MANUFACTURING MATERIALS

Material index

To help you understand the difference of the materials that our services offers, the tables below contains useful information for quick references, hint: use Ctrl + F to find what you are looking for quicker.

Metal

Types Application considerations
Aluminium Light weight, good mechanical, thermal and electrical conductivity
Wrought aluminium alloy
1000 Series (Pure)
1050 High electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and workability, usually formed by extrusion or rolling, commonly used in electrical and chemical industries
1060 Very similar to 1050 aluminium, 0.1% higher aluminium by weight than 1050
1100 Most heavily alloyed of the 1000 series aluminium. Mechanically strongest in the series, commonly used in rivets
2000 Series (+Cu)
2014 Easily machined and among the strongest available aluminium alloys, very poor corrosion resistance, difficult to weld. Often used in aerospace industry
2017 Higher ductility and formability than Aluminum 2014 and has intermediate strength
2024 High-strength to weight ratio, excellent fatigue resistance. Poor corrosion resistance, common for aerospace applications
2024 T3 T3 temper 2024 sheet
3000 Series (+Mn)
3003 General-purpose alloy with moderate strength and good workability and good corrosion resistance. Commonly rolled and extruded. Commonly used in sheet metal applications
5000 Series (+Mg)
5052 Strain hardening aluminum alloy with excellent corrosion resistance. Suitable for marine applications, can be welded
5052-H32 5052 in H32 temper medium to high strength alloy with a strength slightly higher than 5251 and a medium to high fatigue strength
5083 Strain hardening aluminum alloy with excellent corrosion resistance. Suitable for marine applications, can be welded. Not recommended for use in temperatures in excess of 65°C
5086 Can be readily welded and retain most of its mechanical strength, extremely popular in vessel gangways, building boat and yacht hulls
5251 Medium strength alloy possessing good ductility and good formability, often used in sheet metal applications
5754-H22 Excellent corrosion resistance especially to seawater and industrially polluted atmospheres. It has higher strength than 5251, highly suited for flooring applications
6000 Series (+Si+Mg)
6060 Medium strength, more closely related to 6063, but has slightly higher magnesium content. Commonly used in complex cross section extrusion and has very good anodizing response.
6061 T6 Most popular general-purpose aluminium alloy for many manufacturing methods, excellent machinability and great thermal conductivity, good weldability. Tempered grade T6
6063 Good mechanical properties and can be heat treated, suitable for aerospace applications, can be welded. Allows complex shapes to be formed with smooth surface fit for anodizing
6063 T6 T6 - solution heat treated then artificially aged of 6063
6082 Very similar to 6061, with slightly higher tensile strength, commonly used for machining, but not recommended for extrusion
6082 T6 T6 - solution heat treated then artificially aged of 6082
6262 Additions of bismuth to the alloy mean that 6262 has excellent machinability and surface finish
7000 Series (+Zn)
7050 Good ductility, high strength, toughness and good resistance to fatigue. High stress corrosion cracking resistance, known as a commercial aerospace alloy
7075 One of the most commonly used aluminium alloys for highly stressed structural applications and has been extensively utilized in aircraft structural parts.
7075 T6 T6 - solution heat treated then artificially aged of 7075
7108 High strength and good fatigue strength, but limited extrudability and formability. Susceptible to stress corrosion in areas with high stresses
Cast aluminium alloy
A357 Typically used in situations where high strength combined with high corrosion resistance and/or pressure tightness are required
A360 Excellent pressure tightness and fluidity, has a high silicon content and offers high corrosion resistance as well as high strength, even in elevated temperatures.
AlSi10Mg Widely used aluminium alloy for metal printing
AlSi7Mg Slightly less susceptibility to corrosion after low-temp heat treatment
LM2 (A383/ADC12) Slightly lower density to LM24, poor weldability / brazeability
LM24 (A380） Excellent combination of casting, mechanical and thermal properties, resistance to hot cracking
LM25 (A356） Good casting and machining characteristics. Excellent corrosion resistance and has very good weldability.
LM6 (A413) Marine grade, with higher corrosion resistance. Common choice for UK market where the end product will be exposed to outdoor environment
MIC6 Easily machined at high speed and is free from tension, contaminants and porosity.
Stainless Steel High strength, corrosion resistant
15-5 Martensitic and magnetic, increased toughness and better corrosion resistance than 17-4. Used in aerospace industry for fasteners and structural components
17-4 Martensitic and magnetic, precipitation hardening alloy with good corrosion resistance predecessor of 15-5
2205 Duplex Very high strength and hardness. Suitable for applications in severe environments up to 300°C.
301 Corrosion resistant similar to 304, with higher tensile strength than 304. Well suited for welding, forming and drawing. Commonly used for structural applications
302 Non-magnetic, superior corrosion resistance compared with 301. Higher carbon content than 304. Known for its ease of fabrication and formability, commonly used in the food industry.
303 Excellent toughness, but lower corrosion resistance than 304. Superior machinability thus great for high volume. Commonly used for fittings, gears, shafts, bushings, nuts and bolts
304 Lowest cost corrosion resistant option, excellent weldability and forming properties, reasonable machinability.
304L Lower carbon content, excellent mechanical properties and good machinability. Resistant to most environments and corrosive media. Extensively used in heavy gauge components
316 Similar mechanical properties to 304, with higher corrosion and chemical resistance.
316L Lower carbon content, good for welding. Commonly used in a lot of industries including chemical, pharmaceutical, medical food processing, marine and architectural applications
321 Excellent resistance to oxidation and chemical corrosion in elevated temperature environments up to 900℃. Not recommended for welding,
416 Highest machinability of all stainless steels, however with limited corrosion resistance, formability and weldability.
420 Martensitic and magnetic, good corrosion resistance with increased strength and hardness
430 Good corrosion resistance, formability and ductility. Magnetic in all conditions. Suited for chemical applications, popular for domestic appliances
440 C Highest hardness and wear resistance of any stainless steel once heat-treated. Particularly suited to applications such as valve parts and bearings
Mild Steel High machinability and weldability, high stiffness, poor corrosion resistance
1018 General-use alloy with excellent machinability, weldability, toughness, strength. Susceptible to corrosion. Considered the best steel for carburized parts
1045 Medium carbon steel with good weldability and machinability, high strength and good impact resistance. Susceptible to corrosion.
A36 Common structural steel with good weldability. Suitable for a variety of industrial applications. Susceptible to corrosion.
CR4 Cold reduced steel sheets, with a smoother surface and a fine finish. The material provides a great painting surface, typical use includes fuel tanks and tool boxes
S275 Structural grade steel, good machinability and can be welded, suitable for numerous engineering and structural applications
S355 Structural grade steel, higher strength than S275, used in the most demanding environments such as the offshore industry
Galvatite Galvatite is a range of hot-dip galvanised steel sheet and coil products, provide corrosion resistance properties without the cost of stainless steel
BS-1C22 Low carbon, relatively shock resistant steel used in forging process
BS-080M40 Medium carbon steel offering moderate tensile strengths, commonly used in forging process. Reduced weldability
BS-080A47 Carbon / manganese steel with better strength than 1020 mild steel, used in forging process
Alloy Steel
1215 Low carbon steel, good machinability with good surface finish and brazing properties, difficult to weld
4140 Low alloy steel, high fatigue strength, abrasion and impact resistance, toughness, and torsional strength.
4340 Low alloy steel, high toughness and strength in the heat-treated condition
4605 Low alloy steel, higher hardness and yield strength than 4140
Tool Steel High hardness and stiffness, abrasion resistant
A2 Air-hardened general purpose tool steel with good toughness and excellent dimensional stability. Not as wear resistant as D2, but has better machinability.
A3 Air-hardened general purpose tool steel with good toughness and excellent dimensional stability. Used for molding dies
D2 Very wear-resistant, retains its hardness to a temperature of 425 °C. Mild corrosion resistance, used for cutting tools and various blades
H13 DIN 1.2344 tool steel, standardised for hot working. Great heat and fatigue resistance and heavily used for die casting tools.
M2 High-speed steel, with well-balanced toughness, wear resistance and red hardness properties. Used in cutting tools such as drills and reamers
O1 Oil-hardened alloy with a high hardness up to 66 HRC. Used for industrial knives and cutting tools.
S7 Shocking resisting but have medium wear resistance. Can be used for both cold and hot working applications
MS1 Custom material developed for 3D printed plastic injection moulding tool / insert (close to H13)
CX Custom material developed for 3D printed Plastic injection moulding tool / insert (close to S136)
Maraging steel Superior strength and toughness without losing ductility
18Ni300 Ultra-high strength with good machinability
Brass (Copper-zinc alloy) Low friction, excellent electrical conductivity
C360 Superior machinability with good tensile strength and natural corrosion resistance. Ideal for parts that require low friction, good resistance to corrosion
C510 Good strength, formability and stress relaxation characteristics and solderability. Applications include electronic parts, springs, switches and contacts
C544 Phosphor bronze, superb spring qualities and high corrosion resistance, excellent formability, primarily used for electrical products
CZ112 (CW712R) Commonly referred to as naval brass due its corrosion resistance in seawater and other mildly aggressive environments. Excellent hot formability
CZ121 Alpha/beta alloy that is very well suited for machining, good strength and corrosion resistance, easily soldered or brazed
H59 (C280) Cheapest brass with high strength, high hardness, and poor plasticity. Ordinary corrosion resistance
H62 (C377) Good mechanical properties, good corrosion resistance and better plasticity in hot or cold condition
Copper alloy Excellent corrosion resistance, highest thermal conductivity
C101 99.9% copper, excellent thermal conductivity and high corrosion resistance and toughness.
C110 99.99% copper, highest thermal and electrical conductivity values, good corrosion resistance.
C172 Beryllium Copper, high formability with very high strength properties when aged
Pure copper Low in hardness, extremely ductile and highly malleable, typically used in 3D printing.
CuCrZr High strength, high thermal and electrical conductivity
CuSn10 High strength and springiness at an adequate conductivity, can be soldered, with good sliding properties
Superalloy High temperature performance, resistance to thermal creep deformation
Inconel 625 Austenitic nickel-base superalloy, medium strength, but better general corrosion resistance
Inconel 718 Austenitic nickel-base superalloy, high strength, 2x stronger than Inconel 625
Hastelloy X Good oxidation resistance, high-temperature strength and exceptional stress-corrosion resistance, for use in highly aggressive chemical environments at elevated temperatures
GH3536 Manufacture of aero-engine combustion chamber components and other high-temperature parts, 900 ℃ long-term use
Titanium Light weight, high tensile strength and toughness, excellent corrosion resistance and bio-compatibility
Titanium (Grade 1) Most ductile and softest titanium alloy, good solution for cold forming and corrosive environments
Titanium (Grade 2) Commercially pure titanium, highly corrosion resistant, excellent weldability
Titanium (Grade 5, TC4) Also known as Ti6Al4V. Most commonly used titanium alloy, significantly stronger than pure titanium, heat treatable
Titanium TC4 DT Based on Ti-6Al-4V-ELI (Grade 23) Medium strength, developed specifically for aircraft frame and joining parts. Higher tensile strength and fracture toughness than TC4, weldable
Titanium TA15 Enhanced mechanical property with ultrafine crystallites
Magnesium alloy Light weight (33% lighter than Aluminium), high strength-to-weight ratio, great damping capacity. More expensive than aluminium, and could bend easier under stress
AZ31B Good machinability, usually anodized to improve its corrosion resistance, available in different forms
AZ91D Most widely used magnesium die cast alloy and has an excellent combination of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance
Nickel alloy
INVAR (FeNi36) Very low coefficient of thermal expansion. Strong, tough and ductile, used where high dimensional stability is required. Magnetic
Monel Excellent mechanical properties at subzero temperatures, great resistant to corrosion
Zinc alloy More precise than aluminium, and allowing smaller draft angle, thinner wall section, smaller and longer cored holes. Lower casting cost. Not good for corrosive environment, not suitable for using in high or low temperature (below 0°C) environment
Zamak 2 Greatest strength of all Zamak, but more brittle and shrinks overtime, less elastic
Zamak 3 Long term dimensional stability
Zamak 4 Increased strength, hardness and corrosive resistance, but reduced ductility, less dimensional accuracy
Zamak 5 Increased ductility
Cobalt chrome alloy Resistant to corrosion and compatible with dental ceramic
CoCrMo Excellent mechanical properties and elevated temperature performance. Used in implants, turbomachinery, oil and gas industry
CoCrMoW Common in prosthetics dental structures, avoiding bimetallism and the corrosive effect in contact with saliva
CoCrW Better anti-corrosion properties than CoCrMo alloy for dental application
Tungsten alloy
W-25 (Tungsten Rhenium WRe) Ideal for high temperature structural components. Seen in joining, medical, aerospace, furnace, and heat treat industries

Plastic

Plastics Alternative name Description
ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Good mechanical properties, tough and resilient. Allows detailed mouldings, excellent impact resistance. Lego blocks are made of ABS.
CPVC Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride Significantly more flexible and can withstand higher temperatures than standard PVC
HDPE High Density Polyethylene High tensile strength with high density, moderately stiff. Extremely good resistance to many solvents. FDA compliant
LDPE Low Density Polyethylene Lower tensile strength than HDPE but higher resilience, lower density than HDPE
PA (Nylon) Polyamide, Nylon 6 / Nylon 12 Excellent mechanical properties, high toughness and hardness, good damping characteristics and shock resistance. Susceptible to moisture absorption
PBT Valox, Polybutylene Terepthalate Closely related to PET, commonly used as an insulator in the electrical and electronics industries
PC Polycarbonate High toughness, excellent impact strength and good machinability. Can be optically transparent. FDA compliant
PC-ABS Combing superior strength and heat resistance of PC and flexibility of ABS
PC-PBT Xenoy Good chemical resistance, great impact resistance at low temperatures, heat resistance, outstanding aesthetics and flow characteristics.
PEEK Polyether Ether Ketone High-performance thermoplastic, very high strength, thermal and chemical resistant over a very wide temperature range
PEI (Ultem) Polyetherimide Excellent thermal performance and high mechanical strength and stiffness. Naturally flame retardant, good resistance to acidic solutions and is capable of operating continuously in steam and hot water
PET Rynite, Polyethylene Terepthalate Excellent wear resistance, mechanical strength and stiffness, minimal moisture absorption, very high dimensional stability. Good creep resistance, FDA compliant
PLA Polylactic Acid Biodegradable, biocompatible and suitable for medical implants. Widely used plastic filament material in 3D printing.
PMMA (Acrylic) Polymethyl Methacrylate Transparent rigid plastic, unaffected by moisture, high strength-to-weight ratio. Often used as a substitute for glass.
POM-C (Acetal) Polyoxymethylene Copolymer High stiffness, low friction & excellent wear resistance, very low water absorption, higher chemical resistance and lower melting point than POM-H
POM-H (Acetal) Delrin, Polyoxymethylene Homopolymer High stiffness, low friction & excellent wear resistance, very low water absorption, commonly used for gears, bearings, pump components and snap fits
PP-C Polypropylene Copolymer Tough and rigid, harder and more heat resistant than PE. Tougher and more durable than PP-H, FDA compliant
PP-H Polypropylene Homopolymer Excellent chemical resistance and the ability to be joined and welded by heat fusion. Stronger and stiffer than PP-C
PPE-PS Noryl, Polystyrene Polyphenyl Ethers Low moisture absorption, excellent hydrolysis resistance, heat resistance, and dimensional stability
PPS Polyphenylene Sulfide High-performance thermoplastic, excellent chemical and corrosion resistant at elevated temperatures. The material made a metallic sound when struck
PPSU Polyphenylsulfone High glass transition temperature and low moisture absorption, better impact strength and chemical resistance than PSU and PES from the polysulfone group
PS Polystyrene (General Purpose GPPS) One of the most widely used plastics. Clear, hard, and rather brittle, inexpensive. Well suited for extrusion, moulding and vacuum forming
PSU Udel, Polysulfone Rigid, high-strength and transparent, high dimensional stability. Higher heat resistance and better hydrolytic stability than PC
PTFE (Teflon) Polytetrafluoroethylene Exceptional resistance to a wide variety of chemicals, excellent thermal resistance and the lowest coefficient of friction of any know solid.
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride Good mechanical properties, excellent chemical and weather resistance and good toughness.
TOPAS COC-6017 Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Exceptional optical properties, glass-like. Low moisture absorption rate compared to PMMA and PC. Halogen-free and BPA-free
TOPAS COC-8007 Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Exceptional optical properties, glass-like. Low moisture absorption rate compared to PMMA and PC. Halogen-free and BPA-free
UHMW / UHMWPE Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene Self-lubricating, shatter resistant, long-wearing, abrasion and corrosion resistant, has the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic. FDA compliant

Elastomer

Elastomer Alternative name Description
TPC-ET Hytrel Polyester Elastomer Excellent (low temperature) flexibility and flex fatigue along with good resistance to weathering, chemicals, wear and heat which are far better than those of conventional rubber. 
TPE Santoprene, thermoplastic elastomer Ability to stretch to moderate elongations and return to its near original shape creating a longer life and better physical range than other materials
TPU Thermoplastic Polyurethane High abrasion resistance, low-temperature performance, high shear strength & elasticity, oil and grease resistance, can be transparent
TPV Thermoplastic Elastomer Vulcanized Closest in elastomeric properties to EPDM thermoset rubber, coupled with aging performance and chemical resistance.
Fluorosilicone Combines the good high and low temperature stability of Silicones with the fuel, oil, and solvent resistance of Fluorocarbons.
Medical Grade LSR Biocompatible and non toxic, withstands common sterilization methods, inherently flame retardant
SILASTIC Flexible, inert silicone elastomer developed by Dow Corning
ELASTOSIL Silicone rubber developed by Wacker Chemie 

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