Stainless steel is used in a wide variety of applications. It can be found in the aerospace, automotive, agricultural equipment, food, and beverage production and even in the medical and dental device industries.
Working with stainless steel is not always easy, with various alloys more challenging to work with than others. Typically, stainless steel is considered to be problematic due to work hardening potential as well as challenges in working to the tight tolerances required in these applications.
Look For Experience With Stainless Steel
Not all CNC machining shops are experts in stainless steel machining. Experience in the shop means the machinists have extensive experience in setting up the equipment, the cutting tools and the settings on the systems to produce parts to the tolerances required.
Unfortunately, with inexperienced shops, even with the top equipment, stainless steel machining can become costly. There can be an excessive waste in setting up equipment, and there may be multiple additional services needed to finish parts. A common issue with working with stainless steel is in ensuring the cutting tools are at the correct speed.
Incorrect speeds can lead to chattering, causing parts to have slight imperfections and variations, which can be critical factors that may not be easily detected. By working with a company with quality control in effect, which is also a part of an experienced company, these issues are not a concern for the OEM.
Ask to See Past Projects
A good indicator of a machine shops ability to create stainless steel parts and components to the demands of your industry is to ask for information on past orders and projects.
Seeing the ability of the company to manage stainless steel machining to meet industry standards is a top indicator of what any OEM can expect. Companies with a top reputation in the machining industry will have no difficulty in providing references and information on past projects for a customer’s review.
