STEEL IN CNC MACHINING

Steel is an alloy made of iron combined with other elements, the most common of which is carbon. It is also the most widely used material for metal CNC processing. Steel often contains different alloying elements according to different uses, such as: manganese, nickel, vanadium, etc. Stainless steel and carbon steel are currently the most commonly used CNC steel materials. You can choose the appropriate steel type based on your project needs, or choose based on our recommendations.

Commonly used CNC steel materials mainly include the following types:

• Stainless steel: 303、304、316、316L
• Alloy Steel: 4130、4140、8620
• Low-Carbon Steel: 1008、1018
• Tool Steel: A2、A286
• High-Speed Steel: M2、M35、M42

WHAT STEEL IS BEST FOR CNC MACHINING?

According to the practical experience of our CNC machinists, 12L14 steel is the most popular free-cutting alloy steel. This type of steel is ideal for complex part designs and tight tolerances. Lead and sulfur allow 12L14 to be machined quickly and efficiently and achieve smooth surfaces easily. 12L14 steel is often used as the standard processing cost factor for comparison with other materials.

Although 12L14 steel is the best CNC steel material, it may not be suitable for your project. Because the selection of CNC machining materials not only considers cutting performance, but also considers the environment where your project will be used. For example, if you are in marine applications, you may want to avoid SS 303 despite its excellent machinability. Instead, you may want to consider SS 304, which offers excellent corrosion resistance. Contact us for free technical support.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CNC MANUFACTURE STEEL PARTS?

The quote for CNC machined steel parts is affected by many factors. But in general there are the following aspects:

• Raw material prices. Different steels have different prices. Although the prices of steels are generally cheaper, there are still differences in their prices.
• Part design. The structure of the part will directly affect the CNC machining process.
• Tolerances of parts. The stricter the tolerance requirements, the higher the CNC machining quotation.
• Quantity. CNC machining steel parts are wholesale transactions, which means that the more parts you order, the lower the unit price will be.
• Quality Inspection. Product quality inspection is an indispensable link before delivery, so it requires a lot of manpower and equipment, which will also affect the price of CNC machined steel parts.
• Packaging and shipping costs.

The cost of CNC manufacturing steel parts needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis, and there is no standard answer to the merger. But you can use the free CNC machining quote calculator tool to estimate the final price your supplier will give you.