What is the process of making alloys?

Alloys have been traditionally made by heating and melting components to make liquid forms which can be mixed together and cooled into a solid solution. Alternatively, alloys can be made by turning components into powders, mixing them together, and fusing them thanks to high pressure and a high temperature.

How are metal alloys mixed?

An alloy is a combination of a metal with at least one other metal or nonmetal. The most common way to combine metals into an alloy is by melting them, mixing them together, and then allowing them to solidify and cool back to room temperature.

Why is heat needed to make an alloy?

Thermal expansion occurs because heat increases the vibrations of the atoms in the metal. Accounting for thermal expansion is essential when designing metallic structures. An everyday example would be the design of household pipes, which must accommodate expansion and contraction as the seasons change.

Why are elements have to be mixed up to form alloys?

Almost all metals are used as alloys—that is, mixtures of several elements—because these have properties superior to pure metals. Alloying is done for many reasons, typically to increase strength, increase corrosion resistance, or reduce costs.

Why do you need a crucible for aluminum alloy melting?

For example, using a crucible able to melt metals from iron to zinc may not be as important to your aluminum alloy melting operation as having a crucible limited to the temperature range you need but able to resist corrosion damage from your metal treatment fluxes.

How to choose the right Crucible for your metal?

While some crucible types support metal temperatures encompassing a broad spectrum of metals, it often is necessary to select crucibles targeted to specific metals or alloys and with more limited operating temperature ranges.

What is the temperature range of a crucible?

Taken together as a group, these metals represent a temperature range from 400°C/750°F to 1600°C/2912°F. While some crucible types support metal temperatures encompassing a broad spectrum of metals, it often is necessary to select crucibles targeted to specific metals or alloys and with more limited operating temperature ranges.

How does an electromagnet work in a crucible?

As the metal melts, the electromagnet creates eddies within the liquid causing the material to be more or less self-stirred. There’s no addition of oxygen or other gasses to the system so whatever goes into the crucible is what comes back out making it easier to control variables during melting.