Which company stocks internal retaining rings in exotic materials? 1

[Mech5656]

Hello All,

Can you please tell me if you know of any company that can provide this retaining ring in either monel 400, inconel or 300 series SST? I need this in 2-3 days so preferably someone who has it in stock.

 

[EdStainless]

We used to buy these in Monel K500 and 625.
When I tried looking up the supplier I can't figure out who owns them today.
Unless this is a very dry application don't use 316.
It would be heavily cold worked and the risk of CSCC is too real.
You might also consider using 17-4PH or X750 as alloy options if that helps.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[3DDave]

That's more in line with a waterjet company and a source of material ground to the correct thickness, but 2-3 days is a stretch.

I assume you started with Smalley?

 

[Mech5656]

Smalley is quoting 30 days lead time minimum. Which is too long.

 

[BrianE22]

Waldes Truarc?

 

[TugboatEng]

Have you considered substituting other forms such as spiral wound?

 

[TheTick]

Smalley is quoting 30 days lead time minimum. Which is too long.

It's the New Normal.

 

[EdStainless]

That is a large thin ring.
You could waterjet them, but first you have to find sheet the correct thickness and strength.
A month is about right.
Is this for a customer or just inhouse use?
If inhouse I would take a piece of wire and lay it in a groove milled in a mild steel plate.
And then hammer it flat enough to fit in the groove.
I have high alloy wire.
Heck 625 TIG wire would work.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[Jboggs]

Waldes Truarc was always the name in retaining rings. They were purchased by Rotor Clip.
You might need a specialty aerospace and military manufacturer.

 

[btrueblood]

What Ed said. Alternatively, you could buy stainless strip from McMaster and wind your own ring. Buy the right thickness and length, and mill or grind the width to suit, then wind it on an i.d. mandrel to form the ring. Might take a few tries to get the mandrel to be "just right" for forming a specific size, but not too tough if you have access to a lathe with a grooving or cutoff tool.

 

[Mech5656]

Hello btrueblood, Jboggs, EdStainless, TheTick, BrianE22 & 3DDave:

Thank you so much for replying to this post and helping me. Your feedback is very helpful. I was able to find this retaining ring in 316 SST material from Smalley. They had it on their shelf (luckily). However, I have material compatibility question now. This ring is used in a pump that is pumping "water with petroleum hydrocarbons" pumping at 180F max temperature. The pump OEM recommendation is to use Monel 400 material ring. However, I can only find 316 SST material ring. Am I heading for trouble? 316 SST is corrosion resistant (that much I know). What do you think? Would you go with 316SST instead of Monel 400?

 

[EdStainless]

If there is any water (even ppm levels) in the fluid don't use it.
316 is barely corrosion resistant and even trace Cl- will be the end of it.
These rings are high strength and stress very near yield.
M400, K500, C276, 625, X750
Even a PH stainless with high temp aging (over 1050F) would be a better option.
What happens when the ring breaks?

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[Jboggs]

The manufacturer that recommended Monel 400 should be able to help you find one, or an acceptable substitute.

 

[TugboatEng]

You could possibly weld the part into the housing and deal with it later.

 

[3DDave]

Let a guy have a welder and every problem ...

 

[Mech5656]

Hello All, sorry for late reply.
I went head and used 316SST material retaining ring in this service (“water with petroleum hydrocarbons" pumping at 180F max temperature), also called produced water. This was against OEM recommendation of monel (highly exotic and hard to find material with high price). I will report here how long it lasts (as a learning lesson). Thank you all!