Materials database

Heat-resistant austenitic stainless steel with 25% chromium and 21% nickel. Maximum continuous service temperature up to 1050°C in oxidizing atmospheres. Standard material for furnace construction, heat treatment baskets and fixtures, radiant tubes, muffles, and high-temperature chemical processing. Good resistance to sulfur-containing atmospheres. Equivalent to AISI 310S.

THE free-cutting austenitic stainless — AISI 303. Sulfur 0.15-0.35% for short-breaking chips and excellent machinability. Not weldable (hot cracking risk from S). Reduced corrosion resistance vs 304 due to sulfide inclusions. Used for high-volume CNC screw machine production of fittings, shafts, bushings, valves, and any turned stainless part where machining cost dominates.

High-carbon martensitic stainless steel — 0.9% C + 18% Cr. Achieves HRC 58-60 after hardening — among the hardest stainless steels. Better corrosion resistance than 440C (1.4125) due to higher Cr (17-19% vs 16-18%). THE premium European cutlery/surgical instrument stainless. Used for kitchen knives, surgical scalpels, razor blades, ball bearings in corrosive environments, and valve seats.

Hypereutectic zinc-aluminum alloy with 11% Al and 1% Cu. Bridges the gap between Zamak alloys and ZA-27 with good castability in both gravity and pressure die casting (cold chamber). Higher strength and better bearing/wear properties than Zamak 3/5, with good machinability from continuous cast bar stock. Density 6.03 g/cm³. Used for bearings, bushings, wear-resistant components, hydraulic fittings, and general engineering castings. Can be chrome plated with modified processes.

The strongest and lightest zinc casting alloy with 27% Al and 2.2% Cu. Highest strength (UTS ~425 MPa, YS ~380 MPa), highest melting point, and lowest density (5.0 g/cm³) of all zinc alloys. Cold chamber die casting only. Cannot be chrome plated. Excellent bearing properties and wear resistance. Used for high-strength structural castings, gear blanks, bearing housings, cam followers, and components replacing bronze or cast iron at lower cost. Also available as continuous cast bar for machining.

The world's most widely used zinc die casting alloy — nearly 70% of all zinc die castings in North America. 4% Al provides excellent castability, dimensional stability, and surface finish. No copper addition gives best long-term dimensional stability and ductility. Superb plating, painting, and chromating characteristics. Used for automotive hardware, door handles, zippers, toys, electrical components, decorative fittings, and consumer goods. The benchmark zinc alloy. Also known as ASTM AG40A, EN ZnAl4.

Copper-containing zinc die casting alloy with higher strength and creep resistance than Zamak 3. The 1% Cu addition improves hardness and wear resistance at the expense of some long-term dimensional stability. Preferred in Europe over Zamak 3. Used for automotive die castings, lock housings, power tool components, industrial hardware, and applications requiring higher creep resistance under sustained load. Also known as ASTM AC41A, EN ZnAl4Cu1.