There are several different types of steel available for a thousand different applications. When it comes to choosing a type of steel, you need to consider the application as well as the dangers. Aerospace and subsea applications are typically the most fraught with potential danger. These types of local attacks, as they are called, can undermine the strength and integrity of your steel.
In terms of subsea local attacks, the salt, minerals, and the water itself are all dangers for your steel. Salt can create pitting and corrosion. Water facilitates rusting. For these applications, you will likely need Inconel 625 tube.
Local Attack Resistance
The tube is not only great for subsea applications since it resists corrosion and pitting; it’s also great since it resists pressure. Depending on how far underwater you intend to use your tube, the metal could face dozens of atmospheres of pressure. Your tube needs to be able to resist such pressure.
In aerospace applications, the most common local attacks are actually pretty similar, for there is a lot of moisture in the air. Unlike subsea applications, however, aerospace applications have to deal with a lack of pressure. A lack of pressure can sometimes undermine weaker steels that need the atmospheric balance to maintain their rigidity. Local attacks are not the only dangers Inconel 625 tube is rated to withstand.
Metal Creep
While stainless steel might seem like it’s an immovable material, all metals are composed of constantly moving atoms. If the steel tube remains under weight for a long time, it can begin to stretch. This result is called creep. For most steels, the rate of creep is millimeters over the course of years. However, if your application has very low tolerances, a millimeter can be devastating.
You need a trustworthy steel tube that does not decay or creep under normal conditions.
