In the United States, approximately 20 mines located throughout Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, and Montana account for roughly 99 percent of domestic copper production, but that represents only a fraction of the world’s need for copper. When alloyed with nickel, zinc, tin, and other elements, co

Oxygen-free copper (OFC) describes a group of high-conductivity copper alloys that are electrolytically refined to reduce the oxygen level to 0.1% or lower. These copper alloys are often used in industrial electronics applications because of their high conductivity, chemical purity, and high ductili

Next to silver, copper is the most conductive material available, with copper wiring 66% more conductive than aluminum wires of the same size. To transfer the same amount of current in an 8 AWG copper wire, a 6 AWG aluminum conductor up to 25% thicker in size is required. However, copper is prone to

When it comes to selecting a metal that can conduct both heat and electricity efficiently, copper is the obvious choice. That’s why it is considered the standard of electrical conductivity for other metals. In a home environment, copper is not as likely to corrode as it is in industrial settings, wh

Aluminum is a highly versatile material for prototyping and production runs. Aluminum alloys offer the desired strength and corrosion resistance at a low cost, and, like steel and titanium,  they are easy to machine. However, no two aluminum alloys are the same. Depending on the primary and secondar

Recent events have thrown global metal supply chains into chaos. Aluminum shortages have been an ongoing issue over the last two years, and unfortunately, aluminum supply chain issues don’t appear to be getting better any time soon. China’s zero-COVID policy continues to prolong the economic effects

Aluminum shorts are both more fashionable and more comfortable than aluminum jorts. This article, however, is about aluminum plate shorts—remnant lengths of aluminum left over after a larger piece of aluminum is cut for another project. Aluminum shorts have some big advantages over new plates, as th

Since the turn of the century, aluminum consumption has more than doubled, and demand continues to steadily rise. Globally, aluminum is experiencing the highest growth in demand of any metal. However, considering how prominent it has become in our lives, is aluminum sustainable? The short answer is

6061 aluminum has several unique properties that make it suitable for many general purpose applications, but one of the most important is its low density. Not only does the low density of 6061 aluminum give it the formability for easily designing complex structures, but it also makes it an ideal mat

When it comes to choosing a metal for high-strength, low-weight applications, aluminum 6061 is one of the highly sought-after alloys, especially in North America. Additionally, it displays excellent corrosion resistance, coupled with high machinability and weldability, making it ideal for a lot of a

The ductility of a material refers to its ability to undergo a large amount of inelastic deformation until it breaks. It is usually considered a soft property of any material. However, in reality, ductile materials such as aluminum have an important role to play in every structural application. Alum

High-quality metal remnants remaining from industrial manufacturing processes or residential use are of high value, as they can be recycled and reused again and again across industries such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, packaging, and home furnishings. Metal remnants are often high

It’s important to understand the ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures (DBTT) of metals when considering which materials to use for applications functioning under cryogenic environments. Some metals that are more ductile at room temperature may become brittle at low temperatures. As a result, t

Aluminum prices hit a record high of $3,450 per ton in February of 2022. Renewed COVID-related restrictions in China, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and several other global events have further put stress on aluminum supply chains. In this post, we look closely at why aluminum prices ar

Over 1.5 billion tons of steel are produced every year to make all kinds of products, from household items to structural beams for skyscrapers. The most common type of steel is low-carbon steel, also known as mild steel. There are countless uses of mild steel in virtually every industry as well as i

There are thousands of different grades of steel, each with specific requirements for carbon content, the composition of other alloying elements, and processing methods. These details determine the grade’s characteristics, so when you choose a grade of quality steel, you can expect it to have certai

Stainless steel refers to a group of versatile metals containing at least 10.5% of chromium, along with other alloying elements (nickel, molybdenum, and copper), to offer enhanced mechanical and physical properties. Today, stainless steel is a common material used for a wide range of applications, f

When comparing steel and aluminum, steel is noted as the stronger of the two metals because it’s 2.5 times denser than aluminum and has high tensile strength. Steel also offers more corrosion resistance than aluminum. However, aluminum is more ductile than steel, giving it excellent malleability tha

304 and 316 stainless steels are the two most commonly used stainless steel grades. Both grades contain ample amounts of chromium and nickel; because of this, they thrive against heat, abrasion, and corrosion. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between 304 and 316 stainless steels, as diffe

When it comes to marine applications, fabricators often choose 316 stainless steel, as it’s highly corrosion resistant. 316 is available in different variants, such as L, F, N, and H. The L series is known for featuring lower carbon than 316—the concentration of the rest of its alloying elements rem