Compare CNC Machining Materials
Aluminum
3 materials
Aluminum 6061-T6 / 6082
The default machining aluminum — light, strong enough, easy to cut and anodize.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Bare aluminum
HB 95
Price
$$
Aluminum 7075-T6 / T651
Zinc-alloyed aerospace aluminum with strength close to mild steel.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Bare aluminum
HB 150
Price
$$$
Aluminum 5052-H32
Non-heat-treatable aluminum with excellent seawater corrosion resistance.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Bare aluminum
HB 60
Price
$$
Copper, Brass & Bronze
7 materials
Free-Cutting Brass C3604 (C36000)
The easiest metal to machine — the 100% reference for machinability.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Brass yellow
HRB 62
Price
$$$
Brass C2600 (C26000, 70/30)
70/30 cartridge brass — ductile, bright gold color, good corrosion resistance.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Brass yellow
Rockwell F 64
Price
$$$
Copper C1100 (C11000 ETP)
Pure tough-pitch copper with roughly 100% IACS electrical conductivity.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Copper red
Rockwell F 40
Price
$$$
Phosphor Bronze C5240 (C52400)
10% tin phosphor bronze — high strength, spring properties and wear resistance.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Bronze
HRB 92
Price
$$$
Leaded Red Brass C83600 (85-5-5-5)
85-5-5-5 cast bronze — free-machining, pressure-tight, corrosion resistant.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Bronze
HB 60
Price
$$$
Bronze Casting CAC406C (BC6)
JIS BC6 cast bronze, the Japanese counterpart of 85-5-5-5.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Bronze
HB 60
Price
$$$
Phosphor Bronze Casting PBC2 (CAC502)
Cast tin bronze with excellent wear resistance for gears and bearings.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Bronze
HB 80
Price
$$$
Stainless Steel
5 materials
Stainless Steel 304
The most common stainless steel — corrosion resistant, food safe, non-magnetic.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Stainless
HRB 92
Price
$$$
Stainless Steel 303 (Free-Machining)
Sulfur-added free-machining 304 — the fastest stainless to machine.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Stainless
Price
$$$
Stainless Steel 316
Molybdenum stainless for marine, chemical and medical environments.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Stainless
HB 149
Price
$$$$
Stainless Steel 316L
Low-carbon 316 for welded parts — same corrosion resistance, no sensitization.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Stainless
HB 146
Price
$$$$
Stainless Steel 630 (17-4 PH)
Precipitation-hardening stainless with steel-like strength and good corrosion resistance.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Stainless
HRC 35
Price
$$$$
Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steel
6 materials
Medium Carbon Steel S45C (1045)
The everyday machine-part steel — strong, inexpensive and heat-treatable.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Steel gray
HB 163
Price
$$
Low Carbon Steel S15C / SS400
Low-cost mild steel, ductile and weldable, for general structural parts.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Steel gray
HB 126
Price
$
High Carbon Steel S55C / SK5
Higher-carbon steel for wear parts that will be hardened.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Steel gray
HB 192
Price
$$
Alloy Steel SCM440 (4140)
Chromium-molybdenum alloy steel with high strength and toughness.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Steel gray
HB 197
Price
$$
Bearing Steel SUJ2 (52100)
High-carbon chromium bearing steel that hardens above HRC 60.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Steel gray
HRC 62
Price
$$$
Tool Steel SKD11 (D2)
High-carbon, high-chromium cold-work tool steel with excellent wear resistance.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Steel gray
HB 210
Price
$$$$
Titanium & Superalloys
3 materials
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5)
The highest strength-to-weight metal in our catalog, corrosion resistant and biocompatible.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Titanium gray
HRC 36
Price
$$$$$
Inconel 625
Nickel-chromium-molybdenum superalloy for extreme corrosion and heat.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Nickel alloy
Price
$$$$$$
Inconel 718
Age-hardenable nickel superalloy with very high strength up to 650 °C.
Material
Metal
Process
CNC Turning
Color
Nickel alloy
Price
$$$$$$
Engineering Plastics
3 materials
POM Acetal Copolymer (POM-C)
Stiff, low-friction engineering plastic with excellent dimensional stability.
Material
Plastic
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Natural white
Rockwell M 84
Price
$$
ABS / PC
Low-cost, tough plastic for housings, covers and prototypes.
Material
Plastic
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Natural ivory
Price
$
PEEK
High-performance thermoplastic for continuous use near 250 °C.
Material
Plastic
Process
CNC Milling
Color
Natural tan
Rockwell M 105
Price
$$$$$