High Carbon Spring Steel
Sae 1070-1090 high carbon blue tempered and polished spring steel is a standard material for
conventional springs. It is the lowest cost material and best suited for applications that have a protected environment, as carbon steel corrodes if not lubricated or atmospherically sealed. Additional corrosion protection can be added with a special finish. Products are supplied with an oil dip finish providing adequate protection for shipment and shelf storage. Carbon steel is highly magnetic and is typically blue in color.
Stainless Steel Type 301
Stainless Steel 301 is capable of attaining high tensile strength and ductility by cold working. It is not hardenable by heat treatment. Type 301 is essentially nonmagnetic in the annealed condition and becomes magnetic with cold deformation.
Inconel X-750
This- nickel-chromium alloy is used most commonly in high temperature and corrosive environments. Two tempers exist, the most common Inconel X-750 is precipitation heat treated to a spring temper condition. In this state, it has temperature resistance to 700o F. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) approves this hard temper to Specification MR-01-75 (RC 50 Maximum) for spiral retaining rings and wave/ compression springs. #1 temper has a lower tensile strength but provides temperature protection to 1000o F. Both spring temper and #1 temper may be heat treated in either an open air or atmosphere controlled furnace. Open air heat treatment may produce oxidation which often results in a black ash residue. An atmosphere controlled environment eliminates oxidation and produces a component with no residue. Rings and springs manufactured from Inconel have a blue/silver-gray color and exhibit no magnetism.
Elgiloy
Elgiloy is known for its excellent resistance to corrosive environments, elevated temperature resistance and high strength. Elgiloy exhibits no-magnetism and is blue/brown in color as a result of heat treatment. Elgiloy offers a good solution accompanied by mechanical properties similar to high carbon spring steel (music wire). The mechanical properties are often superior to stainless steel and other nickel alloys. The supplier has also made arguments that in some (medical) applications, Elgiloy can be used in lieu of titanum and offers several advantages versus titanuim.
Learn more about the Hunter Spring range of springs and spring reels here.