The discovery of metal alloys has been responsible for major changes to modern civilization. From the Bronze Age to the Industrial Revolution, metal alloys have changed the face of the manufacturing industry. From cast-iron skillets to modern pacemakers, metal alloys are a part of our everyday life. In fact, stainless steel production alone increased by almost 25% last year.
But what exactly is an alloy? In this article, we’ll explore this question and what types of metal alloys exist today.
Mix and Melt
An alloy is a mixture of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal. The production of alloys is made by melting these elements together, such as copper and zinc to make brass. By melting and adding additional alloys, the characteristics of the element in question become enhanced. This helps make them better suited for whatever the task at hand is.
Alloys can be grouped according to their base metal such as aluminum, nickel, or iron alloys to name a few. They can also be further grouped as either iron or non-iron alloys.
There are many common types of alloys in use today such as stainless steel and bronze, with an almost endless amount of combinations available. Let’s explore a few of these metal alloy types and their uses.
Types of Metal Alloys
The best metal alloys enhance the properties of the metals and elements they get mixed with. For example, the aluminum alloy alnico is used during the production of magnets. Alnico is a combination of aluminum, copper, and nickel. Iron alloys such as steel are heavily used in many construction projects.
Additional examples include:
- Duralumin which is part of the aluminum alloy family
- Bronze which is part of the copper alloy family
- White gold which is part of the gold alloy family
- Stellite which is part of the cobalt alloy family
- Platinum sterling which is a part of the silver alloy family
Manufacturing
The process of alloying metals increases strength, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and more. Due to the benefits metal alloys provide, there are specific types of manufacturing that benefit highly from the use of metal alloys as opposed to pure metals. This includes industries from steel manufacturing to technology sectors.
When these two particular industries join forces, steel fabrication software is born.
Improved Technologies
The advent of metal alloys opened the door to the technological advances we see today. Yet, metal fabrication and distribution are made up of an enormous amount of moving parts. In a consumer-driven culture, responding to market changes and demand is of utmost importance.
When it comes to metal alloys as they relate to supply, manufacturing, and distribution, having proper software makes all the difference for a business. Things like rapid prototyping, supply chain information, and stock auditing are made easier with the correct software.
The Future of Alloy
Manufacturing and the use of metal alloys has come a long way, changing how we operate in the world. From the first Bronze Age discoveries to end-to-end software systems that track all items in a metal fabrication shop, the uses and types of metal alloys that exist today are endless.
For additional resources related to the above, feel free to use your very own metal alloyed computer to browse through any of our info-driven articles in the Tech section.