Solder & Low-Melting Alloy WJ3
GB WJ3 · JIS H5401 WJ3
WJ3 is a lower-tin white metal to JIS H5401, a tin-antimony-copper Babbitt intended for lighter-duty bearing linings where maximum load capacity is not required.
Reference datasheet — WJ3 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.
What is WJ3?
WJ3 is a lower-tin white metal to JIS H5401, a tin-antimony-copper Babbitt intended for lighter-duty bearing linings where maximum load capacity is not required. It is supplied as ingot and applied by static or centrifugal casting, as bonded bimetal, or by metal spraying onto prepared shells. Default values are 80 MPa tensile, 46 MPa yield, 3% elongation and 27 HB, with service to about 120 °C. Elongation is the lowest of these white metals, so it tolerates less misalignment and shock; use WJ1 or WJ2 for heavily loaded, high-speed bearings. Not arc weldable. WJ3 has a density of 7.4 g/cm³ (0.267 lb/in³), lighter than 67% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 240°C (464 °F). WJ3 has a yield strength of 46 MPa (6.67 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 98% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 52 GPa (7.54 Msi).
What is WJ3 used for?
- Light machinery bearings
- Auxiliary equipment bushings
- Sprayed bearing overlays
- Bimetal bearing strip linings
- Low-speed pump bushings
- Conveyor roller bushings
Advantages
- High strength — 46 MPa (6.67 ksi), better than 98% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Stiff — 52 GPa (7.54 Msi), better than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Easy to machine — 85/100, better than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 58/100, better than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 99% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 95% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
WJ3 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
WJ3 has a density of 7.4 g/cm³ (0.267 lb/in³), lighter than 67% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 240°C (464 °F).
Mechanical11
WJ3 has a yield strength of 46 MPa (6.67 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 98% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 52 GPa (7.54 Msi).
Thermal6
WJ3 is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 52 W/m·K (30 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 22.5 µm/m·K (12.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
WJ3 conducts electricity at 8.5 % IACS, worse than 64% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (58/100), better than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of WJ3 takes about 280 MJ of energy and emits 16 kg of CO₂ — more than 65% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability8
WJ3's machinability is excellent (85/100, better than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (15/100).
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 solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. WJ3 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with WJ3
Is WJ3 easy to machine?
Bore and scrape with very sharp, high-rake tools, generous clearance and flood coolant; the alloy smears and loads tools if feeds are too light.
Can WJ3 be welded?
Not arc-weldable — repairs are made by torch/Babbitt fusion or metal spray onto a properly tinned and fluxed surface.
Can WJ3 be formed, bent or molded?
Used strictly as a cast lining: shell must be cleaned, fluxed and tinned, poured around 430–470 °C and chilled quickly to keep the SbSn cuboids fine.
WJ3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sbforms hard SbSn cuboids | 11 – 12 | 11.5 |
| Cuforms Cu6Sn5 needle skeleton | 5 – 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Pbimpurity limit | ≤ 0.35 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Asimpurity limit | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Biimpurity limit | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Znimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Alimpurity limit | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Cdimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Snbalance; tin-base white metal | ≥ 79 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on WJ3?
Finish by boring and hand scraping to the oil-film clearance; no plating or anodizing — surface is left as machined and oil-wetted.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy WJ3 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- JIS
- H5401 WJ3
How much does WJ3 cost?
WJ3 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
WJ3 — frequently asked
What is WJ3 used for?
WJ3 is typically used for light machinery bearings, auxiliary equipment bushings, sprayed bearing overlays, bimetal bearing strip linings, low-speed pump bushings and conveyor roller bushings. In short: lowest-cost JIS white metal; hardest, least ductile grade; light-duty bearing lining.
What is the yield strength of WJ3?
WJ3 has a typical yield strength of 46 MPa (6.67 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 98% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is WJ3 easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (85/100, better than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Bore and scrape with very sharp, high-rake tools, generous clearance and flood coolant; the alloy smears and loads tools if feeds are too light.
Can WJ3 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Not arc-weldable — repairs are made by torch/Babbitt fusion or metal spray onto a properly tinned and fluxed surface.
What surface finishes work on WJ3?
Finish by boring and hand scraping to the oil-film clearance; no plating or anodizing — surface is left as machined and oil-wetted.
Can WJ3 be formed, bent or molded?
Used strictly as a cast lining: shell must be cleaned, fluxed and tinned, poured around 430–470 °C and chilled quickly to keep the SbSn cuboids fine.
What is the maximum service temperature of WJ3?
WJ3 is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does WJ3 cost?
WJ3 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), 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
- JIS H 5401 White Metal — Japanese Standards Association (1958)
- ASTM B23 Standard Specification for White Metal Bearing Alloys — ASTM International (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Bearing Alloys) — 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.