Precision CNC machining for stainless steel grades 304, 316L, 303, 17-4 PH, and 420. 3-axis to 5-axis milling and turning. Passivation and surface finishing available.
Stainless steel is the material of choice when parts need to withstand harsh environments, maintain hygiene, or deliver high strength at elevated temperatures. It machines differently than aluminum — requiring lower speeds, more rigid setups, and specialized tooling.
At YEYUAN CNC, we have the rigid machine tools and carbide tooling required for clean, precise stainless steel machining. We understand the feeds, speeds, and coolant strategies that prevent work hardening, tool wear, and dimensional drift.
The most widely used stainless steel. Excellent corrosion resistance, good formability, and good machinability. The standard choice for general-purpose stainless parts.
Molybdenum-enhanced for superior corrosion resistance, especially against chlorides and acids. The low-carbon variant (316L) avoids carbide precipitation during welding.
Free-machining grade with sulfur added for improved chip breaking. The best choice when extensive machining is required and corrosion resistance is secondary.
Precipitation-hardening martensitic stainless offering high strength (up to 1300 MPa) with good corrosion resistance after heat treatment.
Martensitic stainless that can be hardened to HRC 50+. Good corrosion resistance in hardened condition. Higher carbon content for wear resistance.
Free DFM review. We'll recommend the right grade and flag any features that will drive up cost before we quote.
Upload Drawing for Quote304 covers 90% of applications: food equipment, architectural, general industrial. Choose 316L if your parts face salt water, chlorides, or harsh chemicals. 316L costs about 20–40% more than 304 in raw material and machines slightly slower. If you're not sure, 316L is the safer choice — it does everything 304 does and more.
Stainless is tougher, gummier, and work-hardens. Cutting speeds are 3–5× slower than aluminum. Tool wear is faster. Coolant strategy matters — get it wrong and the surface burns or the tool snaps. This is why stainless parts cost more: it's not just material, it's machine time and tooling.
If corrosion resistance matters at all — yes. Passivation removes free iron from the surface and restores the chromium oxide layer. It's cheap (typically under $50 for a batch) and prevents rust spots. We recommend it on all stainless parts by default unless you tell us otherwise.
Typically 5–10 days for prototypes, 10–15 days for production runs. Stainless takes longer than aluminum at every step — machining, deburring, finishing. Rush service is available; we've done 3-day stainless prototypes for urgent jobs.
17-4 PH in the annealed condition (HRC 28–32) machines fine — we machine it, then send out for heat treatment to H900 (HRC 40–47) or H1025. Already-hardened 420 at HRC 50+ is possible but slow and expensive. We use carbide tooling and conservative feeds for hardened material.
Electropolishing for a mirror-like Ra 0.2μm finish (great for food/pharma), bead blasting for a uniform matte look, and PVD coating for color options. We can also arrange electroplating (nickel, chrome) through partner shops. Just tell us what you need and we'll sort it out.
Send your drawing for custom stainless steel CNC parts in 304, 316L, 303, 17-4 PH, and 420. Precision machined components with passivation available — quoted within 24 hours.