Monel®: the nickel-copper alloy with excellent corrosion resistance

At CanForge, we produce forgings for the most demanding and sophisticated industries. From jet engines to land-based turbines, our high-quality forgings optimize superior materials that can withstand the toughest conditions.

One of the superior materials we utilize at Canada Forgings Inc is Monel®.

Monel® is a trademarked group of nickel-copper alloys known for their outstanding corrosion resistance and flexibility.

In today’s blog, we’ll explore what makes Monel® a top choice for many of our forgings. Monel®: the nickel-copper alloy with excellent corrosion resistance

What is Monel®

In 1901, Robert Crooks Stanley invented the first Monel alloy by combining nickel and copper. Since then, it has been used in a wide variety of industries including marine and aerospace.

Monel® is identified as a superalloy, which means it’s capable of providing strength, toughness and durability at high temperatures. It’s also a ‘puritan alloy’, meaning it contains roughly the same nickel/copper ratio as found in natural nickel ore from the Sudbury Mines of Ontario.

There are six different types of Monel®, all of which contain a large percentage of nickel (up to 67 percent) and copper (up to 29 percent), as well as small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and/or silicon.

The superalloy is resistant to corrosion and hardenable by heat treatment and given its strong mechanical properties, it can be used in a variety of atmospheres, from sub-zero temperatures to nearly 100 ºF.

Applications

Monel® forgings are created for a wide variety of applications in the following industries:

Shipbuilding

CanForge provides the forgings ships need when they’re in drydock and need to return to work quickly. Monel® is used for many of these forged parts given its ability to withstand a variety of corrosive media such as seawater, strong alkali, phosphoric acid, etc.

In particular, Monel® 400 is often used because it demonstrates excellent resistance to corrosion from seawater and to stress-corrosion cracking.

Some of the forgings that CanForge supplies this market include the following:

Shaft Couplings
Various types of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Marine Shafts
ABS Gear Blanks
Rudder Stock

Aerospace

The aerospace industry relies on high-performance materials that can withstand heat and pressure, and Monel® does just that!

Its ability to retain its shape and strength, as well as its resistance to various types of corrosion, make it highly suitable for this industry.

Monel® K500, the precipitation-strengthened version of Monel® 400, is built for high-pressure environments and offers the increased strength and toughness these forgings need to survive in this taxing industry.

CanForge supplies forgings for:

Shafts
Gear Blanks
Shrouds
Stator cases
Turbine Disks
Bearing Housings
Tail Hooks

Oil and Gas

Selecting the right material for forged machinery used in the oil and gas industry is incredibly important as they’re known to go through some of the harshest and most demanding environments. Monel® checks all the boxes - it’s strong and can resist many different types of corrosion and cavitation.

There are two different types of Monel® that are used in the oil and gas industry: Monel® 400 and Monel® K500. Both are highly favoured for their strength and excellent corrosion resistance. However, Monel® K500 offers a bit more strength than its counterpart as it includes specific quantities of titanium and aluminum, which allow for a material that is even stronger and tougher than the original alloy.

Some of the many forgings that CanForge supplies include:

Shafts, steps, and flanged
Check valves
Pump blocks
Stabilizers
Hollow bars, tubing, and pipe

***

CanForge offers forged metal in several types of Monel®. These forgings demonstrate our commitment to providing reliable, high-quality components for key markets across the US and Canada.

Blog