Nickel Alloy Inconel 603
UNS N06603
Inconel 603 (UNS N06603) is a high-chromium nickel alloy with aluminium and yttrium additions that form an adherent alumina scale for oxidation and carburization resistance in furnace and combustion service.
Reference datasheet — Inconel 603 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.
Values for the ANN condition
Inconel 603 tempers and conditions
Inconel 603 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. ANN is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hot Rolled + Annealed + Pickled plate | Thick plate (≥5 mm) for radiant tubes, muffles and furnace retorts, supplied descaled. | 330 | 690 | 42 | 178 HB | 1.4 % IACS |
ANNDefault Annealed | Standard stocked condition for sheet, plate, bar and tube used in furnace and combustion hardware. | 340 | 700 | 45 | 180 HB | — |
Cold Rolled + Annealed sheet / strip | Thin gauge (<5 mm) for burner liners, baskets, muffle and fixture fabrication where forming is required. | 350 | 710 | 45 | 185 HB | 1.4 % IACS |
As-welded deposit | Property basis for fabricated furnace assemblies welded with matching Ni-Cr-Al or 617/601-type filler and used without PWHT. | 380 | 660 | 30 | 195 HB | 1.4 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Choose for closer dimensional tolerance and higher room-temperature strength in shafts, pins and small tubes. | 600 | 850 | 25 | 22 HRC | 1.4 % IACS |
What is Inconel 603?
Inconel 603 (UNS N06603) is a high-chromium nickel alloy with aluminium and yttrium additions that form an adherent alumina scale for oxidation and carburization resistance in furnace and combustion service. It is used for furnace and heat-treating hardware in ANN, HR-ANN, CR-ANN, CD and AW conditions, as sheet, strip, bar and fabricated assemblies. Annealed properties are 340 MPa yield, 700 MPa tensile, 45% elongation and 180 HB (88 HRB), with a maximum service temperature of 1150 °C. Machinability (score 20) and weldability (score 55) are both limited by the aluminium content; alloy 601 or 602-type grades are the nearest alternatives. Inconel 603 has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 97% of nickel alloy grades. It melts at 1,340°C (2,444 °F). Inconel 603 has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 63% of nickel alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
What is Inconel 603 used for?
- furnace muffles and retorts
- heat-treating baskets
- radiant tube heaters
- high-temperature fixtures
Advantages
- High service temperature — 1,150°C (2,102 °F), better than 95% of nickel alloy grades
Inconel 603 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Inconel 603-ANN; bars are the position among nickel alloy grades.
Physical3
Inconel 603 has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 97% of nickel alloy grades. It melts at 1,340°C (2,444 °F).
Mechanical14
Inconel 603 has a yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 63% of nickel alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
Inconel 603 is rated for continuous service to 1,150°C (2,102 °F). It conducts heat at 11 W/m·K (6.36 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 60% of nickel alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 13.4 µm/m·K (7.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Inconel 603 conducts electricity at 1.4 % IACS, worse than 65% of nickel alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), better than 61% of nickel alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Inconel 603 takes about 160 MJ of energy and emits 13.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 53% of nickel alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
Inconel 603's machinability is poor (20/100, better than 53% of nickel alloy grades); weldability good (55/100); formability good (60/100).
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 nickel alloy family
Yield strength against density for every nickel alloy grade FabDigit runs. Inconel 603 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Inconel 603
Is Inconel 603 easy to machine?
Machine like a tough Ni-Cr alloy: rigid setup, positive-rake carbide, low surface speed (15–25 m/min) with heavy constant feed and flood coolant to avoid work-hardened glazing.
Can Inconel 603 be welded?
GTAW/GMAW with matching 603-type or Ni-Cr-Co (617/601) filler; clean off aluminum oxide before welding, keep interpass below ~150 °C and heat input low, no preheat or PWHT normally required.
Can Inconel 603 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forms in the annealed condition but work-hardens rapidly — allow interstage anneals at ~1120–1180 °C with rapid cooling; hot work at 1180–950 °C.
Inconel 603 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cr | 24 – 26 | 25 |
| Fe | 8 – 11 | 9.5 |
| Alforms protective alumina scale | 2.4 – 3 | 2.7 |
| Chigh C for creep strength | 0.2 – 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Yreactive element for scale adhesion | 0.01 – 0.15 | 0.06 |
| Ti | 0.01 – 0.25 | 0.15 |
| Zr | 0.01 – 0.1 | 0.05 |
| Si | ≤ 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.5 | 0.15 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.5 | 0.05 |
| S | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| P | ≤ 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Nibalance, 58 % min | ≥ 58 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Inconel 603?
Not anodizable; pickle or grit-blast plus pickling to remove the tenacious Al/Cr oxide, then passivate or leave bare — the service-formed alumina scale is the intended protective layer.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on nickel alloy parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Plating
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Nickel Alloy Inconel 603 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- N06603
How much does Inconel 603 cost?
Inconel 603 is a high-cost nickel 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.
Inconel 603 — frequently asked
What is Inconel 603 used for?
Inconel 603 is typically used for furnace muffles and retorts, heat-treating baskets, radiant tube heaters and high-temperature fixtures. In short: 1150 °C oxidation resistance; alumina-forming Ni-Cr alloy; carburization-resistant furnace grade.
What is the yield strength of Inconel 603?
Inconel 603 has a typical yield strength of 340 MPa (49.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 63% of nickel alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Inconel 603 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (20/100, better than 53% of nickel alloy grades). Machine like a tough Ni-Cr alloy: rigid setup, positive-rake carbide, low surface speed (15–25 m/min) with heavy constant feed and flood coolant to avoid work-hardened glazing.
Can Inconel 603 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (55/100). GTAW/GMAW with matching 603-type or Ni-Cr-Co (617/601) filler; clean off aluminum oxide before welding, keep interpass below ~150 °C and heat input low, no preheat or PWHT normally required.
What surface finishes work on Inconel 603?
Not anodizable; pickle or grit-blast plus pickling to remove the tenacious Al/Cr oxide, then passivate or leave bare — the service-formed alumina scale is the intended protective layer.
Can Inconel 603 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold forms in the annealed condition but work-hardens rapidly — allow interstage anneals at ~1120–1180 °C with rapid cooling; hot work at 1180–950 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of Inconel 603?
Inconel 603 is rated for continuous use to about 1,150°C (2,102 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Inconel 603-ANN and Inconel 603-CD?
ANN is the default condition — standard stocked condition for sheet, plate, bar and tube used in furnace and combustion hardware. CD: choose for closer dimensional tolerance and higher room-temperature strength in shafts, pins and small tubes. Yield strength is 340 MPa in ANN versus 600 MPa in CD.
How much does Inconel 603 cost?
Inconel 603 is a high-cost nickel 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
- INCONEL alloy 603XL material datasheet — Special Metals Corporation (2004)
- VDM Alloy 603 XL / Nicrofer 6025 HT class high-temperature alloys — VDM Metals (2018)
- ASTM B168 / B166 — Ni-Cr-Fe alloy plate, sheet, strip, rod and bar (UNS N06603) — ASTM International (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials — ASM International (1990)
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.