Super Stainless Steel

Category

  • Bar and Rod

  • Plate and Sheet

  • Strip

  • Pipe and Tube

  • Wire

  • Welding

  • Powder Material

  • Cast Products

  • Forged Products

  • Fittings

  • Fastening

    Forms & Sizes

    Round Bar:
    φ2–500 mm, 1–6 m length

    Flat/Square Bar:
    4–100 mm thickness/width

    Hex Bar:
    A/F 3–100 mm

    Hollow Bar:
    OD 20–300 mm

    Forms & Sizes

    Sheet:
    0.3–6 mm thickness

    Medium Plate:
    6–25 mm thickness

    Heavy Plate:
    25–100 mm thickness

    Forms & Sizes

    Standard Strip:
    0.05–3 mm thick,
    10–600 mm wide

    Precision strip:
    0.01–0.5 mm thick,
    tight tolerance ±0.005 mm

    Foil:
    0.005–0.1 mm thick

    Forms & Sizes

    Seamless Tube:
    OD 6–450 mm,
    WT 1–50 mm,
    1–12 m length

    Welded Tube:
    OD 10–600 mm,
    WT 1–20 mm

    Capillary Tube:
    OD 1–10 mm,
    WT 0.1–2 mm

    Forms & Sizes

    Wire Form:
    Cold Drawn Wire,
    Bright Wire,
    Spring Wire,
    Fine Wire,
    Ultra-fine Wire

    General Diameter:
    φ0.1–10 mm

    Coil Weight:
    50–500 kg,
    customizable tolerance

    Forms & Sizes

    Solid Wire:
    φ0.8–4.0 mm

    Flux-cored Wire:
    φ1.2–4.0 mm

    Welding Rod:
    φ2.0–5.0 mm

    Forms & Sizes

    Powder Form:
    AM 3D Printing Powder,
    Spherical Powder,
    Gas-atomized Powder,
    Water-atomized Powder

    Particle Size:
    10–150 μm

    Sphericity:
    ≥90% for AM grade

    Forms & Sizes

    Cast Ingot:
    φ200–800 mm

    Precision Casting:
    min wall 0.5 mm

    Cast Pipe:
    OD 100–600 mm,
    WT 10–50 mm

    Forms & Sizes

    Forged Bar:
    Φ35–500 mm

    Forged Ring:
    OD 200–2000 mm

    Forging Weight:
    1–5000 kg

    Forms & Sizes

    Fittings Form:
    Elbow, Tee, Reducer, Flange, Cap, Outlet, Lap Joint

    Size range:
    1/2''–24'' (DN15–DN600)

    Wall thickness:
    Sch10–Sch160, STD, XS, XXS

    Pressure Class:
    150–2500 LB

    Forms & Sizes

    Fastening Form:
    Bolt, Nut, Screw, Stud, Washer, Pin, Rivet

    Metric: M3–M64

    Imperial: #4–2.5''

    Length: 6–500 mm

XM-16 Product Description

Overview

XM-16 is a titanium-, copper- and niobium-bearing martensitic age-hardenable (precipitation-hardening) stainless steel. This datasheet presents the material within the American (ASTM / ASME / AMS / UNS) standard system.

With about 12% chromium, 9% nickel, 2% copper, titanium and niobium, Custom 455 develops exceptionally high yield strength — roughly three times that of type 304 — after a single low-temperature ageing treatment, while retaining good ductility, toughness and moderate corrosion resistance. It is relatively soft and formable in the solution-treated (annealed) condition (~30–35 HRC) and has a very low work-hardening rate, permitting extensive cold forming. The dimensional change on hardening is only about −0.001 in/in, allowing close-tolerance finish machining in the annealed state.

Typical applications include aerospace structural components, shafting, valve and pump parts, fasteners, springs, and high-strength corrosion-resistant hardware.

1. Physical Properties

Typical values, H1000 condition.

Property Value Unit
Density 7.76 g/cm³
Melting range 1400–1440 °C
Elastic modulus 200 GPa
Coefficient of thermal expansion (20–100 °C) 10.2 µm/m·°C
Thermal conductivity (20 °C) 17.0 W/m·K
Specific heat (20 °C) 460 J/kg·K
Structure Martensitic (precipitation-hardening)

2. Chemical Composition (wt %)

Element Symbol Min % Max % Role in Alloy
Iron Fe Balance Base element
Chromium Cr 11.0 12.5 Corrosion resistance; martensite former
Nickel Ni 7.5 9.5 Toughness; martensite stability
Copper Cu 1.5 2.5 Precipitation-hardening phase
Titanium Ti 0.80 1.40 Precipitation-hardening phase
Niobium Nb 0.10 0.50 Carbide stabiliser; precipitation
Manganese Mn 0.50 Deoxidiser
Silicon Si 0.50 Deoxidiser
Carbon C 0.05 Low (toughness)
Phosphorus P 0.040 Residual impurity
Sulphur S 0.030 Residual impurity

3. Mechanical Properties

Typical values by ageing (H) condition, per ASTM A564 / AMS 5617 for UNS S45500.

Condition Tensile strength 0.2% Yield Hardness
H900 ≥1655 MPa (240 ksi) ≥1585 MPa (230 ksi) ~49 HRC
H950 ≥1620 MPa (235 ksi) ≥1520 MPa (220 ksi) ~48 HRC
H1000 ≥1520 MPa (220 ksi) ≥1410 MPa (205 ksi) ~44 HRC
Annealed (Condition A) ~1000 MPa (145 ksi) ~795 MPa (115 ksi) ~30–35 HRC

Confirm against the mill test report. Elongation typically ≥8–12% in hardened conditions.

4. Corrosion Resistance

Environment Performance Notes
Atmospheric / general Moderate to Good Between 17-4PH and martensitic 400-series
Mild acids Moderate At low concentrations
Chloride pitting Moderate Lower than austenitic grades
Stress-corrosion cracking Moderate Improved at higher ageing
Seawater Limited Not recommended for prolonged exposure

Corrosion resistance is moderate — adequate for many structural applications but below the higher-chromium PH grades; the alloy is selected primarily for its ultra-high strength.

5. Heat Treatment

A martensitic precipitation-hardening alloy; supplied in the annealed (solution-treated) condition and hardened by a single low-temperature ageing treatment.

Solution Treatment (Condition A) Approximately 830 °C, hold, then cool to room temperature to form a soft martensitic structure (~30–35 HRC). Generally supplied solution-annealed.

Precipitation Hardening (Ageing) A single ageing treatment develops ultra-high strength: H900 (~482 °C) gives maximum strength; higher temperatures (H950, H1000) progressively lower strength while increasing toughness. Cold work prior to ageing further raises strength. Air cool after ageing; dimensional change is only about −0.001 in/in.

6. Weldability and Joining

Weldable in much the same manner as other precipitation-hardenable stainless steels; matching filler is used. A post-weld heat treatment restores full properties.

Welding Process Applicability Filler / Consumable
GTAW / TIG Good Matching Custom 455-type filler
GMAW / MIG Good Matching filler
SMAW / stick Good Matching electrode

Weld in the annealed condition; re-age after welding to restore strength.

7. Machinability and Fabrication

Machining Guidelines

Parameter Recommendation
Preferred condition Annealed (machinable in Condition A; close-tolerance possible)
Work hardening Very low rate — allows extensive cold forming
Tooling Carbide tooling; rigid setup
Coolant Ample flood coolant

Forming Processes

Process Notes
Cold forming Extensive cold forming, cold drawing, cold-heading (very low work-hardening rate)
Hot forming ~1150–950 °C; solution treat + age afterward

8. Applications

Industry Typical Components Key Requirements
Aerospace Structural fittings, shafts, actuators Ultra-high strength + fabricability
Defence High-strength structural components Strength + toughness
Sporting goods High-strength shafts (golf, etc.) Strength-to-weight
General industrial High-strength fasteners, springs Hardness + cold formability

9. Available Product Forms and Standards (ASTM / ASME System)

Product Form ASTM Standard ASME / AMS
Bar and forgings ASTM A564 grade XM-16 ASME SA-564 / AMS 5617
Wire ASTM A580 (XM-16) AMS 5672
Plate, sheet and strip ASTM A693 grade XM-16 AMS 5860
Welded tubing AMS 5578

Titanium-, copper- and niobium-bearing martensitic precipitation-hardening stainless steel. UNS S45500.

10. Comparison with Related Alloys (XM Designation System)

XM Grade Type Cr % Ni % Best Used For
XM-16 Martensitic PH (Custom 455) 11–12.5 7.5–9.5 Ultra-high-strength PH; fabricable
XM-25 Martensitic PH (Custom 450) 14–16 5–7 PH with 304-like corrosion resistance (different type)
XM-13 Martensitic PH (PH 13-8Mo) 12.25–13.25 7.5–8.5 Highest-toughness PH (different type)
XM-12 Martensitic PH (15-5PH) 14–15.5 3.5–5.5 High-strength PH (different type)
XM-27 Ferritic 25–27.5 Corrosion-resistant ferritic (different type)

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