Corrosion resistance is increasingly becoming a decisive criterion. In order to produce the required components, manufacturing companies need suitable semi-finished products. Blanks made from forged CUBEINOX blocks are particularly advantageous and support the reproducible production process.
Corrosion-resistant forging blocks CUBEINOX offer new possibilities
Semi-finished products made of corrosion-resistant steel used to be available almost exclusively as round bars. Cubic blanks were only available as profiles or hot-rolled plates and sheets. However, this raw material is difficult to very difficult to machine. It causes heavy tool wear. In addition, there is a great risk that the components will warp after machining. The components cannot be reliably manufactured in a reproducible manner, so that the process reliability required today cannot be guaranteed. Manufacturing companies can avoid these difficulties by producing components from CUBEINOX forging blocks from thyssenkrupp Materials Schweiz AG. These materials can be machined well and tend to distort very little. They therefore meet the requirements for the reliable production of cubic workpieces from corrosion-resistant steels.
Corrosion resistant alloys
thyssenkrupp Materials Schweiz AG offers a wide range of rust-, acid- and heat-resistant alloys as forged ingots; these with austenitic, martensitic and ferritic microstructures. The austenitic materials are also available in the "SUPER-IM for best machinability" version, which has been well-known in bar steel for many years. The improved machinability is achieved on the one hand by a regulated sulphur content within the 10088 standard, and on the other hand optimised by the use of calcium, which ensures good chip breaking. Because of the improved machinability, manufacturing companies not only optimise their process reliability, but can also maintain tighter tolerances and achieve finer surfaces.
Forged block avoids component distortion
Sheet metal blanks always have a rolling direction, comparable to the structure of a wooden panel. Depending on the component geometry and machining volumes, this can cause distortion and dimensional deviations in the machined component. Therefore, the workpieces often have to be turned several times during production. The reason for this is the texture [orientation of the crystals]. In forged materials it is much less pronounced, comparable to a chipboard. Therefore, less distortion is to be expected. In addition, the forged structure is more homogeneous. It contains fewer segregations (accumulations of alloying elements). It can therefore be machined better and with greater process reliability. Cuttings from forged CUBEINOX SUPER-IM blocks remain extremely dimensionally stable even after considerable milling. Machining examples have shown in practice that the distortion of components made of forged CUBEINOX stainless steel is 8 to 10 times less than that of rolled plates.
Sawed better than plasma cut
At thyssenkrupp Materials Schweiz, the parts are sawn from the block on band saws. Compared to plasma cutting, this does not create any hardened zones. This reduces tool wear during machining. In addition, sawing ensures higher precision. The better cut quality and angularity reduce the required excess dimensions and thus the need for blanks. The difference in costs when comparing three-dimensional sawn blanks to plasma blanks is more than compensated for by the shorter production time - due to the smaller blank dimensions. Sawed block blanks are advantageous for components that require high chip removal volumes. If, in addition, the geometry and shape of the components to be produced pose a risk of distortion, if hardened surfaces are undesirable and if no standard profiles or bars are available as blanks, sawn block blanks are the best choice. Furthermore, designers who have to construct not only corrosion-resistant but also non-magnetic components also benefit. Austenitic Cr-Ni and Cr-Ni-Mo steels do not react magnetically or only weakly.
Calculate and order CUBEINOX components on our online shop "World of Materials".
