Transportation
10 Facts About the Nickel Element
Nickel (NI) is among the most abundant materials on Earth. It’s also among the most widely used material on the planet. Most nickel is located in the planet’s core, more than 1800 miles beneath the Earth’s crust. A silvery-white material with a slight gold tinge, nickel has a relative atomic mass of 58.69, a density of 8.9g / […]
Why Titanium Is Used in Aerospace Applications
Ever wondered why titanium is used in aerospace? It’s because it gives engineers a rare mix of strength, low weight, heat performance, and corrosion resistance. In aircraft design, every pound counts. But weight savings can’t come at the expense of safety, fatigue life, or certification. Which is why titanium is specified for parts where weight, […]
NASA Just Tested a Powerful New Thruster That Could One Day Send Humans to Mars
NASA’s latest propulsion experiment could reshape the future of deep-space travel. Engineers at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory recently tested a powerful lithium-fed electromagnetic thruster that may one day help carry astronauts to Mars faster and more efficiently than current spacecraft systems. A New Kind of Engine for Deep Space The experimental engine is known as a magnetoplasmadyna
Inconel Alloys VS Stainless Steel: Which is Stronger?
Are Inconel alloys stronger than stainless steel? The answer depends on how strength is measured. Tensile strength, yield strength, hardness, compressive strength, heat exposure, forming method, and treatment can all change the result. In practical terms, Inconel vs stainless steel is less about one material “winning” and more about choosing the alloy that gives the […]
NAVAIR Contract Pushes Metal Additive Manufacturing Toward Airworthy Production
A new Naval Air Systems Command contract is set to push metal additive manufacturing deeper into certified aerospace production, with direct implications for U.S. defense suppliers, specialty alloy producers, and precision fabrication teams. Colibrium Additive, a GE Aerospace company, announced on April 22 that it received a $31 million NAVAIR contract supporting the Navy’s Additive […]
Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) Explained
You’ve probably seen the abbreviation NPS on Tech Steel & Materials or similar industrial material websites. It stands for Nominal Pipe Size, the North American standard used to identify pipe sizes for systems that must handle different pressures, temperatures, and service conditions. The NPS standard is widely used across the United States in industries such […]
