303, 304, 316, and 17-4 PH stainless for medical, marine, and aerospace components that have to hold up.
Stainless is specified when corrosion, sterilization, or strength-at-temperature is on the line. It is also the grade family that most often separates a competent shop from a struggling one: work hardening on austenitic grades, smeared surfaces from dull tools, distortion on precipitation-hardening alloys after age treatment, and the simple reality that stainless feeds about a third of what aluminum does. The network's 5-axis trunnion mill, 12,000 RPM VMCs, and 25 HP turning centers carry the rigidity to push stainless at production feeds without chatter, and the Swiss platforms run small-diameter stainless turned components — pins, shafts, fittings, fasteners — with diametrical tolerances held across long runs. The combination of rigid machines, current tool geometries (positive rake, polished flutes, sharp cutting edges), and high-pressure coolant keeps cycle times honest on austenitic 304 and 316. For 17-4 PH and martensitic grades, finishing operations are planned around the heat-treat schedule so critical features come in at print after age.
The free-machining austenitic stainless. Sulfur additions break chips cleanly and lift surface speeds 30 to 50 percent over 304. Specified on small turned fittings, instrument shafts, and Swiss-type production parts where corrosion resistance is needed but service environment is mild.
The general-purpose food, dairy, architectural, and chemical-handling grade. Excellent corrosion resistance, formable, weldable. Tougher to machine than 303 — the chip is stringier and work-hardening shows up on dwell. Sharp tools, positive geometries, and steady feeds keep it under control.
The marine and medical austenitic stainless. Molybdenum addition gives it superior resistance to chloride pitting, making it the standard for marine hardware, surgical instruments, pharmaceutical equipment, and any wetted part in salt or brackish service. Machines similarly to 304 with slightly heavier tool loads.
The precipitation-hardening stainless. Solution-treated condition machines almost like 304; full strength comes after age treatment to one of the H-conditions. The typical workflow roughs and pre-finishes in solution annealed (Condition A), age treatment is coordinated with qualified treaters on the program's schedule, and parts return for final critical features as the print requires.
Other stainless grades — 416 free-machining martensitic, 410, 440C, 15-5 PH, and duplex grades on request — are available against the drawing.
Stainless turns up across our medical, aerospace, defense, and instrumentation customer base. We see it on surgical-grade fittings and handles in 316L, sterilizable instrument housings, aerospace structural fittings in 17-4 PH, sensor bodies for water-quality and pressure-transducer instruments, and marine deck hardware where salt-spray exposure is constant. Material certifications and lot traceability follow every job.
Routine tolerances on stainless ship at ±.0002", with repeatability on precision lathe work to ±.0001". As-machined surface finish runs 32 Ra or better on finish-pass features. Bead blasting, vapor blasting, and tumbling within the network give uniform matte and satin finishes for medical and instrument work. Passivation, electropolishing, and any coating or plating processes are coordinated with qualified finishers on the program's schedule.
6061, 7075, 2024, 5052 for aerospace and weight-critical work.
Ti-6Al-4V and Grade 2 for aerospace and medical, on request.
4140, 4340, 1018 with heat-treat coordinated on the schedule.
22 CNC platforms across our production network — 5-axis milling, Swiss-type turning, inspection.
