Steel AerMet 310
AerMet 310 is a cobalt-nickel secondary-hardening ultra-high-strength steel, a higher-strength derivative of AerMet 100 that reaches about 2140 MPa tensile and 1960 MPa yield at 57 HRC while retaining usable fracture toughness.
Reference datasheet — AerMet 310 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 A900 condition
AerMet 310 tempers and conditions
AerMet 310 is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. A900 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Mill-supplied soft condition (~40 HRC max) for rough machining before final heat treatment. | 1,030 | 1,280 | 15 | 39 HRC | — |
Normalized | Intermediate homogenizing/grain-refining step before annealing or hardening; not a delivery condition for finished parts. | 1,270 | 1,650 | 11 | 50 HRC | 2.5 % IACS |
As-quenched + cryogenic | Transient condition after 885 °C austenitize, oil quench and −73 °C cryogenic soak; must be aged before service. | 1,480 | 1,900 | 8 | 55 HRC | 2.4 % IACS |
Hardened + aged 496 °C (925 °F) 5 h | Slightly overaged for higher fracture toughness and ductility where damage tolerance governs. | 1,860 | 2,070 | 11 | 55 HRC | 2.7 % IACS |
A900Default Hardened + aged 482 °C (900 °F) 5 h, air cool | Standard aerospace heat treatment giving the nominal ~310 ksi strength with usable K_IC — the design condition for landing gear and structural parts. | 1,960 | 2,140 | 10 | 57 HRC | — |
Hardened + aged 468 °C (875 °F) 5 h | Choose when maximum tensile/yield strength is required and fracture toughness demand is moderate. | 2,000 | 2,210 | 9 | 58 HRC | 2.7 % IACS |
What is AerMet 310?
AerMet 310 is a cobalt-nickel secondary-hardening ultra-high-strength steel, a higher-strength derivative of AerMet 100 that reaches about 2140 MPa tensile and 1960 MPa yield at 57 HRC while retaining usable fracture toughness. It is chosen for landing gear and highly loaded aircraft structure where section size and weight must be minimised, and is supplied as bar, billet and closed-die forgings. It is not stainless, so it requires a protective coating system; service is limited to about 400 °C and machinability is poor (score 15). AerMet 100 is the nearest alternative when toughness margin outweighs peak strength. AerMet 310 has a density of 8 g/cm³ (0.289 lb/in³), heavier than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). AerMet 310 has a yield strength of 1,960 MPa (284 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,140 MPa (310 ksi) — stronger than 100% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 194 GPa (28.1 Msi).
What is AerMet 310 used for?
- landing gear
- arresting hooks
- high-load aircraft structural parts
Advantages
- High strength — 1,960 MPa (284 ksi), better than 100% of steel grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 25/100, better than 92% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 7.5 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 99% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 15/100, worse than 98% of steel grades
- Limited formability — 8/100, worse than 97% of steel grades
- Poor heat conductor — 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 10%, worse than 91% of steel grades
AerMet 310 properties
Typical room-temperature values for AerMet 310-A900; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
AerMet 310 has a density of 8 g/cm³ (0.289 lb/in³), heavier than 95% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical15
AerMet 310 has a yield strength of 1,960 MPa (284 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,140 MPa (310 ksi) — stronger than 100% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 194 GPa (28.1 Msi).
Thermal6
AerMet 310 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 96% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.3 µm/m·K (6.28 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
AerMet 310 has an electrical resistivity of 6.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is poor (25/100), better than 92% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of AerMet 310 takes about 100 MJ of energy and emits 7.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 99% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 20%.
Manufacturability7
AerMet 310's machinability is poor (15/100, worse than 98% of steel grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability not recommended (8/100).
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 steel family
Yield strength against density for every steel grade FabDigit runs. AerMet 310 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with AerMet 310
Is AerMet 310 easy to machine?
Rough machine in the annealed (~40 HRC) condition; finish machining at 55–58 HRC needs rigid setups, ceramic/CBN or coated carbide, low speeds and generous coolant, with grinding for final tolerances.
Can AerMet 310 be welded?
GTAW or electron-beam welding with matching filler and no preheat is practical; re-solution + re-age (or at least re-age) after welding to restore properties, and keep hydrogen and moisture out.
Can AerMet 310 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work only (forge ~1100–1150 °C, finish above 900 °C); essentially no cold formability at hardened strength levels.
AerMet 310 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.23 – 0.27 | 0.25 |
| Co | 14.5 – 15.5 | 15 |
| Ni | 10.7 – 11.3 | 11 |
| Cr | 2.2 – 2.6 | 2.4 |
| Mo | 1.2 – 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Mnresidual | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Siresidual | ≤ 0.1 | |
| P | ≤ 0.01 | |
| S | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on AerMet 310?
Not stainless — protect with low-hydrogen cadmium, IVD aluminium or HVOF coatings; bake at 190 °C after any electroplating or pickling to avoid hydrogen embrittlement, and shot peen high-stress fillets.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on steel 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).
Organic Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
How much does AerMet 310 cost?
AerMet 310 is a high-cost steel ($$$$), 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.
AerMet 310 — frequently asked
What is AerMet 310 used for?
AerMet 310 is typically used for landing gear, arresting hooks and high-load aircraft structural parts. In short: highest-strength AerMet grade; 310 ksi tensile class; toughness at extreme strength.
What is the yield strength of AerMet 310?
AerMet 310 has a typical yield strength of 1,960 MPa (284 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,140 MPa (310 ksi) — stronger than 100% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is AerMet 310 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (15/100, worse than 98% of steel grades). Rough machine in the annealed (~40 HRC) condition; finish machining at 55–58 HRC needs rigid setups, ceramic/CBN or coated carbide, low speeds and generous coolant, with grinding for final tolerances.
Can AerMet 310 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). GTAW or electron-beam welding with matching filler and no preheat is practical; re-solution + re-age (or at least re-age) after welding to restore properties, and keep hydrogen and moisture out.
What surface finishes work on AerMet 310?
Not stainless — protect with low-hydrogen cadmium, IVD aluminium or HVOF coatings; bake at 190 °C after any electroplating or pickling to avoid hydrogen embrittlement, and shot peen high-stress fillets.
Can AerMet 310 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work only (forge ~1100–1150 °C, finish above 900 °C); essentially no cold formability at hardened strength levels.
What is the maximum service temperature of AerMet 310?
AerMet 310 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between AerMet 310-A900 and AerMet 310-ANN?
A900 is the default condition — standard aerospace heat treatment giving the nominal ~310 ksi strength with usable K_IC — the design condition for landing gear and structural parts. ANN: mill-supplied soft condition (~40 HRC max) for rough machining before final heat treatment. Yield strength is 1,960 MPa in A900 versus 1,030 MPa in ANN.
How much does AerMet 310 cost?
AerMet 310 is a high-cost steel ($$$$), 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
- AerMet 310 Alloy technical datasheet — Carpenter Technology Corporation (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1: Properties and Selection — Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- MMPDS-17 (ultra-high-strength steel chapter, AerMet-class data) — Battelle/FAA (2022)
- AMS 6532 / AMS 6478 (AerMet-family Co-Ni ultra-high-strength steel bar and forgings) — SAE International (2019)
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.