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Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Paul, 

the way I've always heard it is "The first thing you hear about a new material is always the best thing you'll hear about it". Useful to keep in mind!

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

I will have to remember that. I sometimes get an email forwarded from someone a few levels above me about some revolutionary material that is said to be stronger and lighter than steel, and made from some type of garbage (chitin from inedible parts of shrimp or agricultural waste, stuff like that) or is some nanostructured material that was basically built  up one atom at a time. 

My response (to my boss, who expresses it more politically to the person asking) has been, "I see one or two of those every week, but not a single one has been commercialized as of yet." In some cases, that is a bit of a lie as some of these things do get commercialized on a small scale for niche applications, but it gets the point across.

Paul, 

the way I've always heard it is "The first thing you hear about a new material is always the best thing you'll hear about it". Useful to keep in mind!

Sean,

The TL;DR is "marketing".  Many, possibly most, alloys were developed by commercial concerns and were marketed as the new wonder material in their specific area, and catchy or technical-sounding names helped do that.  Later, specifications were written that codified the successful alloys with worthwhile performance into standard grades.  I did learn today when using a search engine that Ascolia was a region in ancient Greece.  So I'm willing to bet that someone wanted to celebrate their heritage in the alloy name.  I didn't find anything specific in my oldest handy reference, a 1961 Metals Handbook, other than the alloy being listed in the heat resistant alloy table under Greek Ascoloy.  So that reference name is well over 60 years old!

I do recall reading that René 41, another HR alloy, was named for the developer's wife.  The developer worked at GE at the time, IIRC.  We had in the work library a couple of different volumes of alloy trade names to use when trying to trace what an old blueprint reference might mean.  One was from ASTM, DS45A - (1972) Compilation and Index of Trade Names, Specifications, and Producers of Stainless Alloys and Superalloys.  There were a LOT of imaginative numbers and made-up names in such references.

I'm reminded of a materials selection strategy that I playfully used.  When someone asked what to make something out of, if cost was a factor, always start with steel.  If cost is not, then call out MP35N, which according to the press release exceeded almost all other materials available for strength and heat resistance, and cost.  Iterate between those two levels to find something more suitable if needed.

Finally I'll repeat an observation of which I don't recall the source: A new material will never exceed the performance claims made in its initial press release.  Particularly if a university professor is involved in writing those projections.

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------

Hello,

I'm working on an order for 418 stainless, better known as "Greek Ascoloy", and I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of that term. Was it invented in Greece by the Asco company?

I've wondered similarly about other alloys with non-standard names like 300M, D6AC, MP35N, etc. I assume that 300M is somehow in reference to the max UTS of 300k ("300M[ax]") but that's just speculation. No idea about D6AC. MP35N is 35% Ni and Co so I'm guessing that's where the 35 comes from but I'm not sure about the MP-N part.

Feel free to add to the thread with any other grades you know of that have interesting stories behind their names!

------------------------------
Sean Piper
Metallurgical Engineer
Ellwood City Forge
Ellwood City, PA
7248248333
------------------------------