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YOUR GRADE · YOUR FIT · YOUR FINISH
Stainless Steel for Your Custom Parts
Choose Your Grade. Define Your Fit and Finish.
Review your stainless steel material, working environment and manufacturing route together. Specify the delivery condition, critical dimensions and surface requirements before your part enters production.
5 Stainless Steel Families for Your Selection
Start with your part requirements. Family names describe material behavior; they do not confirm stock or substitute approval.
Austenitic
304 / 304L · 316 / 316L · 303Compare corrosion exposure, forming and machining needs.
Explore grades →
Precipitation-Hardening
17-4 PH · 15-5 PHKeep heat-treatment condition and final acceptance explicit.
Explore grades →
Martensitic
410 · 416 · 420 · 440CBalance hardening, wear-related needs and corrosion exposure.
Explore grades →
All component images are illustrative concepts. Appearance does not identify an alloy. Stainless steel family reference →
Find Your Stainless Steel Grade
Compare 10 grade groups covering 12 named grades. European identifiers are navigation aids; verify specification, product form and condition on the material record.
304 / 304L →
EN 1.4301 / 1.4307General equipment parts, formed brackets and welded housings. Confirm whether the low-carbon grade is required.
View 304 material guide →
316 / 316L →
EN 1.4401 / 1.4404Review fluid, chlorides, cleaning and temperature. 316L does not guarantee suitability for every marine exposure.
View 316 material guide →
303 Stainless Steel →
EN 1.4305For your 303 stainless steel CNC machining, review threaded parts, bushings, exposure and joining before substitution.
View 303 material guide →
17-4 PH →
EN 1.4542Define delivery and aging condition for your strength, hardness and final dimensional acceptance.
View 17-4 PH material guide →
416 Stainless Steel →
EN 1.4005 · UNS S41600For shafts and turned features, confirm heat treatment and corrosion requirements together.
View 416 material guide →
420 Stainless Steel →
EN 1.4021 / 1.4028*For 420 stainless steel CNC machining, specify the full material standard, hardness and finishing sequence.
View 420 material guide →
440C →
EN 1.4125 · UNS S44004Review heat-treated condition and final grinding or finishing for wear-related parts.
View 440C material guide →
15-5 PH →
EN 1.4545Identify the specified condition, properties and evidence for your mechanical component.
View 15-5 PH material guide →
2205 Duplex →
EN 1.4462Confirm UNS designation, product specification and fabrication controls for your environment.
View 2205 Duplex material guide →
430 →
EN 1.4016Evaluate sheet-metal forming, visible finish and environmental suitability.
View 430 material guide →Other Stainless Grades: 410, 440C, 321, 904L & 2507 →
Photos are illustrative component concepts, not material test reports. *420-family EN grades have different carbon variants; confirm your full specification. European names are navigation aids, not substitution approval.
Compare the Requirement That Controls Your Part
Stainless steel material selection connects the exposure, loads, manufacturing route and acceptance condition. Compare machinable stainless steel grades on the same product and condition basis.
Corrosion exposure
Name the contact medium, concentration, temperature, cleaning and retained moisture. “Stainless” is not a corrosion guarantee.
Mechanical condition
Separate annealed material from cold-worked or heat-treated conditions. Read the property specification before comparing strength.
Machining & joining
For CNC stainless steel parts, review chip removal, tool access, threads and any welding in the complete route.
Finished-part cost
Compare the same material form, geometry, finish, quantity and evidence scope. Grade price alone does not define part cost.
Your approval
Approve any grade or condition change against your drawing. Similar names are not automatic interchangeability.
Stainless steel machining properties vary with grade, condition, section size and process. Use this guide for selection discussion, not design allowables.
304/304L vs 316/316L: Strength Is Only One Input
Supplier bar reference · 20°C · MPa
■ 0.2% proof minimum■ Tensile lower limit
304 / 304L205 MPa
515 MPa
316 / 316L205 MPa
515 MPa
0300600 MPa
REFERENCE DATA, NOT A BATCH TEST REPORT
Read the Condition Before the Number
These two supplier bar references share a 205 MPa minimum 0.2% proof strength. Choosing 316L should therefore address the actual service requirement, rather than assuming the name always means higher strength.
| Reference bar | Rp0.2 min. | Tensile range |
|---|---|---|
| Sanmac® 304/304L | 205 MPa | 515–680 MPa |
| Sanmac® 316/316L | 205 MPa | 515–690 MPa |
Alleima supplier-specific bar data in the stated annealed conditions. Size and specification scope apply. These are not LK test results, all-grade limits or finished-part guarantees.
Selected Nominal Composition: Cr & Ni
Alleima Sanmac® bar reference · mass %
■ Chromium■ Nickel
304 / 304LCr 18.5%
Ni 8.5%
316 / 316LCr 17%
Ni 10%
01020 mass %
What the Composition Comparison Tells You
These are selected nominal supplier values, not the complete chemistry specification. The cited 316/316L reference also lists 2.1% nominal molybdenum. Confirm the actual grade limits and your lot certificate for purchasing.
| Reference | Cr | Ni | Mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanmac®304/304L | 18.5 | 8.5 | Not listed in source nominal table |
| Sanmac®316/316L | 17 | 10 | 2.1 |
Same supplier datasheets linked above. Selected elements do not sum to100%; no residual percentage is inferred. Not a batch chemical analysis or universal grade limit.
Connect Your Material to the Manufacturing Route
For your stainless steel machining materials, define the finished geometry before choosing milling, turning or fabrication. Project suitability and supply scope need review.
CNC Milling
Stainless steel milling services start with datum access, pockets, hole relationships and finish requirements. CNC Milling →
CNC Turning
Stainless steel turning services connect shoulders, bores, threads and runout to your inspection references. CNC Turning →
Sheet Metal
For custom stainless steel fabrication, confirm gauge, bend direction, grain, hardware and visible faces. Sheet Metal Fabrication →
Welded Assemblies
Review joint design, distortion control, cleaning and final dimensions for the assembled part. Welding & Fabrication →
5 Checks Before Your Manufacturing Route Is Fixed
Make your drawing easier to quote and inspect by identifying the feature that controls assembly.
01
Threads & tapping
Define the thread standard, depth, engagement and final coating or cleaning condition. Confirm burr access and inspection method.
DFM & Drawing Review →02
Thin walls
Relate material removal and workholding to the final wall. Specify critical relationships rather than applying tight tolerances everywhere.
DFM & Drawing Review →03
Deep holes
Identify depth, entry, intersections and chip-removal access. Discuss a suitable drilling and deburring sequence.
DFM & Drawing Review →04
Long shafts
Mark bearing lands, runout references, straightness and the condition in which dimensions must pass.
DFM & Drawing Review →05
Heat & weld sequence
Connect any heat treatment or welding to the final machining, cleaning and inspection stages.
DFM & Drawing Review →Define Your Surface and Receiving Evidence
For corrosion resistant machined parts, connect the alloy to your service conditions and agreed finish. A polished appearance alone does not establish corrosion performance.
Material identity
Link the grade, standard and delivery condition to the agreed material certificate or record. Traceability →
Critical dimensions
Identify datums, fits and final acceptance state. Inspection Equipment →
Surface finish
Specify grain direction, polish, cleaning and any passivation requirements for review. Brushing & Polishing →
Release records
Agree inspection scope, exceptions, identification and packing. Quality Documentation →
Your Questions Before Selecting Stainless Steel
303 vs 304 machinability: what should you compare?
Review machining features together with corrosion exposure and joining. The free-machining grade should not replace a specified 304 component without approval.
304 vs 316 stainless steel machining: which should you choose?
Start with the actual contact medium, temperature, cleaning and finished geometry. Compare exact grade, product form and condition before choosing the machining route.
What is the difference between 316 and 316L for welded parts?
The low-carbon designation matters to welding-related material selection. Confirm the full specification and welding route; do not change the grade only from an abbreviation.
Can 17-4 PH be machined after heat treatment?
Discuss machining stages, actual hardness, aging condition and the final inspection state. State the condition on your drawing before a route is agreed.
What affects stainless steel CNC machining cost?
Stock form, material removal, setup access, thread and hole details, finish, quantity and evidence scope affect your finished-part quotation.
Can you supply material certificates?
Identify the certificate type, grade, standard and traceability requirement at inquiry. Confirm the available documentation scope for your project before ordering.
Do stainless steel names prove food or medical suitability?
A grade name does not establish product qualification, cleanliness, biocompatibility or application approval. State the required standards and verification scope explicitly.
Can every stainless grade meet the same tolerance?
Tolerance feasibility depends on geometry, size, condition, workholding and measurement. Mark the dimensions that control your fit for a project-specific review.
6 Inputs for Your Custom Stainless Steel Parts
When comparing stainless steel machining services, keep the same finished-part scope. Send these inputs so your team can resolve open requirements before quotation.
1 · Drawing
Revision-controlled drawing and a3D model when available.
2 · Material
Exact grade, product specification and permitted substitutes.
3 · Condition
Delivery state, hardness and any heat-treatment requirement.
4 · Quantity
Trial quantity, repeat demand and release schedule.
5 · Fit & finish
Critical datums, tolerances, visible faces and surface needs.
6 · Records
Material identity, inspection, cleanliness and packing scope.
For your stainless steel machined parts manufacturer review, compare the proposed route and evidence against your drawing. Confirm any proposed substitution before production.
