GF Laser have wide ranging experience in laser cutting stainless steel, we keep a stock of the most common grades 304 and 316.
Cutting stainless steel is fairly straightforward for any laser cutting company. However, it does tend to be more expensive than cutting mild due to the volume and type of assist gas required.
Although no laser cutting company can guarantee a scratch free finish without a post production operation, there are a few things that can be done to minimise scratching. This includes:
- Cutting with a plastic film on to reduce handling marks. Please note that it is only the top face that will have a coating on so this should be taken into account when designing parts.
- The use of suction pads rather than forklifts helps to reduce the chance of deep scratching from metal forks.
- Specifying individual wrapping of parts post production.
If the part really has to be scratch free then we recommend a metal polishing operation post production. There are various metal polishing techniques that can be used and we would advise to have some sample parts manufactured first to help with your decision process.
For further information or for a free quotation please contact us today. For some general information on stainless steel please read below:
Stainless steel is a type of steel that contains at least 10.5% chromium content by mass, which gives it the distinctive property of being highly resistant to corrosion.
This resistance to corrosion is due to the formation of a passive film of chromium oxide on the surface of the steel that prevents the underlying metal from being exposed to the environment and reacting with it. In addition to its resistance to corrosion, stainless steel is also known for its strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal, making it a popular material for a wide range of applications, including cutlery, kitchen appliances, medical equipment, and construction.
The specific composition of stainless steel can vary depending on the intended application, with the addition of other metals like nickel, molybdenum, and nitrogen providing improved properties such as increased strength, improved heat resistance, or increased resistance to specific types of corrosion.