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Screw machining in Stainless steel 304
Stainless steel 304 is a proven choice for screw machining: good corrosion resistance in fresh water, food, and most indoor and outdoor atmospheres. On a representative turned shaft at 10,000 pieces it estimates at about $1.87 per part plus $1,800 tooling, with a lead time of 4–6 weeks. Typical tolerance is ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) standard; ±0.0002–0.0005 in (±0.005–0.013 mm) on critical diameters.
- Per part
- $1.87
- Tooling
- $1,800
- Lead time
- 4–6 weeks
Price it in 304 SS
Turned shaft · Screw machining
Order total $21,782
- Tooling
- $1,800
- one-time, spread over the order
- Piece price
- $1.87
- before setup + tooling
- Lead time
- 4–6 weeks
- to first production
Size
Drag a row to adjust · click to type
Major diameter16.016.0 mm
Overall length60.060.0 mm
Step diameter10.010.0 mm
Quantity
Price per part falls as volume rises
Exact quantity1000010000 pcs
Material
Design checks pass
Open in builderBudgetary estimate for a representative part. Firm quotes come from principals after drawing review.
304 SS vs other screw machining materials
The same turned shaft at 10,000 pieces, priced in every material the process runs. POM is the lowest all-in cost.
| Material | Per part | All-in | Weight | Tensile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acetal (POM) | $0.62 | $0.92 | 14 g | 62 MPa |
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | $0.90 | $1.21 | 27 g | 310 MPa |
| Steel 1018 (cold drawn) | $1.11 | $1.42 | 78 g | 440 MPa |
| Steel 1045 (cold drawn) | $1.14 | $1.45 | 78 g | 625 MPa |
| Steel 12L14 (leaded free-machining) | $1.17 | $1.48 | 78 g | 540 MPa |
| Steel 4140 (annealed) | $1.37 | $1.67 | 77 g | 655 MPa |
| Stainless steel 304 | $1.87 | $2.18 | 79 g | 505 MPa |
| Stainless steel 303 | $1.95 | $2.25 | 79 g | 620 MPa |
| Brass C360 (free-cutting) | $2.11 | $2.41 | 84 g | 400 MPa |
| Stainless steel 316 | $2.16 | $2.47 | 79 g | 580 MPa |
| Stainless steel 17-4 PH (H900) | $2.69 | $3.00 | 77 g | 1379 MPa |
| Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) | $4.89 | $5.20 | 44 g | 950 MPa |
304 SS at a glance
- Tensile strength
- 505 MPa76th pct
- Yield strength
- 215 MPa20th pct
- Density
- 8 g/cm³89th pct
- Max service temp
- 925 °C97th pct
- Elongation
- 70 %78th pct
- Relative cost
- $$$$$
Bars are relative to the strongest, densest or hottest material in the SSG library. Percentile vs all 48 materials.
Strengths
- Good corrosion resistance in fresh water, food, and most indoor and outdoor atmospheres
- Excellent weldability; use 304L for welded sections
- Deep draws and stretch-forms well when annealed
- Non-magnetic when annealed
- Available as sheet, plate, bar, tube, wire and pipe
Watch for
- Pits and crevice-corrodes in chlorides such as salt spray, pool water and de-icing salt; use 316
- Machines slowly and work-hardens: 45% machinability
- Cannot be hardened by heat treatment, only by cold work
- Galls against itself in threads and sliding fits; use anti-seize or dissimilar grades
Finishes for this combination
Screw machining design rules
12L14, 1215, C360 brass, 303 stainless
Use free-machining alloys
Set the largest OD at a standard bar size, such as 0.500 or 0.750 in
Design to stock bar sizes
Inside corner radius of 0.005–0.015 in (0.13–0.38 mm)
Allow a tool nose radius
No more than about 6× diameter
Limit drilled hole depth
Allow at least 2 thread pitches of relief or runout
Provide thread runout
0.010–0.020 in × 45°
Chamfer edges
Questions
How much does screw machining in 304 SS cost?
For a representative part (turned shaft ø16 mm × 60 mm, ø10 mm × 18 mm step, 1 grooves), SSG's estimator gives about $1.87 per part at 10,000 pieces, plus about $1,800 one-time tooling. All-in with tooling and setup that is $2.18 per part. It is budgetary; principals quote firm prices from your drawing.
Is 304 SS a good material for screw machining?
It is when you need good corrosion resistance in fresh water, food, and most indoor and outdoor atmospheres and excellent weldability; use 304l for welded sections. Watch for pits and crevice-corrodes in chlorides such as salt spray, pool water and de-icing salt; use 316. Of 12 materials run in screw machining, it ranks 7 on all-in cost for the same part.
What finishes work on 304 SS screw machining parts?
Common options are bead blasted, vibratory deburr (tumbling), powder coat, black oxide, passivation, laser marking. The builder adds each finish's lot charge, per-part cost and days to the estimate.
What tolerance can screw machining hold in 304 SS?
Typical capability is ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) standard; ±0.0002–0.0005 in (±0.005–0.013 mm) on critical diameters. Tighter tolerances are possible on called-out features at added cost; specify them on the drawing rather than as a blanket note.
Quote screw machining in 304 SS.
Upload your CAD or start from a template. The DFM check applies the rules above to your geometry.