Explaining the High Cost of DTM Parts

It’s no secret that difficult-to-machine (DTM) parts are expensive. To compound that, from a customer standpoint, the number of shops willing to entertain machining Inconel, titanium, Hastelloy, Kovar, invar and other DTMs are few and far between. When it comes to pricing, material, labor, and tooling, are all very expensive in the machining process.

 Considerations of Costs and Qualities of Inconel

It’s well-known that inconel is among the most difficult materials to work with—due to, in part, to the toll it takes on the tooling but also its heat resistance properties. This material is in high demand in industries like aerospace, petrochemical, chemical, military, nuclear, pollution control, etc., anywhere there is extreme heat so there is good reason to discuss why it is sought after.