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In this article, we will discuss the characteristics of stainless steel in CNC machining and the types of stainless steel materials commonly used for machining.
First, let’s talk about the characteristics of stainless steel materials. Mainly divided into the following points:
1. Strong corrosion resistance:
Stainless steel has a high content of chromium, which can react with oxygen to form a dense oxide film, effectively preventing further oxidation, and thereby greatly enhancing the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. This allows stainless steel to maintain good performance in humid, acidic, or alkaline environments.
2. High strength and toughness:
Stainless steel has high strength and hardness and can maintain structural integrity when subjected to high pressure or impact. This property makes it an ideal material for manufacturing high-load components and structures.
3. Good surface quality:
After CNC machining, the surface roughness of stainless steel materials can be controlled very low, and a smooth and flat machining surface can be obtained, which reduces the subsequent surface treatment process and is suitable for products with high requirements for appearance and cleanliness.
4. Easy processing:
Stainless steel has good plasticity and weldability, which is convenient for processing operations such as cutting, bending, stamping, and welding. This makes stainless steel highly flexible and adaptable in the manufacturing process.
In CNC machining, the commonly used stainless steel material models are as follows:
(1) Austenitic stainless steel
- 304 series: SUS304, SUS304L
It has good corrosion resistance, processability, and toughness, and is widely used in food processing equipment, chemical equipment, medical equipment, home decoration, kitchenware, and other fields.
304L is an ultra-low carbon stainless steel with better intergranular corrosion resistance which is suitable for equipment and parts that cannot be annealed after welding and require corrosion resistance.
- 316 series: SUS316, SUS316L
It has better corrosion resistance, especially in marine environments and high temperature and high-pressure equipment. It has excellent corrosion resistance and is often used in the chemical industry, marine engineering, medical equipment, and other fields with high corrosion resistance requirements.
316L has a lower carbon content, better intergranular corrosion resistance and welding performance, and is suitable for manufacturing parts that require welding and have extremely high corrosion resistance requirements, such as pacemaker housings.
(2) Martensitic stainless steel
- 410 series: SUS410, SUS420J1, 3Cr13, 4Cr13, etc. Martensitic stainless steel has high strength and corrosion resistance and can be used to manufacture steam turbine blades, steam equipment shafts and tie rods, and parts working in corrosive media such as valves and bolts.
- 630 series: 17-4PH stainless steel, the most commonly used precipitation hardening stainless steel model, also commonly known as 17% Cr, 4% Ni. It has high strength, high hardness, and good corrosion resistance. After aging treatment, its strength can be significantly improved. It is suitable for manufacturing parts with high requirements for strength and corrosion resistance, such as key components in the fields of aerospace, nuclear industry, molds, etc.
(3) Ferritic stainless steel
- 430 series: SUS430.
It has good formability and corrosion resistance and is suitable for manufacturing parts such as automotive accessories, architectural decorations, kitchen utensils, etc. that do not require high corrosion resistance but require good formability.
In summary, CNC stainless steel parts have broad application prospects and important value in CNC machining. By making full use of the excellent properties of stainless steel and the high precision and high efficiency of CNC machining, various high-quality and high-performance mechanical parts, and components can be manufactured to meet the needs of aerospace, automobile manufacturing, industrial equipment manufacturing, and other fields.
