Material Properties Comparison Chart for CNC Machining
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Understanding the Material Properties Chart
Material Properties Comparison Table
| Property | Hastelloy C-276 | Hastelloy C-22 | Inconel 625 | Inconel 718 | 316L Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNS Designation | N10276 | N06022 | N06625 | N07718 | S31603 |
| Primary Use | Chemical processing, aggressive corrosion | Superior oxidizing corrosion resistance | High temperature, seawater | Maximum strength/temperature | Food processing, sanitary |
| Corrosion Resistance | Excellent (reducing environments) | Excellent (oxidizing environments) | Very Good | Good | Good |
| Temperature Capability | -425°F to 2000°F | -425°F to 2000°F | -425°F to 2200°F | -425°F to 1800°F | -425°F to 900°F |
| Tensile Strength | 150 ksi (1030 MPa) | 170 ksi (1170 MPa) | 120 ksi (825 MPa) | 180 ksi (1240 MPa) | 88 ksi (620 MPa) |
| Yield Strength | 65 ksi (450 MPa) | 80 ksi (550 MPa) | 50 ksi (345 MPa) | 110 ksi (760 MPa) | 35 ksi (240 MPa) |
| Thermal Expansion | Higher—accounts for movement in hot service | Higher—similar to C-276 | Moderate—less growth than Hastelloy | Moderate | Lower than exotics |
| Machining Difficulty | Extreme (work hardening, tool wear) | Extreme (similar to C-276) | Challenging (but more machinable than C-276) | Extreme (hardness, heat generation) | Moderate (gums tools, work hardens) |
| Standard Tolerances | ±0.0005" (±0.0001" with EDM) | ±0.0005" (±0.0001" with EDM) | ±0.0005" (±0.0001" with EDM) | ±0.0005" (±0.0001" with EDM) | ±0.0005" (±0.0001" with EDM) |
| Surface Finish Quality | Excellent—mirror finishes achievable | Excellent—mirror finishes achievable | Excellent—mirror finishes achievable | Excellent—mirror finishes achievable | Excellent—mirror finishes (sanitary) achievable |
| Cost Relative to Steel | 8-12x base steel cost | 10-14x base steel cost | 6-9x base steel cost | 7-11x base steel cost | 2-4x base steel cost |
| Typical Lead Time | 3-6 weeks | 3-6 weeks | 2-4 weeks | 3-6 weeks | 1-3 weeks |
Material Selection by Application
Hastelloy Alloys: The Corrosion Specialists
Hastelloy C-276 machining services excel in reducing chemical environments—acids, phosphoric acid, chloride solutions, and other aggressive media that attack conventional stainless steels. This is the material choice when equipment handles nasty chemicals that require maximum corrosion protection.
Hastelloy C-22 properties provide superior performance in oxidizing environments. When your application involves acids mixed with oxidizing agents, or equipment that experiences both reducing and oxidizing conditions, C-22 delivers more balanced corrosion resistance than C-276.
Both Hastelloy grades work-harden aggressively during machining, requiring specialized cutting speeds and tool strategies. This is why 40 years of Hastelloy expertise matters—our team understands the material behavior that catches shops by surprise.
Best for: Chemical processing mixers, reactor components, plating equipment, aggressive fluid handling systems.
Inconel Alloys: The High-Temperature Champions
Inconel 625 Machining Services deliver excellent corrosion resistance while maintaining strength to 2200°F. It’s the workhorse of high-temperature applications—polymer compounding extruders, heat exchangers, and equipment handling extreme thermal cycling.
Inconel 718 for high-strength applications is your choice when you need maximum strength combined with temperature resistance. It’s stronger than 625 at temperature but machines harder and generates more heat during cutting.
Inconel requires careful speed control and frequent tool changes, but when precision and temperature matter, the investment is worth it.
Best for: Polymer extrusion barrels, compounding screw elements, high-temperature mixer shafts, thermal processing equipment.
316 Stainless Steel: The Food-Grade Solution
316L stainless steel offers excellent corrosion resistance for food and beverage processing while meeting FDA compliance requirements. It delivers that critical mirror finish food equipment demands without the extreme material cost of exotic alloys.
The trade-off: 316SS operates reliably only to about 900°F. For room-temperature or slightly elevated applications in food processing, it’s the right choice. For high-temperature polymer processing, you need Inconel.
Best for: Food extrusion screws, barrel inserts, dies, mixer bowls, sanitary equipment components, FDA-compliant machinery.
Other Specialty Materials
Monel machining services provide outstanding seawater corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity. Choose Monel when you need the specific properties of a nickel-copper alloy.
Tool Steel Machining (P20, D-2, H-13) combines strength with toughness for mold and die applications. These materials require different cutting strategies than exotic alloys but are essential for polymer processing tooling.
4140 Steel machining delivers high strength at lower material cost than exotic alloys. Use it for structural components where corrosion resistance and high temperature aren’t required.
Making Your Material Selection
Questions to Ask
What environment will this component face?
- Pure chemical exposure → Hastelloy C-276
- Mixed chemicals (reducing + oxidizing) → Hastelloy C-22
- High temperature (800°F+) → Inconel
- Food processing → 316 stainless steel
- Seawater/salt environments → Monel
What temperature range?
- Below 900°F → 316 stainless steel acceptable
- 900°F to 2000°F → Inconel required
- Extreme corrosion + temperature → Hastelloy + Inconel
What's your tolerance requirement?
- Standard machining (±0.005″) → Any alloy works
- Precision (±0.0005″) → All exotic metals workable
- Tight (±0.0001″) → EDM combined with exotic metals expertise required
What's the production context?
- Food extrusion → 316L stainless steel primary choice
- Polymer processing → Inconel primary choice
- Chemical mixing → Hastelloy primary choice
- Laboratory/testing → 316L with tight tolerances
Cost Considerations
Material cost is one factor, but don’t optimize for lowest material price at the expense of reliability. A $2,000 Hastelloy component that prevents a chemical leak is cheaper than a $1,000 stainless steel component that fails in the field.
Consider the total cost: material + machining + downtime if it fails. Our 40 years in exotic metals helps us recommend the material that delivers the right balance of cost and performance for your specific application.
Why Material Properties Matter More Than You Think
This is where 40 years of experience pays off. We know which materials work well together, how to achieve those tight tolerances in difficult alloys, and which material choices create reliability vs. which ones create headaches in production.
Need Help Selecting the Right Material?
If you’re uncertain which alloy fits your application, we’re here to help. Our material selection consulting service draws on 40 years of extrusion equipment and exotic metals expertise.
Provide us with:
- Application and environment (temperature, chemicals, food contact)
- Required tolerances
- Existing equipment specs (if replacing parts)
- Your design drawings or specifications
We’ll recommend the material that balances performance, cost, and manufacturability for your specific situation. Then we’ll machine it right.
Ready to Specify Your Material?
Submit your project specs:
Send us your engineering drawings, tolerance requirements, and application environment. We’ll verify material feasibility, estimate lead time, and provide a detailed quote.