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Free Cutting Steel
Free-Cutting Steels: Properties and Applications
Free-cutting steels are a class of materials designed to minimize machining costs by enabling efficient chip removal during high-speed machining processes. These steels exhibit excellent machinability, making them ideal for operations such as longitudinal and face turning, toothing, drilling, and reaming. These processes are often performed using multi-spindle and turret lathes.
Machinability is a critical property of free-cutting steels, as it directly influences production efficiency, cutting tool life, surface quality, and processing time. High cutting speeds, reduced cutting forces, and enhanced surface finishes are all achievable due to the superior material characteristics of these steels.
Composition of Free-Cutting Steels
Free-cutting steels typically contain:
- Carbon: 07% to 0.60%
- Sulfur: 15% to 0.40%
- Phosphorus: 07% to 0.10%
Unlike other steel grades where sulfur and phosphorus are minimized, these elements are deliberately added to enhance machinability. Their inclusion creates controlled metallic fragility, leading to the formation of short, brittle chips that are easily removed during machining. Additionally, sulfur and phosphorus provide a lubrication effect, improving surface quality and increasing the strength of machined parts.
In some cases, lead is also added to free-cutting steels. While lead does not alter the mechanical properties of the steel, it significantly enhances lubrication during machining, further improving performance.
Intended Use and Key Properties of Free-Cutting Steels
Free-cutting steels are designed to meet the demands of fast, high-volume production in turning and free-cutting lathes. Their properties include:
- Extended Tool Life: Compatible with high lathe machining speeds, reducing tool
- Chip Fragility: Produces short, brittle chips for efficient material removal and
- Low Shear Force Requirement: Minimizes the force needed for machining, reducing tool
- Superior Surface Quality: Ensures clean, smooth finishes on machined
- Precision Tolerances: Facilitates tight measurement tolerances for critical
Applications of Free-Cutting Steels
Thanks to their excellent machinability and associated properties, free-cutting steels are widely used in various industries, including:
- Automotive Industry: For manufacturing fasteners and other
- Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing: Used in industrial and construction
- Precision Mechanical Components: Ideal for producing optical devices and measurement
- Construction Industry: Suitable for manufacturing construction-related
Apex Alloy & Steel Corporation Can Provide Fire cutting steels in Rounds, Hex, & Plates
| Product Category & Description | Product Name |
|---|---|
| Free Cutting Steels – Optimized for high-speed machining, used in precision parts. | 9SMn28, EN 1A, SAE 1117, EN 7, ETG 88, EN 8M, SAE 1144, SAE 1541, 230 Mn7Pb, EN 15AM |
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