widely used grade. Niobium gives it high strength without heat treatment. Seawater, sour gas lines, exhaust bellows, chemical process. Covered by NACE MR0175, which makes it standard in oil and gas projects.

Inconel 718 reaches very high strength through precipitation hardening — over 1200 MPa after ageing, held up to 700 °C. Aerospace engine components, turbine discs, fasteners, wellhead equipment. This is the grade that takes over where titanium Grade 5 runs out of temperature.

Inconel X-750 for springs, clamps and parts needing elasticity at temperature.

Where it stops making sense. Inconel is expensive and heavy — 625 has a density of 8.44 g/cm³. It is difficult to machine and tool life suffers. Below 600 °C, in a moderately aggressive environment, 310S or 2507 may be a far more economical answer. We will say so at the quotation stage.

Forms and specifications

Sheet and plate, welded and seamless tube, bar and shaft, flanges, fittings, welding wire.

GradeW.NrUNSCommonly requested standards
Inconel 6002.4816N06600ASTM B168 (sheet), B166 (bar), B167 (tube)
Inconel 6012.4851N06601ASTM B168, B166
Inconel 6172.4663N06617ASTM B168, B166, AMS 5887
Inconel 6252.4856N06625ASTM B443, B446, B444, NACE MR0175
Inconel 7182.4668N07718AMS 5596, AMS 5662/5663, ASTM B637
Inconel X-7502.4669N07750AMS 5542, AMS 5598

For 718, state the heat treatment condition as well: annealed, or solution treated and aged.

Request a quote for this alloy

Send the grade, form, dimensions and quantity. Add the specification if one applies. We will come back with availability, price and lead time.

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