When comparing resistance wire options, it can sometimes be difficult to understand the differences between the materials on the market today. Iron chrome aluminum alloy wire has become an incredibly popular option for a wide variety of applications, thanks to the benefits it offers to users.
Iron chrome aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy wire is a high-resistance material that can be used at operating temperatures of up to 1,400°C.
With such a wide variety of applications, it’s no surprise that iron chrome aluminum is so commonly used by manufacturers today. Here we’re going to take an in-depth look into iron chrome aluminum alloy wire and the production process that’s used to create this type of alloy wire. We’ll also compare the various fecral alloy wire brand options to help you understand which is the most suitable for your needs.
FeCrAl Alloy Wire
Iron chrome aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy wire is a high-resistance wire that can be used at temperatures of up to 1,400°C. These alloys have a higher surface loading capability than other materials and offer higher resistivity and lower density compared to nickel chrome (NiCr). This means FeCrAl alloy wire can be used at a higher temperature while also offering a longer lifespan.
This family of iron-chromium-aluminum alloys can be used for a wide range of applications, thanks to their ability to withstand higher temperatures and offer improved electric resistance. Typically these alloys are used in furnaces for heat treatment and within the electronics and steel industries.
FeCrAl alloy wire is an excellent electrical insulator, and the material forms a light grey aluminum oxide when it’s used at temperatures over 1,000°C. This helps to protect devices from short-circuiting. You’ll find that iron chrome aluminum alloy wire comes in a variety of products from various brands, offering various uses and benefits depending on your needs.
Benefits of FeCrAl alloy wire include a high maximum temperature, high surface load, and high resistivity. On top of that, they offer a long service life, low density, and sulfur resistance.
Examples of places you can expect to find these wires used include within the heating elements of toasters, hot plates, and industrial furnaces and kilns. Depending on the operating temperature of the device, you’ll find different options on offer to fit your temperature requirements.
Here at Sundear, you’ll find we offer a wide selection of resistance wire products, which we’ll discuss later on. We are excited to share with you this excellent product and offer you more information about how it can assist with your future appliance production projects.
How Is Iron Chrome Aluminum (FeCrAl) Alloy Wire Made?
At Xinda, all of our FeCrAl alloy wire products are made with high-quality materials to ensure they have a long life and are of the highest quality. The production process begins by smelting ingot, which is then rolled out to create the wire. The wire is drawn from a thickness of 4mm to 0.03mm.
The next stage of the process involves soft annealing, which is a heat treatment process used to increase the ductility of the metal. A critical part of the production process is quality control, and we ensure that all of the products we stock have been through extensive testing processes and are designed to last for many years.
Quality control begins while smelting ingot to thin wire, and there is a standard that must be met in order for the production process to continue. The step-by-step quality control process ensures everything from the raw material to the finished product meets our high standards and that you receive a stable and high-quality finished wire product.
Brands of Iron Chrome Aluminum (FeCrAl) Alloy Wire
When it comes to comparing your resistance wire options, you’ll notice there are a few different choices for FeCrAl alloy wire. Depending on the type of appliances you are creating, you may need a different maximum continuous operating temperature, which is one of the key differences between the various options we stock here at Sundear.
To help you select the best wire option for your needs, we will break down the various options on offer for you. Here we will detail the different properties of each wire, so you can understand the advantages of each one and its intended use.
0Cr19Al3/0Cr17al4
0Cr19Al3 has a maximum continuous operating temperature of 1100°C and offers a density of 7.35g/cm3. All of the wire options listed here today have a similar hardness of between 200-260 HV, but 0Cr19Al3 is known for its high resistance rate. It’s primarily recommended for use with a quartz heating tube or a tubular heating element. It’s an economical option that’s mainly used in fast response heating elements.
0Cr13Al4
Offering high resistance, a high operating temperature, and a low-temperature coefficient, 0Cr13Al4 is ideal for industrial electric furnaces and household electrical appliances. It offers a lower price option than some of the other solutions on our list and has good corrosion resistance under high temperatures.
0Cr21Al6
With a maximum continuous operating temperature of 1200°C, 0Cr21Al6 is useful for appliances and offers high resistivity and low-density wiring. It’s often used in a ceramic heater or tubular heater. One of the benefits of this option is that it has a long service life in vulcanization and an oxidation atmosphere.
0Cr23Al5
FeCrAl 0Cr23Al5 operates at a temperature of up to 1250°C and is ideal for industrial furnace heating applications. It offers excellent oxidation resistance and is a low-temperature coefficient of electric resistivity. This heating resistance alloy offers good emissivity and nominal thermal expansion while also excellent resistance to scaling and thermal shock.
0Cr25Al5
0Cr25Al5 is primarily used for fast response heating elements and offers a high surface load with stable properties. It has a long service life even when used over many years at a high temperature and in a busy working environment. 0Cr25Al5 is ideal for industrial furnace heating devices and has a maximum continuous operating temperature of 1300°C with a melting point of 1500°C.
0Cr21Al6nb
0Cr21Al6nb has a maximum continuous operating temperature of 1350°C. You’ll find this type of wire is often used in industrial furnace heating devices or ceramic heaters. It’s a very stable option offering good oxidation.
0Cr27Al7Mo
The final option we stock here at Sundear is 0Cr27Al7Mo, which offers a maximum continuous operating temperature of 1400°C. Its service load is 30% higher than the other wire options we’ve listed, and it has the highest operating temperature of all the options we stock. It’s ideal for furnace heating devices and offers excellent resistivity.
FeCrAl Alloys vs. NiCr Alloys
One of the most commonly asked questions is in regards to the difference between FeCrAl alloys and NiCr alloys. They both have their advantages and uses, but many individuals find FeCrAl alloys offer many additional benefits that make this such an excellent resistance wire option.
FeCrAl alloys offer a high maximum temperature in air and a high surface load. These wires provide high resistivity and high yield strength, as well as a long service life. They have good oxidation properties, a low density, and sulfur resistance.
NiCr alloys have high emissivity and are non-magnetic. They offer good ductility and are corrosion resistant. Even after long-term use, you’ll find they don’t become brittle or fracture.
As with iron chrome aluminum wires, you’ll find we offer a wide selection of NiCr alloys. There are options for heating elements and tubular elements which provide high-temperature strength and good workability. Depending on your requirements, such as the need for a long service life, you’ll want to review and select the best option for your needs.
When working at higher temperatures, such as with a furnace, FeCrAl alloys are an excellent option instead of NiCr alloys. You’ll find that even with less material, you’ll enjoy a longer element life, which results in savings for production companies of these devices in the long term.
The high temperatures that FeCrAl alloys can withstand reach up to 1400°C, which is much higher than NiCr alloys, which can only operate in up to 1250°C. The resistivity is also far higher with FeCrAl alloys and offers a longer lifespan than NiCr alloys. In comparison to NiCr alloys, FeCrAl alloys are less affected by heat processing and cold working temperatures.
One of the reasons for the increasing popularity of FeCrAl alloys is the fact that these alloys can last an incredible two to four times longer than NiCr alloys. Even when operated at the same temperature and atmosphere, you’ll find they last far longer, making them a good value-for-money option in the long run.
When creating smaller appliances, FeCrAl alloys are a great solution thanks to their lower weight. As FeCrAl alloy wire doesn’t include nickel, its price is almost always lower than NiCr alloys. Therefore, this lower weight and lower cost can help to make these wires a great solution for far more applications than NiCr alloys.
FeCrAl alloys offer better oxidation properties and improved adhesion properties, working as a diffusion barrier, electrical insulator, and good antioxidant.
Finally, FeCrAl alloys provide excellent sulfur resistance and can resist corrosion within various atmospheres. NiCr alloys are much more likely to erode under similar conditions, meaning they won’t last as many years.
For all of these reasons, we find iron chrome aluminum to be an excellent option for resistance wires today. They are a long lasting option with a wide selection of applications. Thanks to the extensive range of wires on offer, as we listed above, there is an option to suit every use and need.
Wide Application Range for FeCrAl Alloy Wire
As we’ve already touched on briefly, there is a great selection of iron chrome aluminum wire options on offer today. All of these resistance wire options we stock here at Sundear offer different benefits and are recommended for various applications. By understanding your needs and requirements, you can select the FeCrAl alloy wire option that works for your temperature operation requirements.
FeCrAl alloy wire is typically used for heating applications and special resistance applications. For example, it’s often used in domestic appliances and is used to create high-temperature load resistors and starting and braking resistors.
Within your home, you probably have appliances such as irons, hot plates, and electric furnaces, which would use iron chrome aluminum alloy wires. They can also be used within heavy relay switches, resistors, and lab furnaces. With wire, strip, and ribbon forms available, it’s easy to find an option at Sundear that works for your company. There are also various related objects on offer which you can purchase in conjunction with the wire.
Thanks to the flexibility, durability, and tensile strength of the material, it’s now used within the mainstream manufacturing of appliances. Toasters, kilns, and diffusion heaters all use this type of resistance wire.
One surprising use of this alloy wire option is within the heating coils of electronic cigarettes. Instead of using an alternative material option, FeCrAl alloy is used as a safer option as it can withstand the higher temperatures as needed. It’s a very flexible and inexpensive option for this type of low-cost device, so it’s a practical solution for this type of smoking device.
Regardless of what you are producing within your business, there’s an iron chrome aluminum option at Sundear to suit your needs. By selecting a thicker or thinner option, you’ll find one that works for any type of device you are manufacturing.
Iron Chrome Aluminum (FeCrAl) Alloy Wire From Xinda Heating Technology
Here at Xinda Heating Technology, we offer a wide selection of FeCrAl alloy wire options to suit any type of project or appliance. We encourage you to browse our full selection of products, which are all produced and tested to the highest quality.
As you can see, there are so many benefits of using iron chrome aluminum alloy wire, especially when compared to other resistance wire options you may be using currently. You’ll find it to be an excellent material to use at high temperatures, and the different options on offer provide something for every application.
If you need any further information about using FeCrAl alloy wire, don’t hesitate to contact our team. We will be happy to answer your questions or provide you with additional advice about using this product.