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In the world of high-performance materials, few can match the exceptional capabilities of AMS 5708 Waspaloy. This nickel-base superalloy stands out for its remarkable strength and durability, especially in extreme environments. Designed to withstand high temperatures and resist corrosion, Waspaloy is a material of choice in industries where reliability and performance are non-negotiable. Whether it’s powering the latest aerospace innovations or ensuring the integrity of critical fasteners and springs, the unique composition and properties of AMS 5708 Waspaloy make it indispensable. In this article, we’ll delve into the intricate details of its chemical makeup, explore the mechanical properties that grant it such resilience, and uncover the various applications that benefit from this engineering marvel. Join us as we unlock the secrets behind one of the most formidable alloys ever developed.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy is a high-performance nickel-based superalloy known for its exceptional strength, corrosion resistance, and stability at high temperatures. This material is particularly valuable in applications where extreme environmental conditions and mechanical stress are prevalent, such as in aerospace and gas turbine industries.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy excels in high-temperature applications, retaining its mechanical strength and resisting oxidation under demanding conditions, making it ideal for components like turbine blades and engine parts.
In addition to its strength, AMS 5708 Waspaloy offers excellent resistance to oxidation and other forms of corrosion. This is crucial for components operating in environments with high temperatures and corrosive substances, such as jet engines and gas turbines.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy’s versatility extends to various critical applications, including the manufacturing of gas turbine engine components and aerospace parts. Its ability to be heat-treated and processed further enhances its suitability for demanding applications.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy stands out due to its combination of high-temperature strength, corrosion resistance, and stability, ensuring its continued use in critical applications where performance and reliability are essential.
Waspaloy is a nickel-based superalloy known for its excellent high-temperature properties, owing to its detailed chemical composition under AMS 5708 specifications. The nominal composition includes the following elements:
Nickel, which serves as the base element, enhances Waspaloy’s corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength.
Chromium improves oxidation resistance and overall strength by forming a protective oxide layer on the surface.
Cobalt increases high-temperature strength and stability, and it also enhances resistance to thermal fatigue and oxidation.
Molybdenum boosts creep resistance, high-temperature strength, hardness, and toughness.
Titanium and aluminium are vital for the age-hardening process, forming precipitates that strengthen the alloy by impeding dislocation movement.
Boron and zirconium, added in trace amounts, improve grain boundary strength and ductility, refining the grain structure for high-stress conditions.
Iron, carbon, copper, silicon, and manganese, present in minor quantities, balance the alloy’s properties, influencing hardness, strength, machinability, and oxidation resistance.
Precisely controlling Waspaloy’s chemical composition is essential for achieving the desired mechanical properties and performance. Each element plays a specific role, ensuring the alloy withstands extreme environments, such as those in gas turbine engines and aerospace components.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy exhibits impressive hardness. This is crucial for applications requiring high wear resistance. The hardness of this superalloy is typically measured using both the Brinell and Rockwell scales.
These values show the alloy’s capability to endure substantial wear and deformation.
The tensile strength of AMS 5708 Waspaloy, especially at elevated temperatures, is notable. It can reach up to 193,600 psi (1335 MPa) at room temperature and about 145,000 psi (1000 MPa) at 1000°F (538°C). This high tensile strength at elevated temperatures makes Waspaloy ideal for high-stress applications in extreme environments.
Yield strength is the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically, and AMS 5708 Waspaloy maintains substantial yield strength, ensuring structural integrity under high stress. This means the alloy can bear significant loads without permanent deformation.
Elongation measures how much AMS 5708 Waspaloy can stretch before breaking, indicating its ductility. This is important for applications needing some flexibility and toughness, with elongation ranging from 13% to 20% depending on the material’s condition and thickness.
The density of AMS 5708 Waspaloy is 0.296 lb/in³ (8.19 g/cm³), making it suitable for aerospace components where weight is a crucial factor.
The melting range of AMS 5708 Waspaloy is between 2425 – 2565°F (1329 – 1407°C). This high range ensures the alloy maintains its properties in extreme heat environments.
The modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus) measures the stiffness of AMS 5708 Waspaloy. With a modulus of elasticity of 30900 ksi (213 GPa) at 20°C, Waspaloy is highly resistant to deformation, making it ideal for high-stress components.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy excels at maintaining its mechanical properties at high temperatures, making it ideal for demanding applications. It retains significant strength up to 1200°F (650°C) for critical uses and up to 1600°F (870°C) for less demanding ones.
The heat treatment process for AMS 5708 Waspaloy is essential for achieving its excellent mechanical properties and high-temperature performance. This process includes three main stages: solution heat treatment, stabilization heat treatment, and precipitation heat treatment (aging).
In this stage, the alloy is heated to a high temperature to dissolve any precipitates and create a uniform microstructure.
This step reduces residual stresses and ensures dimensional stability before the aging process.
This process significantly enhances the alloy’s strength and hardness, making it suitable for high-stress, high-temperature applications.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy can be processed using hot working, cold working, and welding, each with specific parameters to maintain its properties.
Hot working is done at temperatures between 2140 and 1800°F (1170 – 980°C). This must be done carefully to avoid overworking the material, which can lead to undesirable grain growth and reduced mechanical properties.
Cold working, such as hydroforming and rolling, increases the alloy’s strength and hardness through work hardening. It is essential to perform these processes in the solution-treated condition to prevent cracking and maintain ductility.
Welding AMS 5708 Waspaloy requires careful control to avoid defects. Argon-arc welding with Waspaloy AMS 5828 filler metal is recommended. Post-weld heat treatment may be needed to restore the alloy’s mechanical properties.
Proper heat treatment and processing are vital for optimizing AMS 5708 Waspaloy’s performance. Each heat treatment stage—solution, stabilization, and aging—contributes to its exceptional strength and high-temperature capabilities. Additionally, careful hot and cold working, as well as precise welding techniques, ensure the material retains its integrity and superior properties for demanding applications.
Waspaloy is widely used in gas turbine engines because of its exceptional strength and resistance to high temperatures, oxidation, and corrosion. In gas turbines, Waspaloy is used for critical components such as blades, seals, rings, shafts, and turbine disks. These parts need to withstand extreme temperatures and stresses while maintaining structural integrity.
In the aerospace industry, Waspaloy is essential for both military and commercial applications. Its strength and stability at high temperatures make it ideal for engine parts, airframe assemblies, and missile systems, ensuring reliable performance.
Waspaloy’s high strength and resistance to fatigue make it perfect for springs and fasteners in high-temperature environments. These components are crucial in aerospace and gas turbines, where they must resist thermal expansion and mechanical stress.
Waspaloy is also used in land-based gas turbines found in power plants and industrial settings. Its components, such as turbine blades, vanes, and combustion liners, maintain performance in high-temperature and corrosive environments.
In the automotive industry and other high-performance applications, Waspaloy is used for engine parts and exhaust systems that operate at high temperatures. It’s also found in industrial equipment requiring superior strength and resistance.
Waspaloy’s unique combination of high-temperature strength, corrosion resistance, and fatigue resistance makes it invaluable in demanding applications. Its durability ensures reliability and longevity in aerospace, gas turbines, automotive, and industrial settings.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy has a density of about 0.296 lb/in³ (8.19 g/cm³), which is typical for nickel-based superalloys designed for strength and durability. This high density is common in nickel-based superalloys, known for their ability to withstand demanding applications.
With a melting range between 2425°F and 2565°F (1329°C – 1407°C), AMS 5708 Waspaloy maintains its structural integrity and mechanical properties at high temperatures, making it ideal for turbine blades and engine components. This broad melting range indicates its ability to perform well under high temperatures.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy has a Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) of up to 302 and a Rockwell Hardness (HRC) between 34 and 44. This high hardness level ensures the alloy resists wear and deformation under high-stress conditions.
With a modulus of elasticity of approximately 30600 ksi (211.0 kN/mm²), AMS 5708 Waspaloy is very stiff and can resist deformation under load. This high modulus means the alloy can maintain precise shapes and dimensions under mechanical stress.
The coefficient of thermal expansion for AMS 5708 Waspaloy is about 12.2 μm/m °C (20 – 100 °C) or 6.8 x 10^-6 in/in °F (70 – 212 °F), which measures its expansion or contraction with temperature changes. This property is crucial for maintaining dimensional stability in components exposed to varying thermal environments.
The alloy’s thermal conductivity ensures efficient heat dissipation, preventing overheating and maintaining mechanical properties during operation.
Although specific data may vary, the specific heat capacity of AMS 5708 Waspaloy typically aligns with other nickel-based superalloys. This property influences thermal management in high-temperature applications, ensuring the alloy performs reliably under thermal and mechanical stress while maintaining its structural integrity.
These physical properties collectively contribute to AMS 5708 Waspaloy’s effectiveness in demanding environments, ensuring it performs reliably under thermal and mechanical stress while maintaining its structural integrity and mechanical properties.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:
AMS 5708 Waspaloy is a nickel-based superalloy with the following chemical composition: Carbon (C) 0.02 – 0.10%, Manganese (Mn) 0.10% max, Silicon (Si) 0.15% max, Phosphorous (P) 0.015% max, Sulfur (S) 0.015% max, Chromium (Cr) 18.00 – 21.00%, Cobalt (Co) 12.00 – 15.00%, Molybdenum (Mo) 3.50 – 5.00%, Titanium (Ti) 2.75 – 3.25%, Aluminum (Al) 1.20 – 1.60%, Boron (B) 0.003 – 0.010%, Zirconium (Zr) 0.02 – 0.12%, Iron (Fe) 2.0% max, and Nickel (Ni) as the balance.
The mechanical properties of AMS 5708 Waspaloy are characterized by high tensile and yield strength, hardness, and good ductility. At room temperature, the tensile strength ranges from 170 ksi to 175 ksi, and the yield strength ranges from 110 ksi to 115 ksi. At elevated temperatures, such as 1000°F (538°C), the tensile strength is around 145-150 ksi, and the yield strength is approximately 100-105 ksi. The hardness typically falls within 34 to 44 Rockwell C (HRC), or a maximum Brinell hardness number (BHN) of 302. The elongation in 4D, a measure of ductility, is generally between 13-20%, depending on the material’s condition and temperature. These properties make AMS 5708 Waspaloy suitable for high-stress and high-temperature applications.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy is heat treated through a three-step process to optimize its mechanical properties. First, the alloy undergoes solution treatment by heating to 1080°C (1975°F) for 4 hours, followed by air cooling or oil quenching. Next, it is stabilized by reheating to 845°C (1550°F) for 24 hours and then air cooling. Finally, the alloy is age-hardened by reheating to 760°C (1400°F) for 16 hours and then air cooling. These steps help dissolve alloying elements, stabilize the microstructure, and precipitate strengthening phases, enhancing the alloy’s performance in high-temperature applications.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy is primarily used in high-temperature and high-stress applications due to its excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Typical applications include aerospace fasteners, jet engine components such as compressor disks, rotor disks, shafts, spacers, seals, rings, and casings, missile components, and various parts in gas turbine engines. These applications benefit from Waspaloy’s ability to maintain mechanical integrity and resist oxidation at elevated temperatures.
AMS 5708 Waspaloy performs exceptionally well at high temperatures, maintaining high strength up to 1600°F (871°C), which surpasses that of Alloy 718 at temperatures above 1200-1300°F (650-705°C). Its corrosion resistance, particularly against oxidation, remains robust even after repeated high-temperature exposure, making it suitable for demanding environments like gas turbine engines. The alloy’s thermal stability is evidenced by its moderate coefficient of thermal expansion, ensuring minimal dimensional changes with temperature variations. Furthermore, its resistance to fatigue at elevated temperatures enhances its reliability in high-stress applications. These properties, bolstered by a precise heat treatment process, make AMS 5708 Waspaloy an ideal material for high-temperature aerospace and gas turbine components.
Yes, AMS 5708 Waspaloy can be welded, but it requires very specific and carefully controlled conditions due to its complex composition and high-temperature properties. The recommended method is argon-arc welding, which helps minimize the loss of alloying elements and maintain material integrity. It is essential to use Waspaloy AMS 5828 filler metal to ensure compatibility and maintain the alloy’s strength and corrosion resistance. Additionally, welding should avoid high-stress environments, as the weld area may not retain the full strength of the base material. Careful control over heating and cooling cycles is crucial to prevent thermal stresses and potential cracking.
