Powder Metallurgy Materials
Standard MPIF material grades we work with, including iron-based, copper-steel, nickel-steel, copper-infiltrated, and stainless steel PM materials. Technical specifications for density, hardness, tensile strength, and typical applications.
Material Selection Guide
Low Strength
Structural and magnetic parts
General Purpose
Gears and structural parts
High Strength
Automotive and heavy load
Corrosion Resistant
Medical, food, and marine
Featured Material Deep Dives
316L Stainless Steel PM
Review corrosion resistance, biocompatibility direction, density range, and finishing considerations for 316L powder metallurgy parts.
FN-0205 Iron-Nickel-Copper PM
Compare FN-0205 mechanical properties, heat-treatment direction, and common use cases in gears, power tools, and industrial assemblies.
FN-0405 High-Nickel Alloy
Review a higher-strength nickel-alloy PM route for heavy-duty gears, loaded structural parts, and heat-treated drivetrain hardware.
FN-0408 High Nickel-Copper PM
Review a stronger FN-series route that pushes nickel-copper performance higher for loaded gears, hubs, and structural PM parts.
FN-0208 Powder Metallurgy Alloy
Compare a mid-tier nickel-steel PM option for automotive gears, clutch parts, and high-volume transmission components.
FC-0205 Iron-Copper PM
Review a cost-effective iron-copper PM material path for general engineering, brackets, bushings, and lower-load gears.
FC-0208 Material Properties
Compare FC-0208 density, strength, wear direction, and common use cases in gears, pump parts, and structural PM components.
FC-0808 High-Copper PM
Compare an 8 percent copper iron PM option used when you want better strength and machinability than lower-copper FC grades.
FC-0000 Soft Iron PM
Review soft magnetic permeability, density tradeoffs, and where FC-0000 fits motor cores, solenoids, and magnetic PM parts.
FL-4405 Copper-Infiltrated PM
Compare high-density infiltrated PM performance, strength range, and where FL-4405 fits high-load gears and structural hardware.
FLC-4608 Copper-Infiltrated PM
Review a high-density infiltrated PM route used where leak resistance, machinability, and structural performance all matter.
Copper-Steel Infiltrated PM
Review the broader infiltrated PM material family used to push density, strength, and wear performance beyond standard sintered steel.
Titanium Powder Metallurgy
Compare titanium PM and MIM routes for medical, aerospace, and premium lightweight components that need corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight.
Aluminum Powder Metallurgy
Review lightweight aluminum PM material directions for thermal management, non-magnetic housings, and weight-sensitive structural parts.
Soft Magnetic Composites
Explore SMC materials for electric motors, solenoids, and actuators that need 3D magnetic flux paths and net-shape PM manufacturing.
17-4 PH Stainless Steel PM
Compare high-strength stainless PM properties, age-hardening direction, and use cases in aerospace, medical, and high-performance assemblies.
410 Stainless Steel PM
Review moderate-corrosion stainless PM performance, heat-treatment direction, and cost positioning versus 316L and 17-4 PH.
304 Stainless Steel PM
Compare 304 stainless PM for clean-service, corrosion-sensitive, and appearance-focused parts that do not need the extra chloride resistance of 316L.
304 vs 316L Stainless Steel PM
Use a side-by-side comparison to choose between 304 and 316L when chloride exposure, finish expectations, and stainless PM cost all matter.
420 Stainless Steel PM
Review a hardenable martensitic stainless PM route for wear-sensitive parts that need higher hardness than 304 or 316L.
Copper-Nickel Alloy PM
Explore a corrosion-resistant Cu-Ni PM material path for marine hardware, thermal components, and chloride-exposed service conditions.
Tungsten Carbide PM
Review an ultra-hard PM material route used in cutting, wear, sealing, and abrasion-heavy applications that exceed steel performance limits.
Tool Steel M2 / M4 PM
Compare PM high-speed tool steels when grindability, hot hardness, edge retention, and wear performance all need to be balanced.
Cobalt-Chrome Alloy PM
Explore a premium cobalt-chrome PM route for corrosion-resistant, wear-critical, and specialty high-performance components.
Brass Powder Metallurgy
Compare brass PM behavior in electrical contacts, decorative hardware, porous bearings, and precision copper-zinc components.
Bronze Self-Lubricating Bearings
Review oil-impregnated bronze bearing behavior, maintenance-free use cases, and sizing considerations for long-life rotating assemblies.
Iron-Graphite Bearings
Compare iron-graphite self-lubricating bearing properties, cost position, and use cases in motors, pumps, and industrial machinery.
Iron-Based Materials (MPIF F-0000)
| Grade | Composition | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness | Tensile (MPa) | Elongation | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-0000-10 | Pure Iron | 6.1 | 40 HRF | 120 | 5% | Soft magnetic parts, low-strength structural |
| F-0000-15 | Fe-0.5C | 6.7 | 60 HRF | 170 | 3% | Structural parts, moderate strength |
| F-0000-20 | Fe-0.8C | 7.3 | 80 HRF | 260 | 2% | High-strength structural parts |
| F-0008-50HT | Fe-0.8C (HT) | 7.3 | 50 HRC | 550 | 1% | Heat-treated high-strength parts |
Copper Steel Materials (MPIF FC-Series)
Iron-carbon alloys with copper addition for improved strength and hardenability. These are the most common grades for gears and structural parts.
| Grade | Composition | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness | Tensile (MPa) | Elongation | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC-0205-40 | Fe-2Cu-0.5C | 6.7 | 60 HRB | 340 | 1.5% | Oil pump rotors, gears, structural |
| FC-0205-90HT | Fe-2Cu-0.5C (HT) | 7.0 | 36 HRC | 690 | 0.5% | High-strength transmission components |
| FC-0208-50 | Fe-2Cu-0.8C | 6.7 | 70 HRB | 400 | 1% | Gears, high-wear applications |
| FC-0508-60 | Fe-5Cu-0.8C | 6.8 | 85 HRB | 450 | 0.8% | Heavy-load power tool gears |
Nickel Steel Materials (MPIF FN-Series)
Nickel addition provides enhanced toughness and impact resistance, making these grades a strong choice for automotive and heavy-duty applications.
| Grade | Composition | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness | Tensile (MPa) | Elongation | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN-0205-35 | Fe-2Ni-0.5C | 6.7 | 65 HRB | 350 | 2% | Toughness-required automotive parts |
| FN-0205-80HT | Fe-2Ni-0.5C (HT) | 7.0 | 28 HRC | 620 | 0.8% | Impact-resistant components |
| FN-0208-45 | Fe-2Ni-0.8C | 6.8 | 75 HRB | 410 | 1% | High-strength gears |
Copper Infiltrated Materials (MPIF FX-Series)
Post-sinter copper infiltration can achieve near-full density around 7.3 g/cm3 for the highest-strength PM applications.
| Grade | Composition | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness | Tensile (MPa) | Elongation | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FX-1005-60HT | Fe-1Cu-0.5C (Cu-Inf) | 7.3 | 38 HRC | 830 | 0.5% | High-strength heat-treated parts |
| FX-1010-25 | Fe-1Cu-1.0C (Cu-Inf) | 7.3 | 65 HRB | 350 | 1% | High-density structural parts |
Stainless Steel Materials (MPIF SS-Series)
Corrosion-resistant grades for medical, food processing, and marine applications. SS-316L offers the strongest corrosion resistance in this group.
| Grade | Composition | Density (g/cm3) | Hardness | Tensile (MPa) | Elongation | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS-303-16 | Fe-18Cr-8Ni-0.15S | 6.3 | 65 HRB | 280 | 15% | Machinable stainless parts |
| SS-304L-20 | Fe-18Cr-10Ni-LC | 6.5 | 55 HRB | 310 | 25% | Corrosion-resistant food/medical |
| SS-316L-22 | Fe-17Cr-12Ni-2Mo-LC | 6.9 | 45 HRB | 390 | 30% | Marine, chemical, medical devices |
Important Technical Notes
- All data is based on MPIF Standard 35 and typical production parameters.
- Density values are minimum typical values, and actual density depends on processing conditions.
- HT suffix indicates heat-treated condition, typically quench and temper.
- Tensile strength and elongation vary with density and processing route.
- Custom alloy compositions are available upon request.
Material Properties Comparison
Density Range
- Iron-Based:6.1-7.3 g/cm3
- Copper Steel:6.7-7.0 g/cm3
- Stainless:6.3-6.9 g/cm3
- Wrought Steel (ref):7.8 g/cm3
Hardness Range
- As-Sintered:40-105 HRB
- Heat Treated:28-50 HRC
- Stainless:45-65 HRB
Typical Tensile
- Low Strength:120-200 MPa
- Medium Strength:300-450 MPa
- High Strength:550-830 MPa
Related Resources
Use these internal links to keep moving through the most relevant guides, service pages, and technical references for this topic.
DFM Guide
Use PM-friendly geometry and tolerance rules to match your chosen material with a manufacturable design.
Secondary Operations Guide
See when a material choice should be paired with machining, sizing, or finishing to hit final specs.
Surface Treatments
Compare corrosion and wear protection options that often influence final material selection.
304 vs 316L Stainless Steel PM
Use this direct comparison when your team is balancing chloride resistance, cost, and clean-service requirements across stainless PM grades.
410 vs 420 Stainless Steel PM
Compare two martensitic stainless PM grades when hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion margin all need to be balanced.
Oil-Impregnated Bearings vs Bronze Bushings
Use this bearing comparison when your team is deciding between porous self-lubricating PM bearings and solid bronze bushings.
FN-0205 vs FN-0405 vs FN-0408
Compare three common FN-series iron-nickel PM grades for strength, hardenability, toughness, and material cost direction.
FC-0205 vs FC-0208 vs FC-0808
Compare three common FC-series iron-copper PM grades for strength, machinability, heat treatment direction, and material cost.
Soft Magnetic Composites
Review SMC materials for electric motors, actuators, and 3D magnetic flux paths that standard laminations cannot easily support.
Material Selection Blog Guide
Read a practical engineering guide for choosing between density, strength, wear, corrosion, and cost targets.