Precise CNC machining Stainless Steel for the components that drive your business

Why Does Stainless steel Become The Ideal Material For Machining?

Stainless steel is the most demanding material for both customers and manufacturers because of its capabilities and utilization in different kinds of applications. Machining stainless steel has become popular because it comes in different grades and also provides several benefits, features and is also suitable for various applications. To be called stainless steel, it must contain 10% of the chromium which provides stainless steel so many different properties like corrosion resistance and healing itself.

Stainless steel one major quality is that it heals itself after the CNC machining procedure is done. The chromium forms an invisible film over the iron to secure it from air and water, this process is called passivation. If the surface of the stainless steel is scratched it quickly rebuilds itself in the presence of oxygen. This makes the quality of the stainless steel consistent even if scratched during machining. To ensure the highest degree of machinability and dimensional stability most of the quality materials are stress relieved.

Is Stainless steel Difficult To Machine?

Stainless steel is very difficult to machine as compared to other soft metals like aluminum. Stainless steel is an alloy with high strength and good plasticity which makes it harder to machine. During the process of machining, the stainless steel material can become very harder and generate lots of heat which leads to cutting tool wear. And chip breaking is also not easy to break or bend, so this can lead to damaging the surface of the part and lower product quality.

So, the difficulties are:

• Making the material harder
• Generation of a lot of heat
• Chip breaking are hard to bend and break

In short, stainless steel is one of the most difficult materials to machine. If the supplier can machine the copper, aluminum, and carbon steel very well it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can also machine stainless steel efficiently and effectively. So if you are looking to get the accurate and precise stainless steel machined part, DEK should be your priority to look into.

What Are The Benefits Of CNC Machining Stainless steel?

Stainless steel is widely used in different industries in a routine and it has many industrial machining applications. Some of the benefits of stainless steel are mentioned below:

Strength

Its strength-to-weight ratio allows it to be machined from thin material which makes popular machining material. Stainless steel can bear extreme temperature and its strength can be improved by cold hardening and heat curing methods to make it fit into applications. Among different stainless steel metallurgical structures, martensitic stainless steel is of the highest strength.

Flexible and Versatile

Stainless steel is easily formed, cut, machined, and welded due to its flexibility as compared to other traditional steel. Among other stainless steel austenitic is considered as the most formable and stainless steel’s formability can be increased by adding sulfur. The adaptability and versatility of stainless steel along with our modern manufacturing process make it useful for a variety of applications.

Good Aesthetic

Stainless steel comes in many surface finishes and is many kitchens, home design and them due to its attractive and modern appearance. 

Corrosion Resistance

Stainless Steel is highly corrosion resistant which makes it useful in multiple applications. Low alloyed grades of steel can resist the atmospheric conditions whereas high alloyed grades of steel are capable of resisting the chloride, acid, and alkaline solution. Austenitic stainless steel grades have a higher amount of chromium boast which makes it more resistant to corrosive environments.

Durable and Requires Low Maintenance

Stainless steel can withstand the extremely harsh environment and high temperature which makes it durable. It is also cost-efficient as compared to other metals. It is preferable in many industries because stainless steel requires low maintenance.

Which Industries Are Suitable For Stainless Steel Parts Machining?

Stainless steel valued characteristics and performance attribute makes the best choice and ideal for different kinds of applications. Automobile exhaust system, grills. Medical equipment like surgical instruments, implantable devices. Kitchen appliances use stainless steel for the rust-free material, cleanliness, and less influence on the taste of the food. Oil and Gas drilling machines use stainless steel to resist extreme heat, acidic conditions, and corrosive environments.

Some of the industries which stainless steel parts are:

• Petrochemicals
• Catering
• Automotive
• Renewable energy
• Oil and gas
• Heavy equipment
• Electronics
• Food processing
• Furniture
• Mining
• Construction
• Medical
• Agriculture
• Architectural

What Are The Different Kinds Of Stainless steel, Which Kind Should I Choose For Machined Parts?

There are thousands types of stainless steel alloy that can be produced. Most alloys produced will fall into either one of the three categories mentioned below.

Austenitic Stainless Steel

Austenitic stainless steel has two main characteristics. First is there is a lot of chromium included during the manufacturing of austenitic stainless steel. Products produced from this material are more corrosion-resistant. Secondly, the austenitic stainless steel tends to be non-magnetic, although it can become magnetic with a cold forming process. It is the most common type of stainless steel alloy.

Ferritic Stainless Steel

This is the second most common type of stainless steel alloy and is also magnetic. This type of stainless steel is less expensive because of its lower nickel content. The materials produced manufactured from this type of stainless steel are hardened through the cold forming process. This type is best known for its formability and is used in applications like appliances, fasteners, axles, and shafts.

Martensitic Stainless Steel

It is the least common type of stainless steel alloy and it is used in the application that requires higher tensile strength and a lot of impact resistance. In many cases, to improve the corrosion resistance, this material is also combined with the protective polymer coating. It is brittle in nature which makes it a better option for making bearings, knives, and other wear-resistant applications.

Which Machining Technology Can Machine The Stainless Steel?

CNC Milling

CNC milling machining process is widely used in stainless steel machining around the globe. DEK offers competitive stainless steel CNC milling services with different grades of stainless steel to our customers throughout the world.

CNC Turning

This process is also well known in the industries using stainless steel in their manufacturing process. Our quick set tooling, CNC turning capabilities, and highly seasoned engineers ensure your CNC turned parts are produced efficiently and cost-effectively.

Swiss Turning

Swiss machining is also one of the processes used in stainless steel CNC machining. The Swiss-type machines have a rotating tool that can create cross holes and milled flats. DEK provides swiss-turned parts used in several different industries within a short lead time.

Surface Grinding

Part of stainless steel materials are removed using the grinding tool embedded in the surface grinding machine.  It is also used in finishing the final product of stainless steel. We offer precise and accurate surface grinding services that go with your stainless steel parts.

Centerless Grinding

Stainless steel is the difficult in steel family to grind, especially the austenitic 300 series. It heats up easily and can lose its straightness. DEK provides centerless grinding services for heavy-duty grinding, light grinding, cylindrical and bore grinding for different grades of stainless steel to better fit into your applications

Sinker EDM

EDM is a process of removing materials from the stainless steel pieces with complex shapes and is widely used in automotive, aerospace, surgical tools, etc. This process is efficient in achieving highly accurate production for stainless steel materials.

Wire EDM

Wire EDM technology provides a tight tolerance with a high precision process for creating simple to extremely complex structures and patterns on stainless steel. CNC-controlled cutting patterns can be done on the different grades of stainless steel alloys.

Does Stainless Steel Need Heat Treatment?

As compared to standard martensitic types some grades of stainless steel require rigorous heat treatment. Heat treating of stainless steel depends upon the type of cast and grade of the stainless steel, also for what reason it is being heat treated. Mostly, heat treatment is used to restore the altered properties (ductility, hardness, and corrosion resistance) during the fabrication process and stainless steel can perform its intended application in the needed environment. There are so many ways of heat treatments. These are:

• Cleaning
• Annealing
• Quench Annealing
• Subcritical (Process) Annealing
• Hardening, Quenching, and Tempering
• Bright Annealing
• Stress Relieving
• Coatings
• Sub-Zero Treatment
• Low-Temperature Stress Relieving
• Carburizing and Nitriding

Is Stainless Steel Suitable For CNC Rapid Prototyping?

We say YES absolutely, stainless steel is the best fit for rapid prototyping your product. As stainless steel has become a go-to option for every manufacturing out there because of its capabilities and strength. No matter with which industry you are associated with there must be at least one thing in your manufacturing process that might use stainless steel.

So, introducing a new product in the market have complex market research, design, and manufacturing and for testing the limitation and functionality of that product, the component and parts are produced to check the working model through rapid prototyping. So you can use stainless steel for rapid prototyping to test the product.

Is Stainless Steel Suitable For Small Batch Machining?

Yes, stainless steel is also used widely for small-batch manufacturing. DEK offers manufacturing small-batch to large projects. We understand the start-up and companies who are testing their new products require small batches to test the product in the market. So, we at DEK offer small to mass production no matter the batch size.

Is Stainless Steel Suitable For Mass Machining?

Yes, Stainless steel is suitable for mass machining of parts used in different industries and for a variety of applications. Industries are using stainless steel in making multiple parts and products. It can be used for prototyping as well as for mass production. DEK offers the instant quotation and production of your large batch of stainless steel parts. No matter the size of your order, DEK delivers every stainless steel piece and parts identical, precise and accurate within quoted timing to your address.

How About The Corrosion Resistance Of Stainless steel Machined Parts?

Stainless steel is known for a wide variety of industries for its ability to resist corrosion in environments where carbon and low alloy metals would easily corrode. This resistance is a result of a very fine oxide layer film of about 5 nanometers on the steel surface. This oxide layer is known as the passive layer because it makes the surface layer electrochemically passive in a corrosive environment.

The added chromium in the stainless steel creates this passive layer. 10.5% of the chromium is required in the stainless steel to form this passive layer. The more the chromium, the better the passive layer which in turn makes the steel more corrosion resistant. Manganese, nickel, and molybdenum can also be used to enhance the corrosion resistance of stainless steel.

How To Avoid Rust Of Stainless Steel Machined Parts?

Stainless steel is extremely corrosion resistant but its applications can still have the risks of surface damages. Rusting, corrosion oxidation, and staining can occur while in a long exposure in harsh conditions if there is no routine maintenance and cleaning. Repeated mechanical damages can also cause faster degradation of the metal. Stainless steel must be cleaned on regular basis to maintain its integrity and pristine appearance. With proper care, some of the grades can be saved from corrosion.

Why Should I Choose A Stainless steel Machined Parts Supplier China?

This can be a pretty hectic process for the one looking to find the best stainless steel CNC machining suppliers among the highly saturated market in China. When you are looking for the best supplier, it is important to consider and pay attention to few things. Which are:

Stainless Steel Capabilities

Buyers should always choose the supplier that has the specialty in manufacturing the product a buyer is looking for. For example, in this case, a buyer should choose the professional producer and service providers of perfect stainless steel CNC machining services. Let’s find out what DEK offers

• State-of-the-art machining and inspection equipment and instruments like CNC turning, machining center, cutting tools, CMM, and many more.
• Quick-turn production of your orders with extreme precision and accuracy. The expert engineer and support team to answer your queries 24/7.

Value Added Service

In this technological era, it is not enough that you only offer strong CNC machining capabilities but the supplier must be able to provide some value-added services to customers. DEK never falls shorts to offers beyond expectations. Below is just a glimpse of DEK value-added services:

• Assembly service
• Stainless steel welding service
• Stainless steel stamping services
• Stainless steel precision Casting Service

What Surface Finishing Can Be Coated For Stainless steel Machined Parts?

Stainless steel can be coated through so many surface finishing techniques depending upon the applications of the material. Some of the coating techniques are:

DLC ( Diamond-Like Carbon)

This type of coating is applied to the surface employing a multi-stage high-tech method that measures only a few micrometers. This process is used to create incomparable surface hardness and black appearance on stainless steel through surface vaporization with diamond-like carbon. The high degree of surface hardness reduces the amount of friction. This process is widely used in watch cases in the luxury watch industry. Although, DLC is also used in sectors like eyeglasses, medical technologies, machinal equipment, cameras, and smartphones.

TiCN Coating (Calico Titanium Carbo-Nitride)

TiCN has the highest lubrication among all TiN coatings. This process is an excellent choice as a dry film lubricant where hardness and wear resistance is needed. It is normally applied on stainless steel, hardened steel, and other steel materials. This process is used in different industries like Automotive, Aerospace, Food Processing, Marine, Medical, Metal Forming, Military, and Gas Weaponry.

Advantages of using this process are:

• Wear Resistance
• Increased Hardness
• Low Coefficient of Friction
• Increased Lubricity

Does DEK Offer CNC Machining Stainless steel?

Yes, we offer the finest stainless steel CNC machining service at very competitive prices. As one of the leading CNC machining services providers in China, we have pledged to serve our worldwide customers with unbeaten and exceptional service. Stainless steel machining is a challenging job and it is important to make sure there is no tool chatter and rubbing caused due to vibration in the machining process. Our advanced machines help to maintain the high-quality surface perfection of your stainless steel parts.

We create parts for several industrial applications like automotive parts, marine parts, cable handles, medical devices, electronic parts, hospital and lab instruments, weld ferrules, pressure tanks, and engine parts.

We have served multiple industries like automotive, pharmaceutical, aerospace, construction, transportation, military, and mining, for stainless steel CNC machining parts.