In some industries, such as the aerospace and automotive industries, manufacturers need to use stronger and better stainless steel materials. Compared to the other industries that don’t have any necessity to use the high grade and high quality stainless steels, the use of a stronger stainless steel material like the 17-4 PH stainless steel is essential. This is the type of high-grade stainless steel that can provide an unprecedented strength, durability, and mechanical properties suitable for creating parts and components for the aerospace and automobile industries.
Here are some of the most significant benefits of the 17-4 PH stainless steel:
● Toughness.
The 17-4 PH stainless steel is known for its toughness property, making this type of stainless steel suitable for use in heavy machinery industries. You can also see the applications of the 17-4 stainless steel in the aerospace and automobile industries. It can produce a solid frame most needed in most vehicles and airplanes.
● Resistance to corrosion.
When it comes to corrosion resistance, the 17-4 PH stainless steel is among the highest quality stainless steel types that provides the best corrosion resistance feature. With this stainless steel type, you can be sure that corrosion cannot penetrate the material body. Thus, it can help maintain the best shape and longevity for the part or product you create with it.
● Strength and durability.
The 17-4 PH stainless steel is also known for its strength and durability for everyday use. The strength and durability of this stainless steel type can give excellent stress and impact resistance features. It makes the 17-4 PH stainless steel suitable for use in various environmental conditions.
● High-grade stainless steel.
Among the various high-grade stainless steel types, the 17-4 PH is perhaps the most sought-after stainless steel material for machining purposes. Its high-grade quality guarantees the best result for any part or product you produce. The 17-4 PH stainless steel offers superior overall quality compared to other cheaper stainless steel types.
● Best mechanical properties.
The 17-4 PH stainless steel is also very easy to machine, making it highly efficient for any production plan. This stainless steel type has the best mechanical properties, along with the best machinability, to help make a smooth production run for various applications.
Guidelines to Process the 17-4 PH Stainless Steel on CNC Machining
There are various CNC machining processes you can use to work with the 17-4 PH stainless steel in your production plan. With the high level of machinability, this special stainless steel material will be quite easy to work with, whether for creating smaller or bigger parts. Here are some important guidelines for processing the 17-4 PH stainless steel using CNC machining:
● CNC turning.
For high-volume machined part production using the 17-4 PH stainless steel, CNC turning can be the best method to use. With CNC turning, you will need to place the 17-4 PH stainless steel in a rotating chamber. The cutting tools will then cut out various areas of the 17-4 PH stainless steel material until you get the shape that fits your part requirement. This method will only be suitable to use if you have the 17-4 PH stainless steel material in a cylindrical shape.
● CNC milling.
You can use CNC milling for the regular cutting activities to apply on the 17-4 PH stainless steel material. CNC milling uses the moving cutting tools that will cut various areas of the 17-4 PH stainless steel from different directions. The 17-4 PH stainless steel material will be placed in a stationary position when you use the CNC milling method. With the high machinability factor, cutting the 17-4 PH stainless steel material will be done smoothly using a CNC milling machine.
● Spark machining.
Another process you can use to machine the 17-4 PH stainless steel material is spark machining, which uses the electrical power in high temperatures to do the cutting activities. This process offers a highly versatile and accurate machining process for the 17-4 stainless steel material. It is slower than the regular CNC milling process, but you can get more detailed cuts with it. It is perfect to use if you need to produce smaller parts with more complex details using the 17-4 stainless steel material.
● CNC drilling.
You will need to use the special drill components to drill into the 17-4 PH stainless steel material. Drilling using the regular drilling components might not produce the best result because of the hardness level of this material. However, using CNC drilling for the 17-4 PH stainless steel is still quite easy to perform. It can provide you with accurate drill holes following the diameter you would like to have.
Things to Avoid when Machining the 17-4 PH Stainless Steel
● Overheating the surface of the 17-4 PH stainless steel material.
In some cases, you might need to heat the 17-4 PH stainless material, such as during the EDM process. However, overheating the surface of this stainless steel material can prove to be detrimental to your production result. Overheating can cause the 17-4 PH stainless steel material to gradually lose its corrosion resistance.
● Using the wrong machining tools.
As the type of hard stainless steel, you will need to machine the 17-4 PH stainless steel with specialized tools. This is even more important during the drilling process. The regular cutting or drilling tools might not be able to provide the precise result you will need from the 17-4 PH stainless steel machining process.
● Not adjusting the speed of the cutting machine.
The speed of the cutting tools needs to be constantly adjusted for the best result in your cutting operations. Cutting certain areas of the 17-4 PH stainless steel might be challenging and require certain speed adjustments for the machine. Failing to do this will only bring you a bad cutting result.
● Not maintaining the cleanliness of the CNC machine.
You also need to maintain the cleanliness of the CNC machine you use to cut the 17-4 PH stainless steel. It can help to keep everything working smoothly and avoid any issues during your production process.
Conclusion
Processing the high-quality 17-4 PH stainless steel material is not too different from processing other materials using CNC machining. However, there are some specific tools you need to use when performing any machining process for this special stainless steel type. It's best to follow the processing guidelines as detailed in this guide for the best result in your production in 2024.
