Stainless steel 304 (1.4301) for CNC machining

Food equipment, enclosures, general corrosion-resistant parts.

Family

Stainless steel

Density

7.9 g/cm³

Machinability

difficult (2/5)

Relative cutting speed

about 16% of aluminium 6082

Indicative price

€6 per kg

What to know

Work-hardens during cutting, so it needs sharp tools and slow speeds. Consider 303 for non-welded machined parts.

Design tips

Stainless work-hardens when the tool rubs instead of cutting. Avoid very thin walls and tiny features, and passivate after machining for best corrosion resistance.

Cheaper alternative

Stainless steel 303 (1.4305): 303 is the free-machining version of 304. If the part is not welded and the environment is not very corrosive, it machines considerably faster.