Year: 2016

Liquid metal’s low melting point

Fusible alloys’ low melting point makes them useful in a wide variety of applications The melting point of aluminum is 1,220 degrees Fahrenheit. Carbon steel melts somewhere between 2,600 and 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature needs to rise all the way up to 6,150 degrees Fahrenheit to melt tungsten. Specialized furnaces are needed to…

The Basics of Bismuth

This white element is an essential part of many alloys Purple-Silver, crystalline Bismuth has been in use since the early days of alloying, although during those times, it was often mistaken for Lead. It’s the most naturally diamagnetic element, which means it repels both north and south, and it has one of the lowest values…

Smooth operation

Choosing the right Babbitt alloy helps to increase a bearing’s useful life Reliable machine operation depends on a properly working bearing assembly. If there is a failure within the bearing, such as a decrease in lubrication, the resulting heat from friction can not only decrease the life of the bearing but also cause equipment to…

Keep on rolling

Babbitt metals ensure machinery runs smoothly Bearings play an integral role in machine efficiency by reducing friction between moving parts. The earliest recorded examples of bearing usage date back to the Romans, and in the year 1500, Leonardo da Vinci sketched a design for a helicopter that incorporated ball bearings. Today, common types of bearings…