DFARS Specialty Metals Clause: What and Why

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Written by: David Hannah

What is the DFARS Specialty Metals Clause?

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, better known as "DFARS", is an enormous and far-reaching document. As part of the even larger 'Federal Acquisition Regulations' it covers things like how a Department of Defense purchasing contract is written, negotiated, awarded, and paid for. It's an important set of guidelines designed to protect the political interests of the United States. DFARS is aimed at keeping money and quality control in the hands of our friends, and away from threats to US interests.

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Glossary of Terms

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Written by: Kim Walburg

Glossary of Terms

AMS (Aerospace Material Specification)
A set of material specifications developed for the aerospace industry.
Annealed
A process of heat treating to soften metal, relieve internal stresses, and improve machinability and formability. This makes the material easier to cut, bend, or machine than hardened material.
ASTM (ASTM International)
An organization that publishes industry standards covering the composition, properties, testing, and manufacturing of metals and thousands of other materials.
Austenitic
A classification for a group of stainless steels. Austenitic steels have excellent corrosion resistance and toughness and are generally non-magnetic when annealed.
CAGE / DUNS / NAICS
  • CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity): A unique identifier assigned to organizations that do business with the U.S. government.
  • DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System): A business identification number historically used to identify individual businesses.
  • NAICS (North American Industry Classification System): A classification system that identifies a company’s primary business activity, such as metal distribution or manufacturing.
Carburization
A heat treatment process that adds carbon to the surface of steel. It creates a hard, wear-resistant outer layer while maintaining a tougher interior.
Centerless Ground
Material that has been precision ground while supported between a grinding wheel and a regulating wheel rather than being held between centers. Centerless grinding can improve the diameter, roundness, dimensional tolerance, and surface finish of round bar or tubing.
Chamfered
Having an angled or beveled edge where two surfaces would otherwise meet at a sharp corner. Bar ends are often chamfered to remove sharp edges and make the material easier to insert into machinery, fixtures, or other components.
Cold Drawn (CD)
Metal that has been pulled through a die at room temperature to reduce its size and improve its dimensional accuracy and surface finish. Cold drawing typically increases the material’s strength and hardness.
Cold Worked
Metal that has been shaped or strengthened at or near room temperature. Cold working increases strength and hardness but usually reduces ductility.
DFARS / DPAS
  • DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement): Procurement regulations used by the U.S. Department of Defense. Certain DFARS requirements address specialty metals, material sourcing, and other requirements for defense-related purchases.
  • DPAS (Defense Priorities and Allocations System): A U.S. government program that requires suppliers to prioritize certain contracts that support national defense and emergency preparedness.
Die
A specialized tool used to cut, shape, form, draw, or extrude material into a specific size or shape. For example, metal can be pulled through a die during cold drawing to reduce its diameter.
Ductile
A metal’s ability to bend, stretch, or deform without breaking. A highly ductile metal is less likely to crack when formed or shaped.
EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining)
A machining process that uses controlled electrical sparks to remove metal. EDM can produce precise shapes, holes, or features in hard or difficult-to-machine electrically conductive materials.
Electro-Slag Remelting (ESR)
A secondary melting process that improves metal cleanliness by removing impurities and reducing internal defects.
Ferritic
A classification for a group of stainless steels. Ferritic stainless steels primarily contain chromium with little to no nickel, are generally magnetic, and offer good corrosion resistance.
Free Machining
A term used for alloys that have been specifically modified to machine more easily than standard grades. They often contain additives such as sulfur or selenium to improve machinability.
Heat Treatment
The controlled heating and cooling of metal to change its mechanical properties, such as hardness, strength, toughness, or ductility, without significantly changing its shape.
Hot Rolled (HR)
Metal that has been rolled or formed at a high temperature. Hot-rolled material is generally less dimensionally precise and has a rougher surface than cold-finished material, but it is often less expensive to produce.
Metallurgical
Relating to the science and technology of metals, including metal composition, structure, manufacturing processes, heat treatment, and mechanical properties.
Molding / Injection Molding
A manufacturing process in which heated or molten material is forced into a mold and allowed to cool or solidify into a specific shape. Injection molding is commonly used with plastics. Metal Injection Molding (MIM) uses fine metal powder combined with a binder, which is molded and then processed to produce the finished metal component.
NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program)
An industry-managed accreditation program for companies performing special processes such as heat treating, welding, non-destructive testing, chemical processing, and materials testing for the aerospace and defense industries.
Pitting
A localized form of corrosion that creates small holes or cavities in a metal’s surface. Pitting can occur due to exposure to chlorides, salts, or other harsh environments.
Precipitation Hardening
A heat treatment process that significantly increases the strength and hardness of certain alloys by forming tiny particles within the metal’s structure.
RoHS / REACH
  • REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals): A European Union regulation that controls the use of certain chemical substances in products and manufacturing. It is designed to protect human health and the environment.
  • RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances): A European Union directive that restricts the use of certain hazardous materials, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, in electrical and electronic equipment.
Temper
A designation of a metal’s condition indicating certain mechanical properties, such as hardness, strength, or ductility. A temper may result from heat treatment, cold working, or a combination of processes.
Tensile Strength
The maximum pulling stress a material can withstand before breaking.
Tolerance
The allowable variation from a specified dimension, property, or requirement. For example, a 1.000-inch diameter with a tolerance of ±0.005 inch may measure from 0.995 to 1.005 inches and still meet the requirement.
UNS (Unified Numbering System)
A standardized identification system for metals and alloys. Each alloy is assigned a UNS designation, such as S45500 for 455 stainless steel or C17200 for Alloy 172 beryllium copper.
Vacuum Arc Remelted (VAR)
A secondary melting process performed under vacuum to produce exceptionally clean, homogeneous metal with fewer impurities and internal defects.

Implant Grade Stainless Steel Being Used by Jewelers

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Implant Grade Stainless Steel Being Used by Jewelers 

The Value of Implant Grade Alloys

More body jewelers have seen the value of using implant grade metals, like ASTM F138 316 LVM Stainless Steel, for products that will be worn in or on the body. These alloys are certified to an ASTM "F" specification, which when applied to metals, signifies that the quality of the alloy is acceptable to be used in a medical application. Some of these "F specs" indicate implant grade, while others indicate surgical instrumentation grade. It is important to make sure that the material used is to the implant grade. These grades go through an additional process called "vacuum melting" (the "VM" in 316L-VM) which not only removes impurities, but in the case of stainless steel, allows for a better surface layer on the material. This layer prevents the leeching of elements, like nickel, into the body. Very important for people with nickel allergies.

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Inconel or Nickel?

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Written by: David Hannah

Is Inconel® 625 the same as Nickel 625?

The answer, not surprisingly, is yes and no. The chemistry, mechanical properties, and range of uses are within the same standards of quality, but Inconel® is a trademark that can only be used by one mill-Special Metals Corporation.

There's still some confusion among buyers, engineers, and machinists when it comes to superalloy grades. Why does the print say Inconel® 600 and the mill test reports refer to it as Nickel 600 or "ATI"® 600? Can one be substituted for the other? The answer to this is a definite yes. ASTM and AMS specifications guide the manufacturing of these high performance alloys. Reputable mills make absolute sure that the material they produce meets these strict standards. What's important in the name is not what comes before the alloy number, but the alloy number itself.

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Influx of Demand for Aerospace Materials

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Written by: Kim Walburg

Influx of Demand for Aerospace Materials

On December 18, 2025, the Trump Administration published an executive order titled "Ensuring American Space Superiority." This order highlights multiple advances in aerospace and draws attention to ideas that will shape the future of the industry.

This executive order states that the United States will return to the moon by 2028, as well as establish a permanent lunar outpost by 2030. Furthermore, the United States and associating countries will deploy nuclear reactors on the moon by 2030 and in orbit. White House Executive Order. Per the executive order, $50 billion will be invested in American space markets by 2028.

Artemis Accords

The United States is part of the Artemis Accords. The Artemis Accords, created in 2020, is a group of over 60 countries and private companies that, together, create best practices and norms for space exploration and promote principles to govern the use of outer space. NASA Artemis Accords. Essentially, the Artemis Accords are the United States' and other countries' "rules" for space.

The United States and other countries in the Artemis Accords are racing to establish superiority on the moon, specifically the lunar south pole. The lunar south pole has nearly constant levels of solar illumination, meaning power, and high levels of water ice, meaning water. In addition to this, asteroid mining is gaining popularity amongst countries associated with space exploration. Countries who establish dominance on the moon will be able to create trade routes for the material. NASA and The Guardian.

The concept of asteroid mining and other cislunar development has been a hot topic over the last few years. In 2022, Johns Hopkins University published a 76-page overview of the vision of cislunar development, the need for a cislunar security strategy, establishing a cislunar economy, and some of the logistics of implementing such a vision. Artemis Accords seem to align with these values. (Johns Hopkins University)

Orion

One potential hurdle in the fight for U.S. Superiority in this sector is the logistics of the Orion Heat Shield. A heat shield is needed for spacecrafts entering the earth's atmosphere due to high velocity of entering craft, high temperature of the upper atmosphere, and friction. According to NASA, a heat shield helps to mitigate harmful solar energy and use friction to the spacecraft's advantage to slow it. Heat shields are complex to manufacture, and naturally take much time and care. Heat shield development research.

Orion spacecrafts have recently gained popular knowledge after the Artemis II crew used Orion in their historic 10-day journey to the dark side of the moon and back to earth in April 2026. The Orion heat shield performed perfectly and opened the door for further use. However, it's use for deep space exploration and long-term and use for lunar outposts requires further development.

NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a large contract in 2019 for this development of Orion Spacecrafts. The contract cites six spacecrafts to be developed throughout the contract's timeframe of 2030. According to Lockheed Martin, new and evolved knowledge of Orion is being applied to these new technologies, and there is a drive to decrease cost and manufacturing time. However, the evolution of leadership at NASA, and competing companies such as SpaceX have expanded the conversation on Orion.

In 2025, Jared Isaacman was appointed as NASA administrator. Isaacman has robust history in the private sector - a billionaire responsible for privately funding missions largely involving aerospace. As a successful entrepreneur, he came into NASA questioning long timelines and high costs associated with contracts like the one NASA gave to Lockheed Martin (SpaceNews). In a SpaceNews interview, he stresses the importance of U.S. space superiority, stating that the U.S. will "…never settle for second place." Isaacman's confirmation was met with hesitation by the senate because of his close ties and history with SpaceX.

SpaceX Influence

There is much interest in SpaceX's development with establishing a lunar outpost because of Isaacman's ties and the progress SpaceX is making in this sector. Establishing a lunar outpost is feat in amongst itself, however in-space refueling is another challenge. To have a sustainable outpost, resources are needed for it to function - with one of those resources being fuel. At this time, energy sources cannot be harvested from space (another area of interest for the Artemis Accords), so fuel must be launched from earth.

In-space refueling requires multiple in-space launches, with specific timings of these launches while in orbit. According to SpaceNews, "Starships must launch in rapid succession to transfer liquid methane and liquid oxygen to the Depot..8-16 [rockets] required to put fuel into the depot." Then, a staffed rocket retrieves the fuel, detaches from the spacecraft, then launches Orion onto the moon's surface. SpaceX appears to be rising to this challenge.

Aerospace, with SpaceX leading the charge, is big business in Texas. SpaceX is converting to a publicly traded company in 2027. At this point, the progress for in-space fuel transfer is all speculative. And although there is much support from the Texas government for SpaceX, demonstrating this transfer of fuel is crucial for public support. Countries in the Artemis accords are all essentially depending on SpaceX to reach their goal of space superiority.

New Space Race

The Artemis accords are not the only group of countries in this new space race. Countries such as China, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, and more have joined together in a program to build what they are calling the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Construction is expected to begin on this in 2028 and be completed around 2035. China states that they expect to work with 50 countries on the ILRS according to SpaceNews. With a similar timeframe and similar goals, such as a permanent lunar base, communications, and power, it demonstrates the urgency of global companies to source materials to reach these goals. According to McKinsey & Company, the estimated value of the space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. This is almost three times the estimated value as of 2023. As companies continue to rely on technology achieved via GPS, satellites, and more, the demand for a cislunar economy is ever increasing. The Artemis accords and the countries involved in the ILRS are fighting for power in this outstanding financial outlook.

M. Vincent and Associates is pleased to offer materials for aerospace applications. As an ISO 9001 and AS9120 certified company, we can provide full traceability, DFARS compliant material, material sourcing, and a strict control policy on counterfeit parts - making us a reliable supplier for the aerospace industry. Get a quote today!

 

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My brief conversations with ChatGPT about 316LVM ASTM F138 Stainless Steel

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Written by: David Hannah

Me: Can you tell me the properties and uses of 316 LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel

Chat GPT: Yes, I can tell you about the properties and uses of 316 LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel.

Properties:

  1. Corrosion resistance: 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel has excellent resistance to corrosion, including both pitting and crevice corrosion.
  2. Strength: 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel is a high-strength material, with a tensile strength of around 550 MPa and a yield strength of around 240 MPa.
  3. Biocompatibility: This type of stainless steel is biocompatible, meaning it is safe for use in medical implants and devices.
  4. Machinability: 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel has good machinability, which makes it easier to work with in manufacturing processes.

Uses:

  1. Medical implants: The biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel make it an ideal material for medical implants such as orthopedic implants, dental implants, and cardiovascular devices.
  2. Jewelry: Due to its high strength and corrosion resistance, 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel is also used in the manufacturing of jewelry, particularly for body piercing jewelry.
  3. Marine equipment: The corrosion resistance of this stainless steel also makes it a popular material for marine equipment, such as propeller shafts, fittings, and valves.
  4. Aerospace applications: The high strength and corrosion resistance of 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel make it suitable for use in aerospace applications such as aircraft engine components and structural elements.

Overall, 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel is a versatile material with a range of applications in the medical, jewelry, marine, and aerospace industries, thanks to its excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and biocompatibility.

Me: Can you be more specific about what types of medical implants it's used in?

Chat GPT: Sure, here are some examples of medical implants made with 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel:

  1. Orthopedic implants: This includes hip and knee replacements, bone plates, and screws.
  2. Dental implants: 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel is used in dental implants, abutments, and dental braces.
  3. Cardiovascular devices: This includes stents, pacemaker components, and heart valve replacements.
  4. Surgical instruments: Some surgical instruments, such as scalpels, forceps, and retractors, are also made from 316LVM ASTM F138 stainless steel.

In general, the excellent biocompatibility, high strength, and corrosion resistance of this type of stainless steel make it a popular choice for a wide range of medical implants and devices. It is especially useful for implants that will be in contact with bodily fluids, as it resists corrosion and maintains its integrity over time.

 

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