Non magnetic spring metal

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Hi there,

My metallurgy knowledge is not so great.
Does anybody know if there is a spring material with the following properties:

1. Non magnetic
2. Not extremely expensive

I am looking at the possibility of making a spring similar to a wind up clock with no magnetic effect.

I know of people that have just used 316 stainless, but that is only for limited movement and vulnerable to fatigue

Thankyou

Gavin

 

[NickE]

You have some mutually exclusive goals in mind: (WRT Sring Matls')

1) Non-Magnetic -- thus you cannot use any Fe-Based Matl'

2) Inexpensive -- So the Ni based alloys are out, so are any other exotic alloys.

3) Good Fatigue life -- So all the austenitic alloys are out (they will turn magnetic when engouh CW is present to make them springy)

Otherwise I would reccommend Inconel x750

nick

 

[mcguire]

Titanium would be cheaper than Inconel. Austenitic alloys, such as 310, can be cold worked to high yield strength without martensite transformation, so they would stay non-magnetic. Beryllium copper is another candidate, as would be some bronzes.

 

[EdStainless]

Some of the austenitic stainless alloys are stable enough to cold work to high strength and not get transformation. 309/310 come to mind.
For good strength you will need to spend some money. High Ni alloys are the way to go. You don't need a fancy age hardening alloy.
I will hunt for my spring wire handbook.

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