Carbon Steel CNC Machining

There are 2 grades of steel that are best for machining. The type of parts you need will dictate which grade you choose:

1018 Steel is a mild, low carbon steel that is machinable, weldable and is useful where there are no requirements for high strength.
1045 Carbon Steel is stronger than low carbon steel but is easy to machine.

Steel is the workhorse of the industry because of its economical cost, wide availability, ease of processing and good mechanical properties. Most steels have good machinability and weldability and take well to heat treatments. Some are stronger and harder than others but most steels offer a combination of toughness and wear resistance.

Steel is a good choice in terms of strength and durability, but its weight is the biggest drawback in comparison to other materials. There are more than 3500 grades of steel to work with and different grades behave differently when being machined. Some types of steel are specifically designed for greater ease when machining. Some steels have high work hardening tendencies and this necessitates the need to keep the machining process moving so there is no unnecessary heat build up. With CNC machining steel it is also important to keep tools sharp.