Aluminum 3003: has added strength relative to 1100 due to this alloy nominally containing 1.25% manganese. It can not be clear anodized but does respond to all other surface treatments the same as 1100 aluminum and is used in essentially the same application.

Aluminum 5005: contains approximately .08% magnesium and is used primarily in parts that require the strength level of temper rolled 3003 but has the capability to be clear anodized. This material is generally not available and is commonly substituted with an 1100 alloy.

Aluminum 5052: is further strengthened relative to 5005. It contains 2.5% magnesium and .025% chromium. When cold rolled to -H32 or -H34 temper, the additional alloying and stabilizing thermal treatment results in material considerably stronger than 1100, 3003 or 5005 in the same temper. It has excellent corrosion resistance in outdoor applications. It's resistance to salt water corrosion is superior to that of 1100, 3003 or 5005.

Aluminum 2024: is an age-hardenable high strength alloy containing about 8.5% alloying elements. It has good cold working properties in the annealed condition. The high strength to weight ratio accounts for it use in structural components and for industrial and commercial applications where weight saving and strength is paramount. Welding and brazing are not recommended.

Aluminum 6061: is the alloy workhorse among heat treatable aluminums for it combines many of the best properties that aluminum alloys are capable of exhibiting in processing and in service. In the annealed temper it can be cold worked to a greater degree than 2024 or 7075. It is either -O temper (soft) or age hardenable to either -T4 or -T6 and has an excellent corrosion resistance in the harden tempers. It is by far the most common aluminum alloy used in a wide range of applications.

Aluminum 6063: is available as extruded products only. It can be welded and brazed. It has excellent corrosion resistance properties.

Aluminum 7075: has the highest strength of any standard aluminum alloy. Cold forming should be performed in the annealed condition with subsequent heat treatment. Welding and brazing are not recommended.

Beryllium copper has the best mechanical properties of any copper alloy. It is available in the annealed condition, ¼ hard and ½ hard. Uses include springs of all kinds where high strength and corrosion resistance are important. Tools used in explosive environments or EOD purposes can be made using beryllium copper due to its non sparking and physically tough characteristics. It is also used for welding electrodes and low current contacts for batteries.

One of the most common chromoly steels is a 4130 steel composed of 0.28 to 0.33% carbon, 0.04% to sulfur, and 0.02 to 0.35% silcon, in addition to iron. Although chromoly contains chromium, it does not have the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. 4130 comes either annealed or normalized. Normalizing involves air-cooling from austenitizing temperatures and produces essentially the same ferrite-pearlite microstructure as that of hot-rolled carbon steel, except that the heat treatment produces a finer grain size. This grain refinement makes the steel stronger, tougher, and more uniform throughout.

Copper is excellent at conducting heat and is resistant to corrosion. If the air around it often is damp, it will change from its usual reddish orange color to reddish-brown. Eventually, it is coated with a green film called a "patina" that stops all further corrosion. Some of copper's commonly used applications are in electronics, cookware, refrigerators, and radiators.

Cold rolled steel is available in soft, drawing steel. Cold roll steel 1010 is harder than standard steel but it is very difficult to find material that will be certified to 1010. Cold Rolled Steel 1010 is commonly replaced with 1003/1008. Untreated steel is susceptible to rust. Galvanized steel has superior corrosion protection. Galvanized coatings are generally bright and shiny but within a year will weather to a uniform dull gray appearance. The basic finish requirements of the galvanized coating are that it be relatively smooth, continuous, and free from gross surface imperfections. A galvanized sheet that is cut will be susceptible to rust on the cut edge.

Hot rolled steel can sometimes be even less expensive than cold rolled steel if purchased in larger quantities. However, it does have a poor surface appearance and should not be used on parts where cosmetic finish is desired.

Inconel retains strength over a wide temperature range, where aluminum and steel would not; this makes it attractive for high temperature applications. It is common in gas turbine blades, seals, and combustors, as well as turbocharger rotors and seals, high temperature fasteners, chemical processing and pressure vessels, heat exchanger tubing, natural gas processing with contaminants such as H2S and CO2, firearm sound suppressor blast baffles, and Formula One exhaust systems. This alloy is available in Inconel 600 and Inconel 625.

Stainless Steel 301: responds rapidly to work-hardening, while still enabling forming operations; particularly with the quarter hard (¼ H) and half hard (½ H) temper sheets. Stainless steel 301 can be welded without annealing, although some loss of temper is sacrificed. It is used in those applications that require moderate corrosion resistance and strength without heat treatment.

Stainless Steel 302: work hardens to extraordinarily high tensile strengths. It has become increasingly difficult to purchase in anything but the very thin gauges. In most cases 302 has been replaced with stainless steel 304.

Stainless Steel 304: is the work-horse of the 300 series and is used inter changeably with most type 302 applications where moderate tensile properties and good corrosion resistance are required. Stainless steel 304 is the most specified stainless steel due to its versatility in forming and drawing operations. It may be welded and is recommended over 302 in thicker sections. Applications include aircraft components, food processing equipment, medical equipment, nuclear reactor components, oil refinery equipment, architectural trim, moderately stressed structural components, valve and pump parts.

Stainless Steel 316: is modified with molybdenum which gives added strength and more importantly increases the resistance to general corrosion and particularly diminishes the susceptibility to pitting corrosion. Thin sections may be welded without final annealing but sections over ¼" thick should be Alloy 316L grade to prevent the precipitation of chromium carbides.

Stainless Steel 321 and 347: are variations that are stabilized by an alloy addition to improve weldability and high temperature service. The nickel content has been increased from a nominal 8% to 10% and titanium has been added to Alloy 321 and columbium and tantalum have been added to Alloy 347 to eradicate the possibility of chromium carbide precipitation, which would result in a decrease in corrosion resistance.

Stainless Steel 410: is a general purpose stainless steel of the martenstic class capable of heat treat to near 200,000 psi tensile strength in sheet form. Stainless steel 410 has cold forming characteristics similar to 4130 alloy steel.

Stainless Steel 430: is a ferritic class corrosion resistant steel that is essentially non-hardenable by thermal treatments. It is supplied in bright annealed sheets and has excellent ductility that permits cold forming by all conventional processes. Stainless steel 430 has excellent resistance to corrosion in atmospheric conditions, and in alkaline and select mildly acidic conditions. It can be used in continuous service in air at 1500 degrees farenheight.

Stainless Steel 17-4PH: is hardenable and capable of developing minimum tensile strengths of 190,000 psi. 17.4PH has adequate resistance to atmospheric corrosion or in diluted acids or salts where its corrosion resistance is approximately the same as Alloy 304.

Stainless Steel 17-7PH: sheet and plate products are supplied in the annealed condition and respond to severe forming operations. 17.7PH can be welded by most inert gases. The standard annealing treatment converts the material from austenite (non-magnetic) to martensitic (magnetic). Applications should include those that will take advantage of the high strength when precipitation hardened and the corrosion resistance, which is approximately that of Alloy 304.