Cobalt-Chrome Alloy Stellite F
Stellite F is a softer, tougher cobalt-chromium hardfacing alloy with a deliberate iron addition, sitting below the harder Stellite grades at about 43 HRC.
Reference datasheet — Stellite F is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Stellite F tempers and conditions
Stellite F is supplied in 2 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As-welded flux-coated electrode deposit | Field repair / build-up with coated electrodes; slightly lower and more variable hardness due to arc dilution. | 455 | 600 | 1.5 | 41 HRC | 1.9 % IACS |
As cast | Solid cast inserts, valve trim rings and bare cast filler rod supplied in the as-cast condition. | 470 | 650 | 2 | 42 HRC | 1.9 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Stellite F is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
PWD | Gas-atomised powder feedstock | Supply form |
AW-OAW | As-deposited oxy-acetylene (gas) welded overlay | Surface finish |
AW-PTADefault | As-welded PTA / GTAW deposit | Surface finish |
LC | Laser-clad deposit | Surface finish |
HVOF | High-velocity oxy-fuel sprayed coating | Coating |
What is Stellite F?
Stellite F is a softer, tougher cobalt-chromium hardfacing alloy with a deliberate iron addition, sitting below the harder Stellite grades at about 43 HRC. Engineers use it as a build-up or buffer layer beneath harder Stellite overlays, and where moderate wear resistance must be combined with better impact and cracking resistance; forms include PTA, GTAW, oxy-acetylene and SMAW consumables, laser cladding powder, HVOF powder and castings. Service is rated to 800 °C. Where higher abrasion resistance is required, apply Stellite 6 or 20 as the top layer. Stellite F has a density of 8.68 g/cm³ (0.314 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. It melts at 1,180°C (2,156 °F). Stellite F has a yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 77% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 215 GPa (31.2 Msi).
What is Stellite F used for?
- build-up layers before hardfacing
- impact-resistant wear surfaces
- cladding on carbon steel
Limitations
- Low strength — 480 MPa (69.6 ksi), worse than 77% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades
Stellite F properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among cobalt-chrome alloy grades.
Physical3
Stellite F has a density of 8.68 g/cm³ (0.314 lb/in³), heavier than 79% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. It melts at 1,180°C (2,156 °F).
Mechanical13
Stellite F has a yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 77% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 215 GPa (31.2 Msi).
Thermal5
Stellite F is rated for continuous service to 800°C (1,472 °F). It conducts heat at 14.5 W/m·K (8.38 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 64% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 13.8 µm/m·K (7.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Stellite F has an electrical resistivity of 9×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (72/100), worse than 61% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Stellite F takes about 215 MJ of energy and emits 15 kg of CO₂ — more than 86% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 15%.
Manufacturability7
Stellite F's machinability is not recommended (8/100, worse than 64% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades); weldability fair (50/100); formability not recommended (3/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the cobalt-chrome alloy family
Yield strength against density for every cobalt-chrome alloy grade FabDigit runs. Stellite F is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Stellite F
Is Stellite F easy to machine?
Essentially a grinding/EDM material — if turned, use rigid setups, negative-rake carbide or CBN at low speed with heavy feed to cut under the work-hardened skin.
Can Stellite F be welded?
Deposit by PTA, TIG, oxy-acetylene, laser or coated electrode with 300–500 °C preheat and slow furnace/insulated cooling to avoid transverse cracking; 2 layers needed for full undiluted properties.
Can Stellite F be formed, bent or molded?
Not cold formable; shapes are produced by casting, powder consolidation or overlay welding to near-net thickness.
Stellite F chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Cforms Cr/W carbide network | 1.6 – 2 | 1.75 |
| Cr | 23 – 27 | 25 |
| W | 11 – 13.5 | 12.5 |
| Nihigh Ni gives toughness and thermal-shock resistance | 20 – 24 | 22 |
| Fe | ≤ 3 | 2 |
| Si | ≤ 2 | 1 |
| Mn | ≤ 1 | 0.5 |
| Moresidual | ≤ 1 | |
| Cobalance, approx. 33–37 % | balance |
What surface finishes work on Stellite F?
Finish by wet grinding with green SiC/CBN wheels then lapping; takes a mirror seal face, needs no coating or plating.
How much does Stellite F cost?
Stellite F is a high-cost cobalt-chrome alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Stellite F — frequently asked
What is Stellite F used for?
Stellite F is typically used for build-up layers before hardfacing, impact-resistant wear surfaces and cladding on carbon steel. In short: tough Stellite buffer layer; iron-bearing, crack-tolerant deposit; moderate hardness at 43 HRC.
What is the yield strength of Stellite F?
Stellite F has a typical yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) — weaker than 77% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is Stellite F easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, worse than 64% of cobalt-chrome alloy grades). Essentially a grinding/EDM material — if turned, use rigid setups, negative-rake carbide or CBN at low speed with heavy feed to cut under the work-hardened skin.
Can Stellite F be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (50/100). Deposit by PTA, TIG, oxy-acetylene, laser or coated electrode with 300–500 °C preheat and slow furnace/insulated cooling to avoid transverse cracking; 2 layers needed for full undiluted properties.
What surface finishes work on Stellite F?
Finish by wet grinding with green SiC/CBN wheels then lapping; takes a mirror seal face, needs no coating or plating.
Can Stellite F be formed, bent or molded?
Not cold formable; shapes are produced by casting, powder consolidation or overlay welding to near-net thickness.
What is the maximum service temperature of Stellite F?
Stellite F is rated for continuous use to about 800°C (1,472 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Stellite F cost?
Stellite F is a high-cost cobalt-chrome alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Stellite alloy hardfacing product data (Stellite 1/6/12/F) — Kennametal Stellite (2021)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys, Cobalt-Base Wear-Resistant Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- AWS A5.21 / A5.13 — Bare and Covered Electrodes for Surfacing (CoCr class) — American Welding Society (2021)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 6 — Welding, Brazing and Soldering: Hardfacing — ASM International (1993)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.