Steel resources

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Steel resources
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Steel resources

Milling

Milling is the complex shaping of metal (or possibly other materials) parts, by removing unneeded material to form the final shape.

Turning

A lathe is a machine tool which spins a block of material so that when abrasive, cutting, or deformation tools are applied to the workpiece, it can be shaped to produce an object which has rotational symmetry about an axis of rotation

Cutting

There are many technologies available to cut metal. Sawing, chisel, shearing, burning by Laser, gas jet and plasma, erosion by water jet or electric discharge, and hand cutting.

Drilling and threading

Drilling is the process of using a drill bit in a drill to produce holes. Under normal usage, swarf is carried up and away from the tip of the drill bit by the fluting.

Taps and dies are tools commonly used for the cutting of screw threads in metal parts.

Grinding

Grinding uses an abrasive process to remove material from the workpiece. A grinding machine is a machine tool used for producing very fine finishes or making very light cuts, using an abrasive wheel as the cutting device.

Stainless steel Grades [list is not exhaustive]
  • 200 Series—austenitic chromium-nickel-manganese alloys
  • 300 Series—austenitic chromium-nickel alloys
    • Type 301—highly ductile, for formed products. Also hardens rapidly during mechanical working. Good weldability. Better wear resistance and fatigue strength than 304.
    • Type 302—same corrosion resistance as 304, with slightly higher strength due to additional carbon.
    • Type 303—easier machining version of 304 via addition of sulfur and phosphorus. Also referred to as "A1" in accordance with International Organization for Standardization ISO 3506.
    • Type 304—the most common grade; the classic 18/8 stainless steel. Also referred to as "A2" in accordance with International Organization for Standardization ISO 3506.
    • Type 309— better temperature resistance than 304
    • Type 316—the second most common grade (after 304); for food and surgical stainless steel uses; Alloy addition of molybdenum prevents specific forms of corrosion. 316 steel is used in the manufacture and handling of food and pharmaceutical products where it is often required in order to minimize metallic contamination. It is also known as "marine grade" stainless steel due to its increased resistance to chloride corrosion compared to type 304. SS316 is often used for building nuclear reprocessing plants. Most watches that are made of stainless steel are made of Type 316L; Rolex is an exception in that they use Type 904L. Also referred to as "A4" in accordance with International Organization for Standardization ISO 3506.
    • Type 321— similar to 304 but lower risk of weld decay due to addition of titanium. See also 347 with addition of niobium for desensitization during welding.
  • 400 Series—ferritic and martensitic chromium alloys
    • Type 408—heat-resistant; poor corrosion resistance; 11% chromium, 8% nickel.
    • Type 409—cheapest type; used for automobile exhausts; ferritic (iron/chromium only).
    • Type 410—martensitic (high-strength iron/chromium). Wear resistant, but less corrosion resistant.
    • Type 416— easy to machine due to additional sulfur
    • Type 420—"Cutlery Grade" martensitic; similar to the Brearley's original "rustless steel". Also known as "surgical steel". Excellent polishability.
    • Type 430—decorative, e.g., for automotive trim; ferritic. Good formability, but with reduced temperature and corrosion resistance.
    • Type 440—a higher grade of cutlery steel, with more carbon in it, which allows for much better edge retention when the steel is heat treated properly. It can be hardened to Rockwell 58 hardness, making it one of the hardest stainless steels. Due to its toughness and relatively low cost, most display-only and replica swords or knives are made of 440 stainless. Also known as "razor blade steel". Available in four grades 440A, 440B, 440C (more common) and 440F (free machinable).
  • 500 Series—heat resisting chromium alloys
  • 600 Series—martensitic precipitation hardening alloys
    • Type 630—most common PH stainless, better known as 17-4; 17% chromium, 4% nickel

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