There are many different options if you need to cut metal. You can choose to do it manually or rely on modern machinery. What you must do is select the right process for the material you are working with. If it is one of the many grades of stainless steel, your best option is likely to be waterjet cutting. It offers a number of benefits over other options.
CNC machining or manual cutting
While it is possible to cut stainless steel on a CNC or manually with hand tools, there are issues. For starters, stainless steel suffers with work hardening. This can cause all kinds of problems for cutting. In addition, it is important to consider the heat as high temperatures can distort the metal.
Generally, if you cut the steel using one of these methods, you will end up with rough edges. As a result you will need secondary processes to prepare or finish them.
Laser or plasma cutting
Both of these methods can work with some thinner gauges of stainless steel. However, they are quite rough processes and also raise the issue of poor quality edges. The extremely high heat is also a concern. Once again, a secondary process may be necessary to finish the metal edge after cutting.
Waterjet cutting
This option stands out for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is a cold cutting process so there is no concern about how heat will affect the metal. This means no concerns about melting or gouging.
On top of this, using a waterjet can create clean, precise edges. This means there is usually no need for any additional finishing or processing. As a result, it can save manufacturing costs and time.
Yet another benefit with this type of cutting is that it is suitable for various thicknesses of stainless steel. Some waterjet machines can cut sheet and plate that is as much as 6inches thick.
Talk to us about processing stainless steel
Brindley Metals works hard to be a one stop shop for all kinds of metal products. The range of metals we offer is very broad. It includes various forms of different materials, including plate, sheets, rods, and more. Then, on top of that, we can offer a variety of processing services. Some of these we do in-house and others we outsource to reliable experts.
Waterjet cutting is one service we are proud to help our clients to arrange. It is suitable for all kinds of metals but, as we said above, is probably the best option for stainless steel.
If you have any questions about the materials we stock or the processing we can arrange, please get in touch.