Cutting Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloys to Spec

Precision Sawing of Tough Materials

Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloys

Stainless steel is a common material in virtually every industry. Created by alloying ordinary steel with chromium, nickel, and other elements, stainless steel is known for its strength, toughness, and shiny, corrosion-resistant surface. These properties, along with its availability and low cost, make it suitable for an incredibly wide range of applications.

While stainless steel is by far the most common, there are many other alloys incorporating nickel, chromium, iron, or other elements for similarly useful properties. By changing the proportion of alloying elements like chromium and nickel, desirable qualities like hardness, strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance can be achieved.

However, these same properties can make cutting stainless steel and nickel alloys very difficult. This can be a problem for small shops and independent fabricators who don’t have the specialized equipment needed to cut these materials. That’s why many of our customers take advantage of our precision sawing service to skip this step altogether.

Challenges of Cutting Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloys

Why are alloys like stainless steel so difficult to cut?

As mentioned, stainless steel and other alloys with high nickel content are exceptionally hard and tough. While this makes them great for applications that require durability, it also makes them challenging to cut. These materials can dull cutting blades very quickly.

Cutting stainless steel also generates a lot of heat. This can wear out the saw teeth, decreasing blade life. Additionally, it causes heat distortion and work hardening, which can change the structure and properties of the material.

Thick Aluminum Plate for Any Application

Our Cutting Equipment and Expertise

Fortunately, there’s no need to attempt cutting stainless steel or other hard alloys yourself. With one of the fastest, most versatile industrial saws on the market, we can cut stainless steel, nickel-based superalloys, and more to precise specifications. This technology allows us to offer our customers precision-cut plates and bars without heat distortion or work hardening.

Our sawing service offers several benefits:

  • Precision. Get your material cut to the dimensions and tolerances you need, no matter how demanding.
  • Quality. There is no need to worry about damaging material or subjecting it to heat distortion or work hardening by cutting it yourself.
  • Cost savings. By ordering material in the size and shape you need, you save money by buying less material.
  • Convenience. Cutting stainless steel and other nickel alloys is time-consuming and difficult. By having your supplier cut material to spec, you eliminate costly operations and simplify your manufacturing process.

Challenges of Cutting Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloys

We can cut virtually any metal to size, including:

  • Stainless steel
  • Carbon steel
  • Inconel
  • Invar
  • Hastelloy
  • Monel

We’ve Been Cutting Stainless Steel to Spec for More Than Two Decades

At Industrial Metal Service, we prize our reputation as a reliable and trustworthy metal supplier. Our customers in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the U.S. trust us with their metal recycling, supply, and cutting needs because we are dedicated to providing outstanding service, quality materials, and fair prices.

Cutting stainless steel and nickel alloys to spec is just one of the ways we make it easy for you to do business with us. We’d welcome the opportunity to learn more about your business, discuss your specific metal supply needs, and see what we can do to help you succeed. Just give us a call and let us know what you need—we’ll take care of the rest.

Address
260 Phelan Avenue
San Jose, CA 95112
Phone Number
(408) 294-2334

Message or Call Us Today to Learn More about What We Can Do for You