Nickel Alloy Inconel 601 · supply condition
Nickel Alloy Inconel 601-CW
Properties of the CW condition, compared with the other Inconel 601 tempers.
Cold-drawn or cold-rolled without final anneal for higher room-temperature strength, straightness and closer tolerances; loses ductility and relaxes above ~600 °C.
What is Inconel 601-CW?
Inconel 601-CW is Inconel 601 supplied in the CW condition — cold-drawn or cold-rolled without final anneal for higher room-temperature strength, straightness and closer tolerances; loses ductility and relaxes above ~600 °C. Inconel 601-CW has a yield strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) and a tensile strength of 860 MPa (125 ksi) — stronger than 82% of nickel alloy grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi). Inconel 601-CW has a density of 8.11 g/cm³ (0.293 lb/in³), lighter than 76% of nickel alloy grades. It melts at 1,360°C (2,480 °F). ANN is the default condition FabDigit quotes; CW is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 33/100, better than 95% of nickel alloy grades
- High strength — 655 MPa (95 ksi), better than 82% of nickel alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 20%, worse than 77% of nickel alloy grades
Inconel 601-CW properties
Typical room-temperature values for Inconel 601-CW — 14 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every Inconel 601 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the nickel alloy grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
Inconel 601-CW has a density of 8.11 g/cm³ (0.293 lb/in³), lighter than 76% of nickel alloy grades. It melts at 1,360°C (2,480 °F).
Mechanical15
Inconel 601-CW has a yield strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) and a tensile strength of 860 MPa (125 ksi) — stronger than 82% of nickel alloy grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 206 GPa (29.9 Msi).
Thermal5
Inconel 601-CW is rated for continuous service to 600°C (1,112 °F). It conducts heat at 11.2 W/m·K (6.47 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 53% of nickel alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 13.8 µm/m·K (7.67 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Inconel 601-CW conducts electricity at 1.5 % IACS, worse than 51% of nickel alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (78/100), better than 50% of nickel alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Inconel 601-CW takes about 145 MJ of energy and emits 13 kg of CO₂ — less than 76% of nickel alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
Inconel 601-CW's machinability is poor (33/100, better than 95% of nickel alloy grades); weldability very good (78/100); formability fair (35/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other Inconel 601 tempers and conditions
Inconel 601 is also supplied in 6 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the Inconel 601 overview.
- ANNDefaultStandard stocked condition for plate, sheet, tube and bar — best ductility, formability and oxidation performance for service above 600 °C.310 MPa yield · 150 HB
- CWCold-drawn or cold-rolled without final anneal for higher room-temperature strength, straightness and closer tolerances; loses ductility and relaxes above ~600 °C.655 MPa yield · 25 HRC
- HRAs-hot-worked heavy bar and plate without final anneal — economical for machined furnace fixtures where forming ductility is not critical.330 MPa yield · 175 HB
Working with Inconel 601-CW
Is Inconel 601 easy to machine?
Machine like a gummy austenitic superalloy: rigid setups, positive-rake carbide, low speed with heavy feed, generous flood coolant and no dwelling, since the alloy work-hardens rapidly and glazes cut surfaces.
Can Inconel 601 be welded?
Readily joined by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with matching FM 601 (ERNiCrFe-11) or 82/617-type fillers; keep the joint clean of sulphur and oil, use low heat input and stringer beads, and no post-weld heat treatment is normally required.
Can Inconel 601 be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed sheet cold-forms and deep-draws well but needs roughly 1.5–2× the force of stainless and frequent interstage annealing at 1090–1180 °C; hot work in the 1090–1230 °C range with fast finishing.
What surface finishes work on Inconel 601?
Grit blast or pickle in HNO3-HF to remove the tenacious Al-Cr oxide before brazing, plating or painting; polishes to a bright finish, and a pre-oxidation heat in air builds the protective scale for high-temperature service.
Inconel 601 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Niplus cobalt in some specs | 58 – 63 | 60.5 |
| Cr | 21 – 25 | 23 |
| Alforms the protective alumina-rich sub-scale | 1 – 1.7 | 1.35 |
| C | ≤ 0.1 | 0.05 |
| Mn | ≤ 1 | 0.5 |
| Si | ≤ 0.5 | 0.25 |
| Cu | ≤ 1 | 0.3 |
| S | ≤ 0.02 | 0 |
| Fe | ≥ 13.4 (balance) | — |
Inconel 601-CW — frequently asked
What is Inconel 601-CW used for?
Inconel 601-CW is typically used for furnace retorts, thermocouple protection tubes and petrochemical furnace hardware. In short: best cyclic oxidation in 600 family; al-stabilised scale to 1200 °C; 601GC for creep-limited parts.
What is the yield strength of Inconel 601-CW?
Inconel 601-CW has a typical yield strength of 655 MPa (95 ksi) and a tensile strength of 860 MPa (125 ksi) — stronger than 82% of nickel alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is Inconel 601-CW easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (33/100, better than 95% of nickel alloy grades). Machine like a gummy austenitic superalloy: rigid setups, positive-rake carbide, low speed with heavy feed, generous flood coolant and no dwelling, since the alloy work-hardens rapidly and glazes cut surfaces.
Can Inconel 601-CW be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (78/100). Readily joined by GTAW/GMAW/SMAW with matching FM 601 (ERNiCrFe-11) or 82/617-type fillers; keep the joint clean of sulphur and oil, use low heat input and stringer beads, and no post-weld heat treatment is normally required.
What surface finishes work on Inconel 601-CW?
Grit blast or pickle in HNO3-HF to remove the tenacious Al-Cr oxide before brazing, plating or painting; polishes to a bright finish, and a pre-oxidation heat in air builds the protective scale for high-temperature service.
Can Inconel 601-CW be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed sheet cold-forms and deep-draws well but needs roughly 1.5–2× the force of stainless and frequent interstage annealing at 1090–1180 °C; hot work in the 1090–1230 °C range with fast finishing.
What is the maximum service temperature of Inconel 601-CW?
Inconel 601-CW is rated for continuous use to about 600°C (1,112 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Inconel 601-ANN and Inconel 601-CW?
ANN is the default condition — standard stocked condition for plate, sheet, tube and bar — best ductility, formability and oxidation performance for service above 600 °C. CW: cold-drawn or cold-rolled without final anneal for higher room-temperature strength, straightness and closer tolerances; loses ductility and relaxes above ~600 °C. Yield strength is 310 MPa in ANN versus 655 MPa in CW.
Sources
- INCONEL alloy 601 / 601GC product datasheet — Special Metals Corporation (2005)
- ASTM B168 — Ni-Cr-Fe alloy plate, sheet and strip (N06601) — ASTM International (2019)
- ASTM B166/B167 — Ni-Cr-Fe alloy rod, bar, wire and seamless pipe/tube — ASTM International (2019)
- VdTÜV-Werkstoffblatt / DIN material 2.4851 NiCr23Fe — DIN / VdTÜV (2014)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties of Nonferrous Alloys (heat-resistant Ni-Cr-Fe alloys) — ASM International (1990)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.