[ Materials ]
[ Materials ]
It sounds better with moly !
Some uses of molybdenum are less obvious than others , like helping to produce sound and music . Molybdenum is found in acoustic devices ranging from the utilitarian whistle to a 2.5 tonne fire-breathing organ . When it comes to emitting and propagating sound , molybdenum-containing stainless steels offer resistance to wear and tear .
By Thierry Pierrard , effitext
Unlike pianos , no wind instrument is delivered “ factory tuned ” to produce the right sound . This is particularly true for trumpets , where the formation of sound depends on the architecture of the entire instrument : a perfect synchronization between the modulation of breath , the work of the lips , and the labial muscles . If the user does not sound the right note on their lips , even if they press the right piston valves , they generate a “ mis-pitching ”. The different materials used to make instruments have distinct properties , and these properties are just as integral to producing and controlling sound . Molybdenum can lend hardness or corrosion resistance needed for certain applications , for example , a foghorn blasting in salted mist .
Mouthpieces for brass wind instruments Over the years , trumpet mouthpieces have become little jewels of technology , machined on digital milling machines in one or more pieces to the nearest hundredth of a millimetre . Traditionally made with brass , sometimes plated with silver , mouthpieces made instead with Type 316 stainless steel have become more popular in recent decades . Brass is a very flexible material , which absorbs vibrations . This acoustic absorption results in a sound that is often soft and more difficult to project into the instrument , which muffles the nuances . Hard stainless steel , on the other
About imoA
Reproduced with the kind permission of the International Molybdenum Association ( IMOA ). IMOA is a nonprofit trade association representing the majority of the molybdenum industry worldwide . For information , visit www . imoa . info
34 Stainless Steel World March 2024 www . stainless-steel-world . net