Metal Tidbits – Tungsten
Tungsten Alloy
Tungsten Metal
Tungsten Metal Prices
Tungsten Suppliers
Tungsten is a heavy metal that can be classified as a refractory metal, i.e., one with a high melting point. Refractory metals can be useful for their strength at high temperatures and their resistance to corrosion. Tungsten is difficult to melt, so commercial non-alloyed tungsten is produced by powder-metallurgy methods.
Alloys containing about 85 to 95 percent tungsten by weight can be produced by liquid-phase sintering compacts of tungsten powder with nickel-copper, iron-nickel, iron-copper, or nickel-cobalt-molybdenum binders. In compact forms, these tungsten alloys can be machined by turning, drilling, boring, milling, and shaping; however, they cannot be wrought at any temperature and therefore are not available in mill forms. Heavy tungsten alloys can be used in aircraft applications, by the military in its weapons, in X-ray shielding, and even some consumer goods applications.
Light bulb filaments are usually made of unalloyed tungsten. Cutting tools are often made of tungsten carbide. Finally, tungsten is also an element of some of the modern super alloys.
All Metals & Forge (AM&F) is a leading supplier of tungsten alloys, specialty metals, designer alloys, super alloys, and other materials to clients in the U.S. and across the world. For more information on AM&F’s many products services or to request a quote, please call (973) 276-5000, or send an email to info@steelforge.com. This site has also been designed to function as an information resource. You are also encouraged to browse it for information on metallurgy and the steel industry.
Pure tungsten is a gray-white hard metal with a number of medical, industrial, and defense applications. For example, tungsten is important to the metalworking industry as a component of tungsten carbide, which is used to make abrasion resistant cutting tools. Tungsten metal wires are used extensively as filaments in incandescent lighting.
The defense industry uses tungsten heavy metal alloys in armaments, and medical applications for tungsten include radiation shielding. Tungsten is also used in pigments. The metal appears as number 74 in the periodic table of elements, and its chemical symbol is W, for tungsten’s original name, “Wolfram.”
The word tungsten itself is Swedish for “heavy stone,” and gives an indication of the metal’s high density. Like other refractory metals, tungsten has an extremely high melting point. Tungsten oxidizes in air at temperatures as low as 190� Centigrade, which means that in spite of its heat resistance, it requires protective coating if it is to be used at high temperatures. Like other refractory metals, tungsten retains its high yield and tensile strength at elevated temperatures.
All Metals & Forge (AM&F) is a premier U.S. specialty metals supplier, with an extensive inventory that includes tungsten alloys and other corrosion resistant materials. For more information on AM&F’s many products services or to request a quote, please call (973) 276-5000, or send an email to info@steelforge.com. This site has also been designed to function as an information resource. You are also encouraged to browse this site for extensive information on metallurgy and the steel industry.
Tungsten is used in applications as diverse as pigments, electrical contacts, light bulbs, weaponry, and abrasion resistant tools. The lion’s share of tungsten is produced in China, and it is Chinese economic activity that arguably has the greatest effect on tungsten metal prices. When China has flooded the market with tungsten export, prices have historically fallen, sometimes precipitously.
China, however, has recently been depressing tungsten exports, increasing domestic consumption, and switching focus towards producing more tungsten finished goods. Consequently, tungsten metal prices have risen dramatically in 2005.
Meanwhile, North American Tungsten, a Canadian tungsten supplier, has reorganized after encountering previous financial pressures, and is now poised to supply more tungsten to the world market. With tungsten metal prices exceeding their previous historical highs in 2005, it’s possible that producers in other areas of the world with tungsten reserves (such as Vietnam) will come online to take advantage of the current favorable economics.
Even with the possibility of increased production outside of China, however, tungsten buyers should be prepared for tungsten prices to remain high for the foreseeable future. Indeed, some economic forecasters feel upward price pressures on raw materials represent the new reality, and an increasing economic trend.
All Metals & Forge (AM&F), as a leading supplier of specialty metals, including tungsten, tungsten alloys, and other alloys containing tungsten, strives to keep buyers informed of factors affecting the metals market. The company’s business development teams work with customers to minimize the effects of raw materials price increases by helping with them cost-saving efficiencies, long-term contracts, and inventory management. To learn more about AM&F’s business development services, please call (973)276-5050, or send an email to info@steelforge.com.
All Metals & Forge (AM&F) is a U.S. supplier of specialty metals, including tungsten and its alloys, to customers nationally and internationally. The company is a full service center, as well as a manufacturer of open die forgings, seamless rolled rings, and open contour rings. AM&F is ISO-9002/AS9000 certified, and the quality of its products matches or beats those of suppliers from around the world.
AM&F’s goal as a supplier of specialty metals is to provide responsive service, fair pricing, and an extensive inventory that includes alloys that are hard to find elsewhere. Industry-leading product knowledge is combined with a multitude of value added services like cold and hot forming, heat treating, machining, and welding. Fast delivery policies help ensure that your project gets done on time and within budget.
Tungsten products available from AM&F include tungsten alloys, thoriated tungsten, and pressed and sintered tungsten. Customers can use the company’s online product database to see a list of tungsten products carried in stock. To find tungsten products, start by choosing the “Refractory Alloys” option from the list of metals families.
You will then see a list of alloys carried. Choose a grade, and you will have the option to see a list of forms (e.g., flat bar, round wire, custom forgings). To request a quote, you may use the online RFQ form. If you have any questions, you may also call (973)276-5000, or send an email to info@steelforge.com. The company also provides information on tungsten, its properties, and uses in the “Information Resources” section of this website.
