MT Magazine July/August 2023

LAMARKABLES

THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE

30

Nickel Alloy (Inconel) Lore BY STEPHEN LAMARCA TECHNOLOGY ANALYST

Let’s Take a Look at Some Notable Nickel Alloys Take German silver, for example. The name is pretty misleading because it’s neither German nor silver. Back in China, there was this naturally occurring ore composition called “paktong” or “baitong”

Inconel and nickel alloys are seriously impressive, but most people don’t realize just how old they are. The Inconel family has been around for over 90 years, and fun fact: “Inconel”

is actually a trademarked name. I discovered this at IMTS 2022 when an additive company I was interviewing refused to use the word and instead called it “nickel 718” and “nickel 625” because the trademark had previously caused them trouble. Can you believe it? I mean, come on. It’s been around for more than 20 years. Don’t trademarks expire or something? Well, turns out trademarks stick around as long as the owner keeps using them. Thanks, Legal Zoom, for that tidbit of info.

that people smelted into an alloy. Some German metallurgists then recreated this composition, and that’s how it got the name “German silver.” But it’s about 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. No silver at all! It’s basically just nickel brass. Watchmakers love using it in haute horlogerie (fancy watchmaking), probably for its silvery luster.

1905 Robert Crooks Stanley discovers Monel and names it after Inco’s first chairman, Ambrose Monell. Also, two Krupp engineers develop 304 stainless steel, which contains at least 8% nickel.

1914-1945 Monel is used for U.S. military dog tags.

1935-1939 Inco becomes the

1952 Inco trademarks “Incoloy,” which is basically Inconel alloyed with iron to create an austenitic stainless steel that doesn’t require heat treatment.

provider of over 80% of the nickel consumed in the world.

1902 Inco is founded through a joint venture between Canadian Copper, Orford Copper, and American Nickel Works.

1932 Inco

trademarks “Inconel” in December.

1906 Monel is patented.

1929 The Guardian Building is

1921 Monel is trademarked.

1928 Inco merges with British owned Mond Nickel Co., and construction of the Guardian Building in Detroit begins.

completed, and its entrance hall boasts an art deco gate made of Monel.