Benefits of Using Stainless Steel as your Machined Parts Material
Stainless steel is an alloy made by combining steel and chromium. Making this metal very popular in our screw machine products. The chromium provides the strength, therefore, the amount of chromium added correlates to the strength of the metal. The downside is that stainless steel is heavier than other metals such as aluminum. However, stainless steel is more resistant to corrosion than aluminum is. As well as stronger and more resistant to wear and tear. For example, stainless steel machines parts can handle impact damage and scratches at a much higher capacity.
There are different grades of stainless steel, for example the 300 and 400 series of stainless steel. The 300 series stainless steel are classified as austenitic and are hardenable only by cold working methods. These grades of stainless steel have about 18-30% chromium. An example of a 300 series stainless steel is Nitronic® 60 Austenitic Stainless Steel which falls between that of types 304 and 316.
On the other hand, the 400 series of stainless steel are classified as ferritic and are typically stronger than the 300 series. The 400 series grades of stainless steel have about 11-27% chromium and generally contain chromium and manganese. The 400 series steels are also magnetic.
Stainless Steel Machined Parts – Corrosion Resistance
When comparing stainless steel to other gradients of steel, stainless steel has a longer life span, is typically stronger, more corrosion resistant in the long term, and has better mechanical properties. We also want to point out that stainless steel is one of the hardest metals to machine, and that stainless steel is not corrosion proof. This is a common mistake we see designers make when engineering their part. If you are looking for an extremely corrosion resistant stainless-steel part, make sure to add passivation to your design. Unlike other types of steel, stainless steel does not need to be plated to aid in its corrosion resistance, however it does still need passivation.
Which Industries Use Stainless Steel Machining
Stainless steel machined parts are typically used in screw machine products for the aerospace industries in spaces that require great strength, corrosive environments, and great temperature fluctuations. Common components created from stainless steel are actuators, fasteners, and landing gear. Our medical industry and the space exploration industry customers also frequently use stainless steel for their parts such as bushings, bolts, and spacers.
Our Stainless Steel Machining Process
At M&R Engineering we have worked on all ranges of stainless steel for customers such as the aerospace industry. Out of the steel parts we make, stainless steel is the most frequently used. We have made stainless steel parts with our turning, milling and the Davenport machines.
The benefit of working with us to manufacture your stainless steel machined parts, is the fact that we are your one stop shop for processing to production of the parts. M&R Engineering can help you with all levels of stainless steel. From processing it to plating it. We frequently manufacture stainless steel inserts, connectors, fittings, hydraulics, and posts.
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