--- title: "Tungsten Machining | Pure W, W-Cu & Heavy Alloy Parts | OpenSpindle" description: "Get quotes for custom tungsten and tungsten-copper parts from qualified refractory-metal shops. EDM electrodes, radiation shielding, counterweights, resistance-weld tips. Upload a drawing." canonical: https://openspindle.com/materials/tungsten --- # Get quotes for custom tungsten parts Tungsten is the densest and highest-melting-point structural metal. It is the material of choice for radiation shielding, EDM electrodes, resistance-weld tips, and dense counterweights. Shops that run it have the carbide tooling, EDM, and sourcing to handle it; upload your drawing and we route it accordingly. ## Tungsten grades and composites shops run most The grade sets density, thermal conductivity, and whether the part is machinable at all. These are the ones to specify. ### Pure tungsten (99.95%) Commercial-pure W, 99.95% minimum. Highest melting point of any metal (3422 °C), high density (19.3 g/cm³), low CTE. Brittle at room temperature so EDM and grinding dominate over milling and turning. Available as rod, plate, and sheet from Plansee, H.C. Starck, and Edgetech. **Best for:** EDM electrodes, X-ray and gamma shielding, high-temperature tooling, lamp filaments ### Tungsten heavy alloy (WHA, 90–97% W) W particles sintered with a Ni-Fe or Ni-Cu binder for improved machinability and ductility while keeping 17–18.5 g/cm³ density. The practical choice for machined counterweights, kinetic penetrators, and dense balance parts. **Best for:** Counterweights, vibration dampers, radiation shielding, inertial balance ### Tungsten-copper (W-Cu, 10–40% Cu) A sintered composite that pairs W's thermal mass with Cu's conductivity. Lower CTE than pure Cu, far better thermal conductivity than pure W, routinely EDM'd. The default EDM electrode material for mold tooling in hardened steels. **Best for:** EDM electrodes, resistance-weld tips, heat sinks for GaN/SiC, electrical contacts ### Tungsten carbide (WC, cemented) A cermet of tungsten carbide particles bonded with cobalt or nickel. Extremely hard, used for cutting tools, wear parts, and tool holders. Machined by grinding and EDM only; not conventionally milled. **Best for:** Cutting tool inserts, wear plates, nozzles, die inserts ## Material Properties Representative values for 99.95% pure tungsten. Heavy alloys and W-Cu composites trade density for machinability. | Property | Value | | --- | --- | | Density (pure W) | 19.25 g/cm³ (0.697 lb/in³) -- among the densest metals | | Density (WHA) | 17.0–18.5 g/cm³ | | Density (W-Cu 80/20) | ~15.4 g/cm³ | | Melting point (pure W) | 3422 °C (6192 °F) -- highest of any metal | | Tensile strength (annealed W) | ~140 ksi; brittle below ~400 °C | | Hardness (pure W) | ~350 HV; WC-Co: 1200–1800 HV | | Coefficient of thermal expansion (W) | ~4.5 µm/m·K | | Thermal conductivity (W) | ~173 W/m·K; W-Cu 80/20: ~200 W/m·K | | Machinability | Pure W: poor (grind/EDM). WHA: moderate. W-Cu: EDM-dominant. | Pure tungsten is brittle at room temperature; drilled holes and sharp inside corners risk cracking. For complex geometry, specify EDM and generous radii on the drawing. ## Processes That Run This Material - [EDM & Wire EDM](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/edm.md) -- The default process for tungsten and W-Cu features. No cutting force; cuts hardened and sintered material cleanly. - [Precision Grinding](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/precision-grinding.md) -- Flat and cylindrical grinding on pure W and WC parts. - [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md) -- Tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) can be milled with carbide tooling and rigid setups. - [CNC Turning](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-turning.md) -- WHA rod and bar turned to counterweights and balance parts. - [Micro Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/micro-machining.md) -- Small W-Cu and WC features for semi and tooling. ## Finishes Finishing on tungsten is usually mechanical (ground, polished) or plated. Tungsten does not anodize. - **As-ground / as-EDM** -- Standard for electrodes, shielding, and most structural W parts. - **Polished** -- Mirror finish on optical substrates and X-ray parts. - **Nickel plating** -- Common barrier layer on W-Cu for solderability and corrosion resistance. - **Gold plating** -- On W-Cu electrical contacts for low contact resistance. - **Oxide / phosphate** -- On WHA counterweights for corrosion resistance in automotive and aerospace service. Tungsten and WC dust are health hazards. Shops quoting these materials should state their ventilation and PPE protocol; we only route RFQs to shops set up for it. ## Applications - EDM electrodes (W-Cu) for mold and die tooling - Radiation shielding (medical, industrial, defense) - Counterweights for aerospace, F1, watchmaking - Resistance-weld tips and inserts - Rocket nozzle inserts and thermal plugs - X-ray tube targets - Vibration dampers and balance weights - Cutting-tool inserts (tungsten carbide) Tungsten and its composites show up wherever density, temperature, or wear is the hard constraint. ## How It Compares How tungsten and its composites compare for the usual choices. ### [Molybdenum](https://openspindle.com/materials/molybdenum.md) - Molybdenum is roughly half the density (10.2 vs 19.3 g/cm³) and far more machinable - Tungsten melts higher and shields radiation better per unit volume - Both oxidize above a few hundred °C in air **Verdict:** Choose tungsten when density or absolute temperature is the spec. Choose moly for most hot-zone and semi parts. ### [Copper](https://openspindle.com/materials/copper.md) - Pure copper conducts electricity and heat better than W-Cu - W-Cu holds up to spark erosion where pure copper would deform or burn - Pure copper is far cheaper and easier to machine **Verdict:** Choose W-Cu for EDM electrodes and sinker work in hardened steel. Choose copper for straight conductivity parts. ### Lead - Lead is cheaper than tungsten for shielding - WHA gives similar shielding at ~1.6× density, less thickness required - Lead is restricted in many applications (RoHS, medical, consumer) **Verdict:** Choose WHA where lead is restricted or thickness is constrained. Choose lead for cost-driven bulk shielding where regulations allow. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the difference between pure tungsten and tungsten heavy alloy? Pure tungsten (99.95%) is commercially-pure W, extremely hard and brittle, mostly ground or EDM machined. Tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) is W particles sintered with a Ni-Fe or Ni-Cu binder (3–10% binder) that drops density from 19.3 to about 17–18.5 g/cm³ but allows conventional milling and turning. Specify WHA when you need density but also want machined features at reasonable cost. ### Why is W-Cu used for EDM electrodes? The copper provides thermal conductivity to dissipate spark energy; the tungsten resists the erosion that would consume pure copper on a hardened-steel burn. The result is an electrode that holds its shape through long sinker cycles in hardened tool steels and carbide. 70W/30Cu and 80W/20Cu are the most common ratios. ### Can tungsten be welded? Pure W is extremely difficult to weld and almost always joined by brazing, mechanical fastening, or diffusion bonding instead. Resistance welding of thin W parts is possible with inert atmosphere. For WHA, specialty welding is possible but it degrades the sintered structure; design around fastening or brazing where you can. ### How does tungsten carbide differ from pure tungsten? Tungsten carbide (WC) is a chemical compound of tungsten and carbon, almost always supplied as a cermet (WC-Co or WC-Ni) with 6–15% cobalt or nickel binder. It is far harder than pure W (1200–1800 HV vs ~350) and used for cutting tools, wear plates, and nozzles. It is only machined by grinding and EDM; it cannot be milled or turned conventionally. ### Is tungsten magnetic? Pure tungsten is weakly paramagnetic (effectively non-magnetic). Tungsten heavy alloys with Ni-Fe binder are magnetic; those with Ni-Cu binder are non-magnetic. Specify Ni-Cu binder if MRI-compatibility or non-magnetic performance is required. ### What quantity ranges are typical? EDM electrodes and counterweights are often ordered in prototype 1–50 pcs; WHA shielding and radiation hardware runs 10–500 pcs; W-Cu heat sinks for power electronics can go to several thousand annually. Say the quantity on the RFQ and we route to shops set up for that lot size. ## Related Materials - [Molybdenum](https://openspindle.com/materials/molybdenum.md) - [Copper](https://openspindle.com/materials/copper.md) - [Inconel / Nickel Superalloys](https://openspindle.com/materials/inconel.md) - [Cobalt-Chrome](https://openspindle.com/materials/cobalt-chrome.md) - [Hastelloy](https://openspindle.com/materials/hastelloy.md) ## Need tungsten, W-Cu, or WHA parts? Upload a drawing and we route it to refractory-metal shops with EDM, grinding, and the mill sourcing to run tungsten. Realistic 3–6 week lead times built in.