High-strength ToughMet Alloys

Materion has more than 40 years' experience designing and commercializing alloys, including ToughMet® alloys. With their unique property sets, high-strength, copper-nickel-tin ToughMet alloys provide significant performance advantages for applications operating in harsh environments.

ToughMet alloys are lead- and beryllium-free and resist galling, corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking in sea water, chlorides and sulfides. They provide unmatched strength when compared with other high-strength copper alloys as well as anti-friction properties, lubricity, wear resistance under severe loading conditions, and they are non-magnetic.

TOUGHMENT IN END-USE APPLICATIONS

ToughMet meets demanding requirements across a range of markets, enabling advancements in aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment and energy applications.

Commerical and Defense Aerospace

ToughMet 3 alloys are used on all models of mainline commercial aircraft today. The material optimizes aircraft design, increasing reliability and improving component performance. ToughMet alloys have superior friction characteristics that make them ideal for bearings and bushings for aircraft landing gear and airfoil controls. Its properties are stable over the wide range of temperatures encountered during flight, and they can operate safely and reliably for extended periods of time in the event of lubrication failure.

ToughMet 3 alloys meet all relevant Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) and are approved for use in major commercial and military programs.

Use our Aerospace Reference Sheet to see aerospace specifications, forms and sizes for all our aerospace alloys.

Oil and Gas

The oil and gas industry requires materials that stand up in the most rugged and complex environments in the world. Delays or accidents stemming from equipment wear, malfunction or failure can have severe economic and environmental implications, so reliability of critical equipment is an absolute necessity. ToughMet 3 alloys resist saltwater corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement and chloride stress corrosion cracking better than other copper alloys. They exhibit low general weight loss in extreme chloride and high pH drilling fluids and resist moderate hydrogen sulfide environments at low pH.

Heavy Equipment

ToughMet cast and wrought alloys outperform steel, bronze and other bushing and bearing materials used in challenging, harsh environments, including surface and underground mining, forestry, construction and manufacturing equipment. When exposured to silica, coal dust, salt and other mineral particulate, ToughMet alloys have been proven to reliably extend equipment life and maintenance cycles.

Automotive

ToughMet alloys improve engine efficiency and performance when used for internal combustion powertrain components such as valve guides and bearings or electric and hybrid vehicle gear reducer and differential plain bearings and thrust washers. With its high-strength properties, component sizes can be miniaturized to save space and weight.

TOUGHMET TEMPERS

ToughMet alloys are available in plate, rod, tube, bar and wire as well as cast shapes. We offer several tempers to meet the requirements of different applications and environments.

ToughMet 2 CX90 Alloy (UNS C96970)

ToughMet 2 CX is a premium-performance, cost-effective, material solution for heavy equipment bushings and bearings. Manufactured using our EquaCast® technology, ToughMet 2 alloy enables higher yields and improved efficiencies during production. It provides attributes that far exceed those typically found in high-strength copper alloys. ToughMet 2 material offers tensile strength in excess of 105 ksi and hardness exceeding HRC 27. It also combines a low coefficient of friction with wear resistance and excellent machinability.

The material provides the same performance benefits as ToughMet 3 CX105 when used for plain sleeve, thrust or linear bearings - at a lower cost. ToughMet 2 alloys have a similar level of corrosion resistance as ToughMet 3 alloys in most environments, but with higher thermal conductivity, it protects bushing and bearing lubricants, extending maintenance cycles.

ToughMet 2 CX meets the following specifications and standards:

• ASTM B505

• UNS C96970

Download the ToughMet 2 CX data sheet to learn more.

ToughMet 3 AT Alloy (UNS C72900)

ToughMet 3 AT alloy exhibits tensile strength up to 140 ksi and retains that strength at elevated temperatures. ToughMet 3 AT alloy is used for bushings and bearings for commercial aircraft, high-performance engines, as well as mining, industrial and heavy equipment. It is also used to make oil and gas drilling hardware, including rotary steerable housings, kelly valve seats and pressure housings.

ToughMet 3 AT meets the following specifications and standards:

• ToughMet 3 AT alloy meets UNS C72900

• Rod is produced to AMS 4596, ABS 5849, MTL 4112, BMS 7-373 (Class 100 and Class 90)

• Tube is produced to AMS 4598 and ABS 5152

• Plate is produced to AMS 4595 (Plate)

Download our ToughMet 3 AT alloy data sheet to learn more.

ToughMet 3 CX Alloy (UNS C96900)

ToughMet 3 CX alloy provides tensile strength up to 120 ksi and hardness up to HRC 34 along with excellent machinability. It is used for wear plates, bushings, sleeve bearings, linear bearings and thrust bearings in industrial, off-road, mining and heavy equipment. It is also used for oil and gas drilling hardware.

ToughMet 3 CX alloy meets the UNS C96900 standard.

Download our ToughMet 3 CX alloy data sheet to learn more.

ToughMet 3 TS Alloy (UNS C72900)

ToughMet 3 TS alloy offers tensile strength up to 150 ksi and is the most wear resistant among all tempers. ToughMet 3 TS alloy tempers are commonly used in the oil and gas industry and in commercial aircraft.

ToughMet 3 TS alloys meet the following specifications and standards:

• ToughMet 3 TS alloy meets UNS C72900

• Rod is produced to AMS 4597, BMS 7-373 (Class TS) with tolerances per ASTM B249

• Tube tolerances are covered by ASTM B251

Download our ToughMet 3 TS Alloy Plate & Flat Products Data Sheet or

ToughMet 3 TS Alloy Rod, Tube & Wire Data Sheet to learn more.

To access more of our technical resources on ToughMet alloys, please visit Resources.