JCL Precision Part Co.,Ltd.

Ultimate Guide of Metal Melting Points


Metal is the most widely used material in the world and the main reason for this is that it has a much higher temperature tolerance than other materials such as wood and plastic. Metals are used in almost every product and every industry of the world because of their strength and metal melting points.


From cooking utensils to car engines, ship engines, ship parts, medical tools used in hospitals are mostly made of metal. And the main reason for making all these things from metal is that all these things work at high temperatures and there is no material other than metal that can withstand these high temperatures.


But like all the materials found on the earth, metal also has a limit beyond which it cannot withstand a higher temperature, it is called the melting temperature of the metal or we also know it as the melting point.


What is meant by the melting point of metal?

The metal melting points refers to the temperature above which the metal leaves its solid state and begins to melt. The melting point of a metal is also called the melting temperature of the metal and it varies for different metals.


If we start heating a metal from room temperature, it will continue to tolerate and absorb the heat until the temperature reaches the metal's melting point. Until the temperature reaches the metal melting points, the temperature of the metal continues to rise, and when the temperature of the metal reaches the melting point, increasing the temperature does not increase the temperature of the metal, on the contrary, the temperature of the metal remains constant until it fully melts. 



Temperature does not rise until the entire solid metal is converted to the Maya state. When the entire solid metal changes to the liquid state. Then by increasing the temperature, the temperature of the metal starts to rise again and it continues to rise until the metal begins to boil, which is the boiling point of the metal. At the boiling point, the metal begins to change from the liquid state to the gaseous state.


melting_point_of_metal.jpg


What is the Importance of Melting Temperature

It is very important to note or take into account the melting point of the metal while selecting the metal for any product. The main reason for this is that this will be the temperature after which the metal will not be able to maintain its shape and the chances of your product failing will be high.


To illustrate this, if we take the example of a car engine, the car engine is completely made of metal and its job is to burn the fuel inside it and get energy from it to drive the car. Now, when the fuel is burned inside the engine, the engine temperature reaches several hundred degrees Celsius. If the metal from which the engine body is made cannot withstand this temperature, it can cause total engine failure.


Similarly, if we take the example of a jet engine, the temperature of a jet engine is several hundred times higher than that of a car engine, and if the parts of the jet engine cannot withstand this temperature, it will cause a complete failure of the jet engine. For the custom sheet metal enclosure, knowing the melting point helps in selecting appropriate materials that can withstand the intended operation conditions without deformation.


Therefore, it is very important to consider the metal melting points while selecting the material for any product, use it in company calculations and select its suitable value depending on the working of the product.


The melting point of the metal is also important to the performance of the product as many material manufacturing processes require melting of the material such as the casting process. 


Metal casting is a process in which metal is first melted and then poured into a mold. The molten metal takes the shape of the mold and later solidifies to provide a molded product.


During this process, it is extremely important to consider the melting point of the metal. A material that has an extremely high melting point will require a lot of energy and resources to melt the metal, which will greatly increase the cost of the process. 


Melting_Temperature.jpg


On the contrary, those materials which have a very low melting point will be easy to melt and the cost of the process will be low, but it is also difficult to keep such materials in the molten state while casting. They also melt into their solid state very easily and quickly, which can cause various types of defects in castings.


Therefore, it is very important to study the metal melting points thoroughly before casting and read it in terms of product and process.


Why do different metals have different melting points?

The melting temperature or metal melting points depends on its atomic structure, chemical composition, and in some situations the external atmospheric conditions. 


A metal whose atomic structure due to its chemical composition is such that its atoms are more strongly bonded together will be a stronger material and the harder it will be to melt. Because a high temperature will be required to break the strong bond between the atoms, that is why the melting point of this metal will be high.


In contrast, metals whose chemical composition is such that their atoms are weakly bonded will generally be soft and easy to melt because only a small temperature will be enough to break their weak bonds.


Considering the chemical composition of the metal, engineers have developed a variety of alloys that help them achieve their desired melting point. Engineers with proper research add various other metals to any base material to form an alloy to increase or decrease the metal melting points. This variation in melting points is particularly important in custom precision metal stamping for medical devices, where different metals may be used for different components based on their thermal properties.


Melting point of steel

Steel is one of the most widely used materials in the world. And this is because of its high temperature resistance and high melting point.


Steel can easily withstand temperatures of several hundreds of degrees Celsius, making it an excellent material for numerous applications, particularly high temperature applications. 


Steel is a type of iron or it would be better to say that steel is an alloy of iron. Type of steel depends on the alloying element added to the iron. The steel melting point for each type of steel varies according to its long element. 


In the table we have illustrated the different types of steel melting point


Steel Type

Melting Point (°C)

Carbon Steel

1370 - 1480

Alloy Steel

1425 - 1540

Stainless Steel

1375 - 1530

Tool Steel

1425 - 1525

High-speed Steel

1320 - 1430

Cast Iron Steel

1140 - 1200

Maraging Steel

1420 - 1475

Weathering Steel

1450 - 1520

Spring Steel

1370 - 1480

Mild Steel

1425 - 1510

Carbon Manganese Steel

1400 - 1480

Silicon Steel

1400 - 1500


The varying melting points of different steel types are crucial in metal speaker mesh sheet production, where the material needs to withstand specific temperatures without losing its form or acoustic properties.

Highest melting point metals

All applications requiring or achieving high temperatures require a material that can maintain its solid state at very high temperatures. Under such conditions, tungsten metal melting point is the highest melting point metal. Like tungsten, molybdenum is a metal that can withstand extremely high temperatures, which is why both materials are used in aerospace applications and in the manufacture of jet engine parts. So among metals the highest melting point metal is tungsten followed by molybdenum.


Metal with moderate melting point

All industrial applications in which some high temperature is achieved or high temperature valves are required for materials or especially meters that can withstand some high temperature. Iron, steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and bronze are meters used in the manufacture of products that either generate medium heat or operate under conditions where the medium temperature is maintained.


Lowest melting point metal

There are also some metals in our world which are the lowest melting point metal and it's low to the point that metal leaves their solid state and turns into a liquid state even at extremely low room temperatures. 


One of these examples is gallium metal. Gallium is a lowest melting point metal and it changes from its solid state to its liquid state when placed on the human hand. These materials also have endless benefits and are used in such applications. Where there is a need for a material that can maintain its liquid state even at extremely low temperatures


Lowest_melting_point_metal.jpg


List of metals and their melting points

Following is a list of commonly used metals and their melting points. It should be noted that these melting points are representative of the general material, not a specific alloy of any materials.


  • Aluminum Melting Point - 660.3°C

  • Copper Melting Point - 1084.62°C

  • Iron Melting Point - 1538°C

  • Lead Melting Point - 327.5°C

  • Nickel Melting Point - 1455°C

  • Zinc Melting Point - 419.5°C

  • Tin Melting Point - 231.93°C

  • Silver Melting Point - 961.78°C

  • Gold Melting Point - 1064°C

  • Titanium Melting Point - 1668°C

  • Magnesium Melting Point - 650°C

  • Chromium Melting Point - 1907°C

  • Tungsten Melting Point - 3422°C

  • Cobalt Melting Point - 1495°C

  • Platinum Melting Point - 1768.3°C

  • Mercury Melting Point - -38.83°C

  • Silver Melting Point - 961.78°C

  • Beryllium Melting Point - 1287°C

  • Vanadium Melting Point - 1910°C

  • Manganese Melting Point - 1246°C

  • Palladium Melting Point - 1555°C

  • Rhodium Melting Point - 1964°C

  • Ruthenium Melting Point - 2334°C

  • Iridium Melting Point - 2450°C

  • Osmium Melting Point - 3033°C


Last Words

Metals have an important place in human life because they are used to make extremely useful things in human life. Each metal has a melting point and it's important to know the exact temperature where metal will lose its solid state and start to melt. We have developed an ultimate guide for this purpose and hopefully this will help you understand the metal melting point batter.


GET IN TOUCH WITH JCL