Maraging is a combination of two processes

Maraging is a combination of two processes, martensitic and aging. They are known for their super strength and hardness without losing malleability, although it cannot retain a sharp edge. Aging comes through heat treatment. Maraging steel is very hard form of steel crystalline structure, but it can also refer to any crystal structure that is formed by displacive transformation. Together we have maraging steel.

Rickards Metals and Engineering have the expertise to recommend the proper metallurgical parameters for your job application. The common, non-stainless grades contain 17–19 wt.% nickel, 8–12 wt.% cobalt, 3–5 wt.% molybdenum, and 0.2–1.6 wt.% titanium. Addition of chromium produces stainless grades resistant to corrosion. This also indirectly increases harden-ability as they require less nickel: high-chromium, high-nickel steels are generally auestentic and unable to transform to martensite when heat treated, while lower-nickel steels can transform to martensite. Alternative variants of Ni-reduced maraging steels are based on alloys of Fe and Mn plus minor additions of Al, Ni, and Ti where compositions between Fe-9wt.% Mn to Fe-15wt.% Mn have been used. The Mn has a similar effect as Ni, i.e. it stabilizes the austenite phase. Hence, depending on their Mn content, Fe-Mn maraging steels can be fully martensitic after quenching them from the high temperature austenite phase or they can contain retained austenite. The latter effect enables the design of maraging-TRIP steels where TRIP stands for Transformation-Induced-Plasticity.

Maraging steels, 250,300, 350, 322 are popular forms of the steel. One application is making the skin or outer shell of missile and rocket engines. As an aerospace provider Rickards Metals and Engineering is perfectly understand the process.

Other applications especially in the stainless version or medical equipment like Hypodermic needles. In addition, international agencies and government alike closely follow the process because centrifuges and fissionable material handling equipment are made of Maraging steels.

Rickards Metals and Engineering is your Maraging resource.

Rickards Metals and Engineering provides technical metals engineering expertise on all high performance alloys for the aerospace, chemical processing, and any engineered environment requiring high quality and high performance  metal applications.