Stainless steel is one of the most common raw materials used on CNC machining workshops. Ship, cruises, planes, and cars certainly seem to use many parts made of the metal since it has proven to be a very versatile product. Aside from being a great conductor of energy, it can work pretty well with other alloys to enhance the performance of specific devices. The main problem with stainless steel, however, is that it’s pretty tricky material to work with. Even the thinnest plaque demands a lot of tooling to get anything done. Even high-end diamond cutters can struggle to finish a project according to specifications.
So what should we take into account when it comes to dealing with stainless steel in the workshop? We are glad you asked! The following are a few considerations you should have before starting to work on it.
The Properties
Stainless steel is a sturdy material. The most usual presentation is plaques with different levels of thickness that are composed of a mixture of irons that are very resistant to corrosion. They have a high content of chromium, hence the shiny presentation of it even in raw form. Stainless steel can be found on at least five different variations, each one suited for specific purposes: Ferritic, Austenitic, Duplex, Martensitic, and Precipitation Hardened. Each one can be found in different grades, and they are often applied to specific industries, is up to you and your team to figure out which one suits your tasks for the best.
The Tooling
Tooling is crucial when it comes to CNC machining procedures. The type of milling you need is determined by engineering, but a lot of it has to do with the requests of your client for the finished products. There are a thousand of guidelines online that can help you find the best milling procedure applied to any number of projects. It’s important to remember that the best tooling is the one that costs you the less after the product is finished. You can go for slotting if you need finishes that are unaffected by chipping, or you can choose high-efficiency milling if you need precision work.
Cracking the Parameters
Nothing can help you reach a successful assignment like going over the specs of the task over and over. While parameters for a job are created with engineering and design, they need multiple revisions given the fact that the choice of material and tooling are decided here. There are many general outlines about handling almost all the projects that have conceived by man when it comes to CNC machining stainless steel. There is still a good chance that at some point you will have to face a challenge that no one has worked on previously and it will be your turn to create the guidelines for something new. Make sure to get it right the first time! A revision by another time can be a cause for embarrassment if they prove to be more successful or practical than you.