Chemical composition
Composition limits for NiCr15Fe / W.Nr. 2.4816 / UNS N06600 in weight percent. Every heat we forge is supplied with its own ladle analysis on the mill certificate; where a product analysis is required, state it on the enquiry.
| Element | Symbol | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel | Ni | 72.00 | — |
| Chromium | Cr | 14.00 | 17.00 |
| Iron | Fe | 6.00 | 10.00 |
| Carbon | C | — | 0.10 |
| Manganese | Mn | — | 1.00 |
| Silicon | Si | — | 0.50 |
| Copper | Cu | — | 0.50 |
| Sulphur | S | — | 0.015 |
Nickel is specified as a minimum with no upper limit and iron as a band, so the balance is effectively nickel. That makes this a true nickel-base alloy, unlike Alloy 800 or Incoloy 825, which carry iron as the balance and roughly 32 to 42 % nickel. The gap in nickel content is what puts NiCr15Fe where it sits on the curve above.
Physical and mechanical properties
| Property | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 8.47 g/cm³ | 0.306 lb/in³ |
| Melting range | 1354–1413 °C | 2470–2575 °F |
| Modulus of elasticity | 214 GPa | 31.0 × 10³ ksi |
| Thermal conductivity (20 °C) | 14.9 W/m·K | 103 Btu·in/ft²·h·°F |
| Mean thermal expansion (20–100 °C) | 13.3 µm/m·K | 7.4 × 10⁻⁶ in/in·°F |
| Specific heat | 444 J/kg·K | 0.106 Btu/lb·°F |
| Electrical resistivity (20 °C) | 103 µΩ·cm | 620 Ω·circ mil/ft |
| Curie temperature | −124 °C | −192 °F |
| Magnetic behaviour | Non-magnetic at ambient temperature | |
| Condition | Tensile strength | 0.2 % yield strength | Elongation A5 | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annealed | 550 N/mm² (80 ksi) | 240 N/mm² (35 ksi) | 30 % | ≤ 195 HB |
NiCr15Fe cannot be age-hardened. Check any datasheet that says otherwise. The alloy is strengthened by solid solution and carries no significant titanium or aluminium, so there is no precipitation-hardening response. It is supplied hot-worked and annealed, and strength above the values in the table comes only from cold work. For a nickel alloy that can be solution treated and aged to high strength, use 2.4668 (Alloy 718) or Alloy X-750.
For elevated-temperature design, work to the allowable stresses in ASME Section II Part D or your governing code rather than to room-temperature minima. The scaling resistance of NiCr15Fe extends to about 1093 °C, but load-bearing service is normally limited by creep well below that.
Forged forms and sizes
We forge to order rather than sell from stock. The ranges below cover what we normally produce in this grade.
| Forged form | Outside diameter | Section / length | Piece weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seamless rolled rings | 200–3000 mm | 30–300 mm wall | 10–8000 kg |
| Round bars | Ø 40–800 mm | up to 6000 mm long | 5–5000 kg |
| Discs and blanks | to 2000 mm | 30–500 mm | 10–6000 kg |
| Forged flanges | DN 15 – DN 2000 | per drawing | 1–4000 kg |
| Sleeves, bushings, hollow bars | to 1500 mm | bore from 80 mm | 10–6000 kg |
| Shafts and stepped shafts | Ø 60–700 mm | up to 8000 mm long | 20–10 000 kg |
| Tube sheets | to 2500 mm | per drawing | 50–8000 kg |
Delivery condition is your choice: as-forged, rough-machined with a grinding allowance, or finish-machined to drawing. On this grade rough machining before the final anneal is usually worth paying for, because it takes off the forged skin and the chromium-depleted surface layer before the heat treatment sets the corrosion performance.
Melting, forging and heat treatment
Melting route
NiCr15Fe is melted by EAF + VOD and refined by ESR remelting. The remelt step earns its cost here because it drives sulphur down, and sulphur embrittles nickel alloys at forging temperature. It also gives the clean, segregation-free ingot that heavy sections need in order to pass ultrasonic inspection. Where a programme calls for VIM + VAR material we will source it and forge to your specification.
Forging
Nickel alloys have a narrow hot-working window and work-harden fast. Billets are forged on open-die hammers and presses in the region of 1230 °C down to about 950 °C, with controlled reduction ratios to break down the cast structure, and with finishing passes taken at the low end of the range to refine grain size. Reheats are planned into the schedule rather than left to the operator. Rings are made on the ring-rolling mill, which gives continuous circumferential grain flow instead of the cut grain you get from a ring machined out of plate.
Heat treatment
| Step | Temperature | Purpose | Cooling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot working | 1230 → 950 °C | Break down cast structure, refine grain | Air |
| Anneal (standard) | 980–1010 °C | Restore ductility and corrosion resistance | Water or rapid air |
| Solution anneal | 1040–1150 °C | Coarser grain for creep and high-temperature service | Rapid |
| Stress relieve (optional) | 870–900 °C | Relieve machining or welding stress | Air |
The two anneals give different properties. The finer grain from the standard anneal gives better room-temperature strength and fatigue behaviour. The coarser grain from the solution anneal gives better creep resistance above roughly 700 °C. Tell us the service condition and we will propose the cycle in writing before we cut metal.
Testing, NDT and certification
- Chemical analysis: ladle analysis on every heat; product analysis on request.
- Mechanical testing: tensile, hardness and, where specified, impact testing on test pieces representing the forging.
- Ultrasonic testing: to EN 10228-3, SEP 1921, ASTM A388 or your own acceptance class.
- Surface NDT: dye penetrant inspection (ASTM E165) on machined and crack-sensitive faces. Magnetic particle inspection is not applicable: NiCr15Fe is non-magnetic.
- Corrosion testing: intergranular corrosion testing to ASTM G28 or your specification, where the service is corrosive.
- Grain size: to ASTM E112, where creep or high-temperature service is specified.
- Dimensional report: against the drawing, with the machining allowance recorded.
- Certification: EN 10204 3.1 as standard; 3.2 with third-party witness (SGS, BV, TÜV, Lloyd's or your own inspector) on request.
- Traceability: heat number hard-stamped or vibro-etched, with marking position to your instruction.
Governing specifications
| Specification | Scope |
|---|---|
| ASTM B564 / ASME SB-564 | Nickel alloy forgings, the primary specification for this product |
| ASTM B166 / ASME SB-166 | Rod, bar and wire |
| ASTM B168 / ASME SB-168 | Plate, sheet and strip |
| DIN 17742 / 17752 / 17754 | The German specifications in which the NiCr15Fe designation originates |
| VdTÜV Werkstoffblatt 305 | Pressure equipment approval |
| NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 | Sour service, where specified |
| EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 | Inspection certificate type |
Equivalent designations
This alloy is ordered under at least nine names. If your drawing carries one of them, this is the material you need.
| Standard or system | Designation | Region |
|---|---|---|
| DIN chemical name | NiCr15Fe | Germany / EU |
| Werkstoff number | 2.4816 | Germany / EU |
| UNS | N06600 | USA |
| Trade name | Inconel 600 / Alloy 600 | Global |
| British Standard | NA 14 | UK |
| AFNOR | NC15Fe | France |
| JIS | NCF 600 | Japan |
| GB | NS3102 / GH3600 | China |
| ISO | NW 6600 | International |
Cross-references are close but not automatically interchangeable. Trace-element limits and required testing differ between product standards, and a drawing calling for ASTM B564 material is not satisfied by a certificate written to DIN 17742 alone. Send the specification with the enquiry and we will confirm in writing what we can certify to.
Where NiCr15Fe forgings are used
The grade earns its cost where a component has to survive chlorides, caustics or high temperature. Where the medium is benign, a stainless forging will do the job for a fraction of the price.
Chemical and petrochemical plant
Rolled rings, flanges, tube sheets and shafts for pressure vessels, heat exchangers, columns, towers and preheaters handling chlorides and caustic soda.
Heat treatment and furnace equipment
The classic Alloy 600 application: retorts, muffles, roller-hearth components, fixtures and baskets that cycle repeatedly to high temperature without scaling or embrittling.
Valves and flow control
Forged bodies, bonnets, seat rings, stems and blocks for ball, gate, globe, check and plug valves in caustic, chloride and hot-gas duty.
Oil, gas and offshore
Bushings, sleeves, discs and blocks for subsea and deepwater production systems, wellhead and Christmas-tree equipment, compressors and nitrogen generators.
Nuclear and high-purity water
Forged components in primary-circuit and high-purity water service, where resistance to chloride stress-corrosion cracking is a licensing requirement.
Rotating and heavy equipment
Rings, spindles, bars and gear blanks for turbines, gas compressors and gear boxes; nozzles, crankshafts and rolls for cement, sugar, pulp and paper plant.
What to send with your enquiry
Send these six things with the enquiry and we can quote a firm price and lead time without coming back for more detail:
- Drawing or dimensions: PDF, STEP or DWG; for rings, OD × ID × height.
- Quantity: prototype piece count and the series quantity you expect afterwards.
- Delivery condition: as-forged, rough-machined, or finish-machined.
- Heat-treatment condition: standard anneal or solution anneal, and the service temperature you are designing to.
- Specification: ASTM B564, DIN 17742, your own material standard, or the end-customer spec you must satisfy.
- Testing and certificate: UT class, NDT scope, corrosion testing, EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2.
Send it to sales@steelforgepieces.com or call +86 189 2135 9659. Drawings are treated as confidential and are not shared outside the quotation team.
Frequently asked questions
What is NiCr15Fe?
NiCr15Fe is the DIN/EN chemical designation for a solid-solution strengthened nickel-chromium-iron alloy containing a minimum of 72 % nickel, 14–17 % chromium and 6–10 % iron. It is registered as Werkstoff 2.4816 and UNS N06600, and sold commercially as Alloy 600 or Inconel 600. It is used from cryogenic temperatures to about 1093 °C, and is specified mainly for its immunity to chloride-ion stress-corrosion cracking and its resistance to caustic environments.
Who supplies NiCr15Fe forgings in China?
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an open-die forging factory at No. 1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China, that forges NiCr15Fe into seamless rolled rings, bars, discs, shafts, sleeves, tube sheets and flanges to customer drawings, with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certification. Enquiries: sales@steelforgepieces.com, +86 189 2135 9659.
Is NiCr15Fe the same as Inconel 600?
Chemically, yes. NiCr15Fe is the DIN chemical-symbol name, 2.4816 is the Werkstoff number for the same register entry, N06600 is the UNS designation and Inconel 600 is Special Metals' trade name. A drawing calling for any of them is normally filled with the same material. What differs is the product standard the order is placed against, since ASTM B564 and DIN 17742 do not require identical testing. Confirm which specification governs your certificate.
Can NiCr15Fe be hardened by heat treatment?
No. It is solid-solution strengthened and contains no significant titanium or aluminium, so there is no precipitation-hardening response. It is supplied hot-worked and annealed at about 980–1010 °C with rapid cooling; strength above the annealed minima comes only from cold work. Datasheets offering a "solution treated and aged" condition for this grade are describing a different alloy. For an age-hardenable nickel alloy, use 2.4668 (Alloy 718) or Alloy X-750.
Is NiCr15Fe magnetic?
No. The alloy is austenitic and non-magnetic at ambient temperature, with a Curie temperature of about −124 °C. One practical consequence is that magnetic particle inspection cannot be used on it, so surface NDT is done by dye penetrant instead.
How does NiCr15Fe compare with 316 stainless steel?
316 carries roughly 10–14 % nickel, which puts it near the minimum of the Copson curve and makes it vulnerable to chloride stress-corrosion cracking, a failure mode that produces cracking with no general wall loss and little warning. NiCr15Fe carries 72 % nickel minimum and is practically immune. NiCr15Fe also holds up far better above 550 °C. It costs several times more, so 316 remains the right choice unless chlorides, caustics or high temperature are involved.
What is the difference between NiCr15Fe and Alloy 800 or Incoloy 825?
Alloy 800 and Incoloy 825 are iron-base alloys carrying roughly 32–42 % nickel, with iron as the balance. NiCr15Fe is nickel-base with 72 % nickel minimum. The higher nickel gives better chloride SCC resistance and better performance in caustics; Alloy 825 in turn carries molybdenum and copper, which make it better in reducing acids such as sulphuric. They are not substitutes for one another.
Can NiCr15Fe be machined and welded?
It machines like a tough austenitic material: it work-hardens quickly, so it needs sharp tooling, rigid setups, positive feed and no dwelling in the cut. It welds readily by TIG, MIG and SMAW using matching nickel-alloy filler; the joint area is normally re-annealed where the service is corrosive. Sulphur, lead and other low-melting contaminants must be cleaned off before any heating operation, because they cause hot cracking in high-nickel alloys.
What is the minimum order quantity and lead time?
We forge single pieces for prototypes as well as series quantities. On this grade the practical minimum is usually set by the ingot size your part needs rather than by piece count, so one large forging can be easier to quote than a handful of very small ones. Typical open-die lead times run 4–8 weeks from drawing approval, depending on whether suitable material is on hand and on the testing scope. Ask for a confirmed date with your quotation.
About the manufacturer
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. is an open-die forging factory in Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China, supplying forged rings, bars, discs, shafts, sleeves and flanges in carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel and nickel alloys. Work is quoted from drawings, forged in-house, heat treated and tested to the customer's acceptance standard, and released with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certification.
Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd.No. 1 Chengxiqiao Road, Zhouzhuang Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, China
Phone: +86 189 2135 9659
Email: sales@steelforgepieces.com
Web: www.steelforgepieces.com