Specific industries, including aerospace, have stringent requirements regarding material usage, so much so that specialty alloys often need to be requested. The alloys used in aerospace applications typically need some combination of corrosion resistance, wear resistance, hardness, and strength. As expected from aerospace applications, they must also be more stable and behave more predictably.
Aerospace manufacturers must pay close attention not only to material composition requirements outlined by AMS but also to processing, heat treatment, and traceability standards.
If you’re sourcing specialty alloys for an aerospace application, we recommend the following strategy:
As you already know, there are many AMS specifications, so the requirements for specialty alloys must be determined before evaluating potential suppliers.
The design will usually dictate primary requirements, such as tensile strength, density, specific strength, and hardness, but there are often other needs, too, including:
In our experience, most customers already have their specifications and requirements ready. However, if you aren’t sure, plan to share details of the intended usage, including information on factors like expected temperature ranges, finished sizes, quantity, cycling loads, and other metals the alloy will be in contact with. When you have this information, we may be able to point you to alloy specifications you can investigate based on our previous experience and alloy knowledge.
If you need materials, there are many distributors to choose from, and that can quickly become overwhelming.
It’s easy to pick the first one you see, but don’t do that. Take the time to do your research. Most of the materials you’ll receive from any supplier will be of high quality. If not, that supplier will quickly earn a bad reputation. However, outside of material quality, there are other deciding factors you should consider, including:
Certifications verify the alloy you’re buying actually meets the specific standard. However, certifications take many forms, so it’s important to check what’s covered.
It may be important that your certification requirements include full traceability originating from the production mill.
Additionally, alloys for aerospace and military/defense applications may need to be DFARS-compliant, with the exception of some non-critical applications. This ensures the mill is in an allied nation, but it may not be domestic.
It’s easy to supply materials, but having the right expertise can lead to cost savings. For example, you might have a design that you think requires a more expensive alloy, but the right expert could offer a suggestion for a solution that still meets your requirements while helping you save money.
While most suppliers can offer similar material quality, where they differ is in their inventory management, shipping, and pricing.
When you’re vetting distributors, ask what inventory of alloys they carry and in what forms.
Closely linked to inventory and delivery, consider where the distributor is based and how quickly they can get materials to you. For example, Source One Metals may be able to offer same-day local delivery if you have an urgent need. For those outside of our local service area of about a 100-mile radius, we work with proven Less Than Truckload (LTL) operations. In most cases, our delivery times are between 1 and 2 days. Of course, lead times will vary based on the material you need.
It’s often helpful to have material cut to size before delivery because it saves an internal operation and can simplify handling and storage. Source One Metals offers cutting services from low to high volume.
While also important, price may be used as a tiebreaker, but there’s no benefit in buying the least expensive material if it arrives late or fails to meet the demands of the application!
Alloy quality and conformance to specifications are addressed through Mill Test Certificates (sometimes also called Mill Test Reports). These paper reports detail the material and its origin.
Mill Test Certificates can vary considerably in the detail provided. Some mills only verify conformance to the specification, while others provide more detailed information. Some alloys come with long testing reports providing comprehensive information.
Source One Metals is dedicated to meeting the needs of demanding customers in a range of industries, including aerospace. We have decades of experience supplying specialty non-ferrous metals, and provide mill certifications with every order with very few exceptions.
To further ensure traceability, we keep electronic and paper copies of all mill certifications and use an ISO 9001:2015-compliant quality management system that traces the material back to the mill, even if it is pulled off the shelf to be cut and retagged. In addition, we also provide saw cutting as an added in-house service, and can handle small, medium, and large-volume cutting orders.
Visit our website to learn more about our specialty alloys, or contact us today to speak with one of our experts.
With decades of experience and strong mill relationships, we’re more than just a distributor—we’re your trusted partner. Let us help you find what others can’t.
