#tungsten materials

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Know about Tungsten and Usage of Tungsten Bucking Bar

Introduction to tungsten

Tungsten is a rare chemical element which is commonly known as Wolframite. This element was isolated in the 1783 by J.J and F. Elhuyar in Spain after it was identified in 1781. It is silvery white in color and has a metal luster. Since this element cannot found in isolated form, it has to be extracted from its ores. - wolframite and scheelite, among others. Tungsten metal is an inert element which resists corrosions and has the highest melting point. Tungsten metal also has very high tensile strength and has low vapor pressure. Due to its properties, it has many applications and several uses.

Tungsten is often found in its pure form, with which it is really easy to work but when found with certain impurities, it becomes quite brittle and hence fabricating it or using it gets a bit tough.

Various uses of tungsten

Tungsten metal has many uses and the following are some of the main ones:

Tungsten is used a lot to make electric filaments which are then used in electric light bulbs, electrodes etc. This is because this metal has the highest melting point and is the most apt element for this purpose.

Tungsten carbide powder with cobalt or nickel powder is compressed and then it is sintered for making of cemented carbides. Further, these cemented carbides are applied in place of high speed steel for making tips of cutting and drilling tools, etc.

Tungsten is converted into its nickel and copper alloys as these alloys have many better properties due to which they are used as radiation shields. These alloys provide 50% increase in density compared to lead.

Tungsten and its many alloys are used in many military applications. For example, they are used for making shells and armor. They are also used in the aerospace industry to make rocket nozzles among other things.

Tungsten is also used to make tungsten bucking bars, tungsten sheets, tungsten rods, tungsten sinks, etc.

Tungsten bucking bar

A tungsten bucking bar is a tool which is used on the backseat of a metal rivet or either on the work surface and its purpose is to provide a counter for hammering on the opposite side. Tungsten bucking bar is used when applying impact fasteners, handle parts with low recoil impact absorbing space etc.

Since bucking bars are meant to experience considerable amount of stress, they have to be made of a hard and strong material and this is why tungsten is used. Wolfmet tungsten works even better.

Some forms of tungsten bucking bars available in the market:

Tungsten bucking bar weighing 1.6 pounds and 1”x4”x5/8” in dimension. Made of highly polished tungsten with a slight radius on all the corners.

Aircraft tool bucking bar 5-1/8”x1”x1.25” weighing 1.8 lbs. This bucking bar has three faces for riveting.

Some forms of bucking bars not made of tungsten:

Bucking bar made of ductile iron with high polished surfaces.

Bucking bar made of hardened steel.

  By Stanford Advanced Materials   http://www.samaterials.com

Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) Corporation is a global supplier of a series of pure metals, alloys, ceramics and minerals such as oxides, chlorides, sulfides, oxysalts, etc. Our headquarter, located in Irvine, California, USA, was first established in 1994, starting to provide high-quality rare-earth products for research and development (R&D).

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Introduction to Copper-Tungsten Electrode

Introduction

The alloy which is used by taking copper and tungsten is known as copper-tungsten alloy. Such alloys are pseudo alloys of tungsten and copper which means that their microstructure is a metal matrix composite and not really a true alloy. This happens because copper and tungsten are not mutually soluble when mixed together. When copper and tungsten are combined, the material which is obtained has properties of both copper and tungsten. The material which is obtained is heat-resistant, thermally conductive and has high electrical conductivity as well. These materials are also ablation resistant. This is the reason why this material is used for making copper-tungsten electrodes.

Properties

Copper-tungsten electrodes are wear-resistant and offer optimum contour sharpness as well.

Copper-tungsten electrodes are highly thermally and electrically conductive which is why they serve the purpose which they are meant to.

Another reason why copper-tungsten electrodes are used so commonly is because they offer good machinability.

Since the melting point of tungsten is very high, copper-tungsten electrodes have a longer service time or life.

Copper-tungsten electrodes have high surface quality as well.

Constituents

Tungsten

Tungsten is a rare chemical element or metal which is denoted by symbol W. This metallic element has atomic number 74 and it was first identified as a new element in the year 1781. But later on, it was recognized as an isolated element in 1783 in Spain. Tungsten metal is also often referred to as wolfram because it is extracted from its primary ore which is called wolframite. Some other ores which are used for obtaining tungsten are ferberite and scheelite.

Characteristics of tungsten

Tungsten is a silvery grey metallic element which has a certain shiny luster. Tungsten metal has the highest melting point as compared to other elements and has high density as well. It has the high tensile strength and is known for its low vapor pressure and low coefficient of thermal expansion. It is extremely resistant to corrosion and has no toxicityand due to these reasons, this element has many uses and applications.

Copper

Copper is an element of the periodic table which is denoted by symbol Cu and has atomic number 29. Copper is a highly ductile metal which has high thermal conductivity and also has high electronic conductivity as well. In its pure form, this metal is soft and malleable. It is used as constituent of many alloys and is applied as a building material by many construction companies all over the world.

Characteristics of copper

Copper is reddish orange in appearance and is a chemical element which is not very hard in its pure form. This element has high ductility and is quite malleable as well. The metallic bonds in copper don’t have a covalent character and are relatively weak. Copper has high thermal and electrical conductivity and does not react with water. Copper has 29 naturally occurring isotopes. It is often used to make copper wires, cables, electric motors. It is also used in architecture and construction works etc. as well.

By Stanford Advanced Materials

Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) Corporation is a global supplier of a series of pure metals, alloys, ceramics and minerals such as oxides, chlorides, sulfides, oxysalts, etc. Our headquarter, located in Irvine, California, USA, was first established in 1994, starting to provide high-quality rare-earth products for research and development (R&D).

[samaterials-blog]

Functions of Tungsten Bucking Bars

Tungsten alloys were first used to manufacture fluorescent and incandescent light bulb filaments. They were later used to make television tubes. The earliest imaging equipment was fabricated using an X-ray bombardment of tungsten target. 

Tungsten is a very dense metal that obtains its name from two Swedish words that relate to its density. "Tung" stands for heavy while "Sten" means stone. This metal is two and a half times denser than steel. Tungsten alloys are commonly used in the manufacture of filaments and X-ray tube targets.

Tungsten bucking bars are work tools that are fitted onto work surfaces to provide the tool operator with extra cushion. The bars can be located at the tool’s low recoil heads and at the handle position. There is usually a low recoil impact absorbing spacer between the machine parts that absorbs the shocks at the compression and shear phases.

Bucking barsare utilized in rivet setting when the shank of the rivet requires upsetting. Heavy tungsten alloy bucking bars are useful for reducing he recoil once the impact has been reflected back to the rivet shaft. In order to reduce vibration emanating from powerful tools, tungsten bucking bars are recommended.

Such powerful tools may include riveting guns and power drills. If vibration is left unchecked, it can affect the employees. Some industrial diseases that can be triggered by vibration include carpel tunnel syndrome and vibration white finger.  The nerves, bones and muscles in the hands are affected by these industrial diseases. These conditions can render your staff incapable of work. Such a scenario can lead to a company incurring heavy compensation claims from injured staff.

Why Choose Tungsten Bucking Bars?

Some companies prefer to use steel to manufacture their bucking bars. Steel for industrial use is not efficient in totally absorbing vibration or the force from power machines. This still leaves the operator at some risk.

The use of tungsten bucking bars provides a more reliable option compared to other bucking materials. The particularly high density of tungsten enables a large mass of the metal to be fitted in a relatively small area. Tungsten can be used to manufacture of the whole bucking bar or just the point of impact. As a result of its extra weight, the vibration felt by the operator is drastically reduced.

Tungsten bucking bars have been demonstrated to be effective against the hazardous effects of vibration white finger. This protection potentially improves the efficiency of workers. Research indicates that workers can on average save up to three seconds for each rivet.

Similar applications

Just like tungsten weights are used in reducing vibrations in powerful tools, this principle can likewise be used enhance passenger comfort by minimizing vibrations within the aircraft’s body. This principle is used mostly in helicopters and turboprops.

Tungsten alloys are invaluable for minimizing or balancing out vibration in aerospace settings. In these settings, a large mass is usually contained in spaces that are confined. The high density of tungsten materials enables the craft to be particularly balanced out even when it is loaded to its optimum. Tungsten bucking bars in aerospace provide a simple way to improve ergonomics.

By Stanford Advanced Materials

Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) Corporation is a global supplier of a series of pure metals, alloys, ceramics and minerals such as oxides, chlorides, sulfides, oxysalts, etc. Our headquarter, located in Irvine, California, USA, was first established in 1994, starting to provide high-quality rare-earth products for research and development (R&D).

[samaterials-blog]

Tungsten and Pure Tungsten Materials

What is tungsten?

Tungsten is a chemical element also referred to often as wolfram with a chemical symbol W. Its atomic number is 74 and it is a hard and rare metal which is found in earth only in chemical compounds. The free element is known for its robustness and it has the highest melting point among all the elements. Ultrapure tungsten is very hard but still very ductile, suggesting that it can be cut using a hard steel hacksaw.

  Some physicochemical properties of tungsten

Pure tungsten is steel-grey to tin-white metal.

Tungsten metal has the highest melting point and lowest vapor pressure among all the elements.

It has the highest tensile strength.

Prone to being oxidized in the air and must be protected at elevated temperatures.

Highly resistant to corrosion and thus wins many applications.

There are 5 stable isotopes and 12 unstable isotopes of natural tungsten.

  Major uses of tungsten

Tungsten as a metal has many uses. The following are some of the major uses of Tungsten:

Tungsten metal is often used to make glass and metal seals and this is due to the fact that the thermal expansion of tungsten is similar to that of borosilicate glass.

Tungsten and its alloys are used to make filaments that are used in electric lamps, television tubes and electrical contacts. These filaments are also used in heating elements-X-Ray targets etc. as well.

Calcium and magnesium tungstenates are also used in fluorescent lighting.

It is seen that tungsten carbide is used in mining, in petroleum industry and also in metalworking, etc.

Tungsten disulfide is often used as a dry high temperature lubricant in industries.

Some tungsten compounds such as tungsten bronze are used in making paints.

  Example of tungsten material: machined rod

One of the major uses of tungsten is in making machined materials, for example, tungsten rods. These rods are used in several industires for various purposes such as injection molding, machining and device technology, etc. These are even used in lighting industry because of the fact that these rods are made of tungsten and tungsten alloys which are high in quality and have excellent metal purity. Tungsten rods are made in several dimensions with the difference in diameter, length, quality, etc. depending upon its exact use. Some other usages of tungsten rods and wires are in radiation shielding, medical devices, support structures for power tubes, office machinery, vacuum heating, evaporation sources in metallizing processes, etc. the fact that tungsten has good electrical and thermal conductivity, makes it such a useful metal. Moreover, tungsten has really high density which makes it capable enough to absorb radioactive radiation.

  Apart from rods and wires, tungsten is converted into many other parts such as bars, discs, sheets, plates, etc. Tungsten is also used in aerospace material making processes and in the aviation industry as well. Heavy metal alloys such as copper tungsten is used to make heat sinks which is used for a variety of purposes in many different industries.

By Stanford Advanced Materials

Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) Corporation is a global supplier of a series of pure metals, alloys, ceramics and minerals such as oxides, chlorides, sulfides, oxysalts, etc. Our headquarter, located in Irvine, California, USA, was first established in 1994, starting to provide high-quality rare-earth products for research and development (R&D).