SUS631 Stainless Steel: Precipitation-Hardening for Spring Applications

Key Properties for Springs

High Strength & Hardness: Achieves very high mechanical strength after aging treatment, supporting greater loads.

Excellent Fatigue Resistance: Resists repeated stress, preventing premature failure in dynamic applications.

Good Corrosion Resistance: Maintains performance in harsh or corrosive environments where standard steels might fail.

Formability: Offers good formability before hardening, enabling complex spring shapes.

Temperature Stability: Performs well at elevated temperatures, up to about 315°C (600°F).

How it Works (Precipitation Hardening)

Solution Treatment: The material is heated and then rapidly cooled (quenched) to hold its alloying elements in solid solution, making it soft and formable.

Aging (Precipitation): A subsequent heat treatment (aging) at around 480°C (896°F) causes fine intermetallic precipitates (like Ni3Al) to form within the metal's structure, significantly increasing its strength and hardness.

Common Spring Applications

Aerospace: Components needing high strength-to-weight ratio and reliability.

Electronics: Pogo pins, connectors, and precision springs in devices.

Automotive: Components requiring durability and resilience.

Medical Devices: Where precision, corrosion resistance, and strength are critical.

Forms Available

Wire (for coil springs)

Foil (for precision springs, diaphragms)

Sheet & Strip (for flat springs, bellows)