The Critical Application of Inconel for Aerospace Fasteners

What is Inconel?

Inconel is an austenitic nickel-chromium superalloy that stands out for its performance in demanding environments like aircraft exhaust systems and nuclear facilities.
Inconel exhibits an excellent balance of strength, toughness, corrosion resistance and high thermal stability, which make it particularly desirable material for aerospace fasteners.
As an alloy, Inconel is a mixture of several different kinds of metals. Different kinds of Inconel include different ingredients and are treated in different ways to alter their hardness, strength, ductility, etc. The most common kind of Inconel used in aerospace is Inconel 718 (UNS N07718).
Inconel 718 fasteners contain molybdenum, niobium, iron as well as smaller amounts of titanium and aluminum. These ingredients give Inconel 718 fasteners the exceptional properties – thermal stability and corrosion resistance – that Inconel is known for.

Benefits of Inconel Aerospace Fasteners

• Exceptional corrosion resistance
• Withstands temperatures as high as 1,600 °F.
• Tensile strength of 100,000 psi annealed, 125,000 psi when hard rolled, about twice as strong as Inconel 625
• Highly resistant to salt water
• Welds easily in either annealed or aged
• Can be worked with easily, similar to corrosion resistant steels

Inconel Aerospace Fasteners are used for:

• Gas turbine engines
• Aircraft exhaust systems
• Airframe parts
• Spacecraft
• Rocket motors
• Nuclear reactors, pumps and tooling