Stainless Steel CNC Machining
Stainless steel is a widely used metal, vital to countless industries, from healthcare to power generation. Its value lies primarily in its strength, heat resistance, and excellent corrosion resistance. This corrosion resistance is the primary characteristic that distinguishes stainless steel from ordinary steel, enabling it to maintain its performance and appearance in a variety of environments. These properties make stainless steel an ideal material for CNC machining, suitable for manufacturing a variety of precision parts and equipment.
About Stainless Steel for CNC Machining
The primary difference between stainless steel and ordinary steel is the presence of chromium in its alloys. All stainless steels contain at least 10.5% chromium in their chemical composition. This addition of chromium imparts stainless steel with enhanced corrosion resistance. Different grades of stainless steel also contain other alloying elements to further enhance corrosion resistance, heat treatability, and machinability.
It is important to note that heat treatment can significantly affect the mechanical properties of stainless steel. Therefore, a proper heat treatment process is crucial to ensuring the quality of the final product during CNC machining.
Stainless steel can be classified based on its crystal structure, primarily including the following types:
Austenitic stainless steels, such as the 300 and 200 series, are highly formable and do not work harden. In the annealed condition, they are generally nonmagnetic.
Ferritic stainless steels, such as grades 416 and 420, are magnetic and have better thermal conductivity than austenitic stainless steels. They cannot be hardened by heat treatment.
Martensitic stainless steels, such as grades 416 and 420, can be hardened by various aging or heat treatment methods.
Duplex stainless steels, such as grades 416 and 420, combine the properties of austenite and ferrite, providing excellent strength and corrosion resistance for specific applications.
