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Common Applications for Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloy Pump Shafts
A pump shaft transmits motion and torque when rotated. Pump shafts can vary in shape depending on the intended pump application, but most designs are supported by stabilizer bearings and bushings. Pump shafts require an extremely high degree of precision to function properly and must be able to endure significant strain. Pump shaft quality (PSQ) bars are stainless steel or nickel alloy bars that have been processed specifically to withstand the rigors and meet the accuracy requirements of pump applications. They are turned, ground, and polished to limit shaft wear and extend service life and resist failure, mitigating the risk of unexpected downtime. Ultimately, PSQ bars are processed to a higher standard than conventional bars. Considerations for pump shaft quality stainless steel bars include: Vibration. When a shaft spins at high speeds, vibrations within the pumping equipment can cause damage. To minimize vibrations, pump shaft quality stainless steel requires exceedingly high degrees of straightness. Strength. Pump shafts endure heavy loads and high speeds, which put enormous stress on the material. Pump shaft quality bars must withstand heavier loads than regular stainless steel bars. Diamete Outer diameter tolerances for pump shaft quality steel bars adhere to extremely strict tolerance requirements. The shaft must perfectly fit the equipment for which it was designed to prevent damage to machinery and components. Shipping. Because of the demands placed on pump shafts and the precision engineering required to manufacture them, they must be well protected during the shipping process to maintain their precision tolerances. Various packing methods, such as cardboard tubing and wooden boxes, are used to ensure that shafts arrive at their destination in perfect condition. Pump Shafts Quality Steel vs. Regular Stainless Steel At Continental Steel, we offer our customers a wide selection of stainless steel or nickel alloy bars fabricated to pump shaft quality standards to meet the specifications of any application. We carry PSQ bars in a range of standard lengths and diameters, including non-standard shaft sizes. Stainless steel and nickel alloy PSQ bars also have anti-corrosive properties that help protect the shaft when exposed to environmental factors that may affect the shaft's operation. Resistance to acids and other corrosive factors is critical for maintaining the symmetry of the rotating pump shaft. At Continental Steel, we offer various grades of stainless steel and manufacture pump shafts with the finish and specifications required for your unique application. Our team of experts will consult with you to determine your needs and provide a pump shaft quality stainless steel bar that can meet the demands of your application. We carry the following grades: UNS N05500 / Nickel Alloy 500 UNS N08020 / Alloy 20 UNS S17400 / 17-4 H1150 UNS S20910 / XM-19 High Strength UNS S30300 / 303 BQ UNS S30400 / 304 BQ UNS S31600 / 316 UNS S41000 / 410 UNS S41600 / 416 Heat Treat 2205 Duplex Super Duplex 2507 Applications for Pump Shafts Quality Bars PSQ stainless steel and nickel alloy bars are used to create critical components of machinery used in many industries. Mining Machinery and equipment used in the mining industry must perform and operate under extremely harsh and demanding conditions. Many mining pump applications, such as dewatering, water transfer, and water supply, operate under harsh conditions and run continuously for years. Mining pump equipment relies on pump shaft quality steel to ensure reliable operation, even under extreme conditions. Industrial Pumps Many industrial applications require the movement of fluid from one location to another. Industrial pumps come in many shapes, sizes, and configurations and are used to pump solids, waste, process materials, debris, and chemicals in various industrial applications. It’s essential that pump components can tolerate exposure to harsh fluids and withstand the strain of extended operation. Rotating Equipment Rotating equipment uses kinetic energy to move fluids, gases, and other process materials. Rotating equipment plays a crucial role in many industries and includes mechanical components such as gas compressors, turbines, pumps, fans, blowers, and gearboxes. PSQ bars make ideal shafts for many different types of rotating equipment. Contact Continental Steel for Your PSQs Today At Continental Steel, we have over 35 years of experience providing the highest quality stainless steel and nickel alloy bars for pump shaft quality applications. We’ve built a reputation as one of the world's leading suppliers and distributors of quality metals. Working with us ensures quick responses, unsurpassed quality, competitive pricing, reliable deliveries, and an exhaustive inventory. To learn more about our selection of stainless steel and nickel alloy pump shaft quality bars and how they can improve the function and longevity of your machinery, contact us, or request a quote today.
Understanding Nickel Alloys – Monel® and Hastelloy®
A Guide to Understanding Nickel Nickel is one of the leading options for applications that necessitate high strength, corrosion-resistant materials. Its strength and versatility make this material an appealing choice in the engineering, energy, and plumbing industries. It has a melting point of 1453° C, is magnetic, and is highly ductile on its own. However, one of nickel’s biggest advantages is its ability to merge with other materials to create nickel alloys. The unique properties of nickel mean that manufacturers can optimize nickel alloys to deliver more desirable features. Industrial applications, for example, will commonly utilize nickel alloys to create tougher, more corrosion-resistant equipment that performs well at both high and low temperatures. As nickel alloys often perform well at temperatures of up to 1000° C, they are particularly suited for harsh, demanding environments. There are approximately 3,000 different nickel alloys currently in use across a diverse range of industries. Stainless steel is one popular option, making up approximately two-thirds of nickel alloy production. Other common nickel alloys include Monel® and Hastelloy®. To create alloys, nickel is most commonly combined with: Aluminum Chromium Copper Iron Titanium The strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance of nickel alloys mean that they can be found in many types of products and equipment, including: Aircraft and power turbines Building materials Cell phones Aircraft Food preparation equipment Laboratory equipment Medical equipment Nuclear power systems Pharmaceuticals Transportation What Is Monel®? Monel® is a trademarked name that refers to copper-nickel alloys. There are a number of different types of Monel®, each with its own advantages. This alloy is much stronger than nickel alone, highly resistant to corrosion, and highly weldable. Each of the five major types of Monel® is optimized for different applications, making this a versatile alloy that provides benefits to a number of different industries. Some properties and common usages of Monel® include: Monel® Alloy 400: With a wide temperature range and excellent corrosion resistance, Monel Alloy 400 is well suited for a diverse range of applications, from gasoline tanks to electronic components. Monel® Alloy K-500:Exhibits low permeability with high strength and corrosion resistance, making it a popular choice for equipment such as marine propeller shafts, scrapers, and oil well tools. Monel® Alloy K-500 Rev E:Produced to conform to the QQN 286 Form 1 spec, Revision E is best suited to provide corrosion resistance in sour gas environments. Monel® Alloy K-500 Rev F:Designed for components that must be solution annealed at 2050°F because of the presence of titanium carbide Revision F conforms to the QQN 286 Form 2 spec. Monel® Alloy K-500 Rev G:Produced to pass the slow strain rate tensile test and conform to QQN 286 Form 2, Revision G is best suited for applications where susceptibility to intergranular cracking is not an option. Monel® Alloy R-405:Commonly found in fasteners, screw-machine products, and valve parts. What Is Hastelloy®? Hastelloy® is a superalloy, meaning that it has higher strength than standard alloy materials. It is primarily composed of nickel and molybdenum and comes in several grades, the most popular being Hastelloy® C-276, Hastelloy® C22 and Hastelloy® X. Hastelloy® C-276: Low carbon and silicon contents help to reduce concerns about welding with C-276. Hastelloy® C22: Higher chromium content allows C22 to provide exceptional resistance to chloride-induced pitting. Hastelloy® X: Provides excellent fabricability while maintaining strength at high-temperatures, ideal resistances to stress-corrosion cracking in petrochemical applications. While each grade has its own advantages, they all exhibit exemplary levels of corrosion resistance. Other notable properties of Hastelloy® include: Oxidant resistance High ductility Strength at high temperatures Hastelloy® is simple to fabricate and has both forging and cold working capabilities. Its low carbon content contributes to this superalloy’s corrosion resistance in welded products, as this minimizes carbide precipitation during the welding process. Its many strengths mean that Hastelloy® is an excellent option for harsh environments that are likely to create high levels of corrosion and oxidization. In particular, it can withstand corrosion from: Chlorine Acetic acid Ferric chlorides Seawater Acetic anhydride This superalloy is also a popular choice for piping material in the chemical processing and petrochemical industries, and can commonly be found in pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and nuclear reactors. Contact Continental Steel for Any Nickel, Monel®, or Hastelloy® Projects Nickel and its many alloys provide a wide array of benefits to projects spanning multiple industries. At Continental Steel, we provide high-performance materials optimized to your unique specifications. To learn more about the solutions we offer or to work with us on your next project, contact us today. Monel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Hastelloy® is a registered trademark of Haynes International
A Guide to Understanding Marine Grade Aluminum
The corrosive nature of water and saltwater dictates the use of special materials for shipbuilding, off-shore drilling platforms, and more. Due to its many beneficial properties, marine-grade aluminum is eminently suitable for building seafaring vessels and structures, as well as the machinery and components used within them. What is Marine-Grade Aluminum? Even though pure aluminum has a high natural resistance to corrosion compared to many other metals, the constant exposure to water and moisture in marine applications warrants additional protection. When alloyed with other metals like magnesium, aluminum develops an even higher level of corrosion resistance that can tolerate constant contact with water and saltwater. These specially treated aluminum alloys are known as marine-grade aluminum. What are the Benefits of Using Aluminum in Marine Applications? Marine-grade aluminum is specifically developed to make it ideal for use in marine environments. As such, it possesses a number of properties required in these applications. Some of these properties include: Superior corrosion resistance Lightweight with a high strength-to-weight ratio Compatibility with a variety of fabrication processes Wide availability in sheets, extrusions, and plates Properties of Aluminum for Marine Applications There are many grades of marine aluminum, each differing slightly in its properties due to the alloy materials that are included. Continental Steel supplies several grades of marine aluminum in a variety of stock forms, including plate, sheet, coil, pipe, tube, bars, and extrusions We can also provide them with varying degrees of temper. The grades we can provide include: 5083. 5083 marine-grade aluminum is ideal for applications that need superlative corrosion resistance in hostile environments. 5083 is the strongest non-heat treatable aluminum alloy and maintains its strength even after welding. 5086. This alloy is highly conductive with superior corrosion resistance. 5086 can be strengthened through strain hardening and cold working until it is even stronger than in 5083. Though compatible with multiple welding methods, electric arc welding is preferred for this alloy. 5454. The beneficial properties of 5454 include high strength, superior corrosion resistance, and good formability and weldability. 5456. Widely used for structural applications, 5456 is well-suited to the extrusion process. It is also amenable to forming operations like rolling and forging. 5456 can be made stronger through cold working, but the process reduces its ductility. 5754. Its superior resistance to corrosion makes 5754 very suitable for the marine industry and other industrial applications possessing corrosive operating environments. It is also suitable for flooring applications due to its high strength. Aluminum Products for Marine Applications Marine aluminum is used to make a wide variety of marine products. Two of these include honeycomb panels and metal powder. Honeycomb panels are composite products inspired by the structure of honeycombs in bee colonies. A honeycomb panel consists of a core layer of hexagonal honeycomb fabricated with aluminum. The core is sandwiched between two aluminum plates glued to either side. This structure can be fabricated with various thicknesses. Honeycomb panels have the following beneficial properties: Low weight High rigidity, strength, and vibration damping High resistance to impacts Good insulation from heat and sound Good pliability Since the honeycomb panel requires a smaller quantity of aluminum than a solid sheet of comparable mechanical properties and thickness, it is more cost-effective than aluminum panels. It’s lighter weight also saves on shipping costs for bulk orders. Like all aluminum, honeycomb panels can be infinitely recycled. Aluminum metal powders are used in a variety of industries, including the marine industry. These fine particles of aluminum are used in many manufacturing techniques, such as aluminum injection molding, surface coating, and additive manufacturing. Marine Grade Aluminum From Continental Steel Continental Steel is an ISO 9001:2015-certified supplier and distributor of high-quality specialty metals, including marine aluminum. We provide these value-added services for all grades of aluminum to facilitate one-stop shopping for our customers: Anodizing Chemical milling Deep hole drilling Grinding Perforating Polishing Rigidizing Trepanning Please contact us or request a quote for more information about our marine-grade aluminum supply and capabilities.
