Resist Seizing and Galling
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) is resistant to the effects of seizing or galling.  In many cases, its low coefficient of friction allows sliding contact with other metals without damage by metal pick-up.

Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) has been used in equipment where no lubricants were used because of the nature of the product being handled.  Sleeves made of Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) move smoothly, with a minimum of resistance, even when operating in contact with other metal parts.  They have been useful in inaccessible areas where efficient lubrication is impossible.  Sleeves and bushings have resisted seizing even when lubricants were diluted by gasoline, cleaning fluids, and other liquids that wash out an oil film.  They have operated at peak efficiency even when lubricants decomposed under heat or were destroyed by abrasive particles.

Resist Erosive Wear
Parts made of Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) have had long service life, even under constant erosive conditions.  The wrought structure results in improved abrasion wear resistance comparable to much harder cast materials.  This material has outstanding resistance to cavitation-erosion.  Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) used for steam turbine erosion shields has protected the blades of turbines for over 30 years of continuous service.

Good Impact and Thermal Shock Resistance
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) combines wear and corrosion resistance with good impact strength and resistance to thermal shock.  The toughness of the wrought alloy depicted by its Charpy Impact Energy goes up almost four fold compared to the cast version.

Resist Heat and Oxidation
High temperatures have little effect on the hardness, toughness, and dimensional stability of these alloys.  They are highly resistant to atmospheric oxidation at ordinary temperatures, and have good resistance to oxidation at elevated temperatures.

Excellent Hot Hardness
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) retains high hardness, even at red heat.  Once cooled back to room temperature, it recovers its full original hardness.

Corrosion Resistance
In addition to its wear-resistance, Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) has good resistance to a variety of corrosive media.  This combination of properties makes Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) particularly useful in such applications as food handling machinery, chemical equipment, and others where both wear and corrosion resistance are necessary.

Available Forms
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^®6K are available in the form of sheet, plate, and fabricated shapes.  Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) is also available as bar stock.

Kennametal Stellite™ has the capability of providing components made from these materials to your drawing, machined to your specification.  Ask us about our in house machine shop capabilities.

Heat Treatment
Wrought forms of Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^®6K are supplied in the solution heat-treated condition unless otherwise specified.  The standard heat treatment is at 2250°F (1232°C) followed by air cooling.

Fusion Welding
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^®6K can be welded by gas tungsten-arc (TIG) with an argon flow of 25 CFH, gas metal-arc (MIG), shielded metal-arc (coated electrode), and oxy-acetylene in this order of preference.  The oxy-acetylene method should be used with discretion and care in that Stellite will "boil" during welding which may cause porosity.  Use a 3x reducing flame to minimize oxidation, penetration, and inter-alloying.

Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^®6K should be preheated and maintained at 1000°F (358°C) to prevent cracking during welding and then still air cooled.  Fixturing which would chill the weld rapidly should not be used.  Standard weld joints are recommended.  Inconel^® 82, 92, or 625 filler metals are recommended for joining Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) to softer materials such as carbon steel or stainless steel, while the harder cobalt-base filler metals such as Stellite^®6 and Stellite^®21 are recommended for joining Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) to itself, especially if wear resistance is required in the weld areas.  In the latter case, Inconel^® 82, 92, or 625 may be used for root passes and then be overlayed with the harder materials.  Gas shielding of the root side of the gas tungsten-arc weldments is not mandatory but is recommended in order to improve weld penetration.

Adequate ventilation is required to control exposure to airborne dust, fumes, and particulate when machining, grinding or welding Stellite alloys.  MSDS sheets are available.

Brazing
Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^®6K are readily joined to other materials by brazing.  All forms of surface dirt such as paint, ink, oil, chemical residues, etc., must be removed from the mating parts by etching, solvent scrubbing, degreasing, or other means.  In addition, fluxing will be required during torch brazing operations when using silver brazing filler metal to help clean the joint and allow the filler metal to flow more freely over the mating surfaces.  Brush joining areas generously with brazing flux prior to heating.  When torch or induction brazing, as soon as the brazing filler metal melts, the source of heat should be removed and the parts positioned.  The assembly should then be pressed together to squeeze out the excess flux and still air cooled.  The parts should not be quenched.

Other brazing filler metals (i.e., gold, palladium, or nickel-based alloys) are satisfactory for joining Stellite^®6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^® 6K.  Brazing filler metal selection depends on the service conditions expected.

A close fit of the mating surfaces is recommended.  The finished joints will have greater strength if the filler metal is very thin, generally 0.001 - 0.005" (0.03 - 0.13 mm) thick.

Brazing with high-temperature filler materials is generally performed in a furnace.  Induction and resistance heating with salt-bath and metal-bath dip brazing have limited application.  Vacuum furnaces held at less than one micron pressure or controlled atmosphere furnaces, having adequate moisture control at brazing temperatures (less than 60° F ( 15°C) dew point), produce the most satisfactory results.  Controlled atmospheres such as hydrogen or cracked ammonia are suitable for brazing Stellite^® 6B (AMS 5894) and Stellite^® 6K base materials.