Stainless steel has unique properties, which makes CNC milling a challenging process. Stainless steel is a strong, hard material that is also malleable and ductile. It can be difficult to produce parts with exact tolerances due to their inclination to deform easily. Some of the specific challenges of CNC milling stainless steel include:
- Work hardening: When stainless steel is machined, it undergoes a process called work hardening, which strengthens and hardens the material. This may result in tool wear and make the material difficult to machine.
- Thermal deformation: Thermal deformation is another common occurrence with stainless steel, where heat causes the material to change shape. As a result, the final product may have dimensional errors.
- Galling: When two surfaces come into contact under pressure and transfer material, the process known as galling takes place. When machining stainless steel, galling can be an issue since it can harm both the workpiece and the cutting tool.
- Chip welding: Chip welding is a technique used when tiny fragments of the workpiece material stick to the cutting instrument. Chip welding can result in damage to the cutting tool and complicate the process of giving the workpiece a smooth surface finish.
Work hardening, thermal deformation, galling, and chip welding are among the issues that machinists can prevent by being aware of the difficulties involved in CNC milling stainless steel. This can lessen waste and enhance the final product's quality.
