Stainless Steel Machining Services

DEK stainless steel machining services hold ±0.005 mm on austenitic, martensitic, PH and duplex grades, prototype to production. No MOQ; engineers review every drawing.

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±0.005mm
General Tolerance
3-day
Prototype Lead Time
No MOQ
Single Parts Welcome

CNC turning of stainless steel with coolant

ISO 9001:2015 Certified AS9100D and ISO 13485 certified

Stainless Steel Machining Services at DEK

DEK machines the full stainless steel family (austenitic, martensitic, precipitation-hardening and duplex grades) into precision parts for OEMs and procurement teams across North America and Europe, using CNC milling, turning, EDM and grinding.

Stainless work-hardens and runs hotter at the cutting edge than aluminum or brass, so process control decides whether a batch holds tolerance. Every order runs through IQC, IPQC, FAI, OQC, SPC and CAPA with in-house CMM inspection under our ISO 9001, AS9100D and ISO 13485 quality system.

20+ years of precision machining experience
1.2M+ parts machined annually
2,300+ global OEM clients supplied
98.6%+ on-time delivery rate

CNC machined stainless steel threaded sleeves

Stainless Steel Grades We Machine

Grade selection drives cost, machinability and long-term part performance. These are the grades we run most often; more are available on request.

303
Free-machining grade
For fasteners, fittings and high-volume turned parts; holds the tighter end of our 303 tolerance range.
304
General-purpose austenitic
For food, medical and enclosure applications. See 304 stainless steel options.
316 / 316L
Biocompatible, corrosion-resistant
Chosen for medical instruments and semiconductor fluid parts. See 316L stainless steel.
17-4PH
Precipitation-hardening, high strength
For high-strength aerospace and valve components. See 17-4PH stainless steel.
2205 Duplex
High-strength, chloride-resistant
For offshore and chemical processing equipment. See 2205 duplex stainless steel.
321
Titanium-stabilized grade
For high-temperature exhaust and aerospace fittings. See 321 stainless steel.

CNC machined stainless steel part with polished finish

±0.005 mm
General tolerance
±0.003 mm
Micro parts (sub-10 mm)
±0.01 mm
5-axis profile control
~1000 mm
Maximum part size

Stainless Steel CNC Machining Processes

Milling, turning, EDM and grinding run in-house, so one supplier covers prismatic, turned, hardened and fit-critical stainless features.

1

CNC Milling

3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC milling for prismatic stainless parts, with ±0.01 mm profile control on 5-axis work.
2

Precision Turning

Turned stainless shafts and fittings, including Swiss turning for slender, high-precision parts that need tight concentricity.
3

EDM Machining

EDM machining for hardened or geometrically complex features that cutting tools cannot reach cleanly.
4

Grinding & Gears

Tight-tolerance round features are finished by grinding, and gear machining produces stainless gears and shafts in the same workflow.

What Makes Machining Stainless Different

Key factors our engineers control when stainless work-hardens and builds heat at the cutting edge.

1

Coated Carbide Tooling

We run AlTiN- and TiAlN-coated carbide tooling to resist the heat stainless generates, instead of reusing tool geometry from an aluminum program.
2

Low Cutting Speeds

Turning speeds stay in the 60–100 SFM range, well below the 300+ SFM typical for aluminum, and feed rates are reduced to manage work hardening at the cut.
3

Through-Tool Coolant

High-pressure through-tool coolant clears chips and controls heat at the tool tip, extending insert life on 316L runs compared to flood coolant alone.
4

Grade-Dependent Tolerance

303 and 304 hold the tighter end consistently; 17-4PH after aging and 2205 duplex run toward the wider end because of work hardening and tool wear.

Stainless Steel Grades Available at DEK

Beyond our core grades, we machine 301, 304L, 15-5, 410, 416, 420, 430, 440C, A286 and Nitronic 60 on request. Open any grade for its specs.

Stainless Steel vs Tungsten Steel, Inconel or PEEK

When stainless is not the right call: compare it with harder, hotter-running or lighter alternatives. See also 304 vs 316 stainless steel.

Criteria	This MaterialStainless Steel	Tungsten Steel	Inconel	PEEK
Choose it for	Corrosion, hygiene	Hardness	Heat, corrosion	Non-metal
Hardness	By grade	Above stainless	–	–
Heat	Good (321)	–	Beyond 316L	–
Chemicals	High (316L, 2205)	–	Superalloy	Similar
Weight	Heavy	–	–	Lighter

Industries Using Stainless Steel Parts

Stainless steel CNC machining supports sectors where corrosion resistance, hygiene or strength-to-weight cannot be compromised.

Finishing Options for Machined Stainless

Each finish is applied to your CNC machined stainless part. As-machined surfaces typically run 0.4–1.6 μm Ra.

Surface Treatments

Passivation
Electropolishing
Bead Blasting
Powder Coating
Plating

Not sure which finish fits? Compare all finish options

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from engineers and buyers sourcing stainless steel parts.

Does 316 stainless cost more than 304 to machine?

Usually, yes. The molybdenum content in 316 slows cutting speeds and increases tool wear compared to 304, adding machining time and cost per part. Prototype turnaround stays at our standard 3-day window regardless of grade.

Can you provide certification documentation for stainless steel parts?

Yes. Material certifications, CMM inspection reports and full traceability documentation are available under our ISO 9001, AS9100D and ISO 13485 quality system. Request these when submitting your RFQ.

What's the minimum wall thickness you can hold in stainless steel?

It depends on grade and geometry rather than one fixed number. Thin-wall sections benefit from our micro precision capability (±0.003 mm on sub-10 mm features), but the practical minimum is set by tool deflection and part rigidity, evaluated during design review.