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How Is Titanium, Steel, Nickel and Copper Used in Precision Machining?

LPP creates custom machined parts out of a wide range of materials. In today’s blog we will look at four materials we commonly used for precision machining: stainless steel, titanium, copper, and nickel. We will provide insight into why these materials are commonly used and some of their individual characteristics. It is important to note that while these are our commonly used materials, we also create precision parts from aluminum, brass, bronze alloys, carbon steel, plastics, phenolics, and exotic metals.

Stainless Steel:

The corrosion resistance properties alongside the versatility of stainless steel make it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications that require precision machined parts. One of the most common stainless-steel grades is 316. 316 grade is mostly used to create custom hardware and fastener parts for the aerospace industry. For stainless steel grades we commonly machine using 303, 304, 316, 321, 303E, 420, 440C.

Titanium:

Titanium has similar corrosion resistance properties to stainless steel but is less dense and ductile. The material is often used for finished components. The material maintains high strength while being light so when weight is a concern for your application, we strongly recommend titanium.

Copper:

Copper is considered a fairy easy to machine material that has high conductivity because of its purity. Copper has a shiny finish which makes the aesthetics of the material highly desirable for artwork or jewelry. Also, copper is commonly used in electrical parts because of its conductivity.

Nickel:

Nickel is a very difficult material to machine with but thankfully, LPP has superior quality machining equipment to make custom parts out of the tough material. Nickel is highly regarded for its strength and toughness. A few industries that require nickel machined parts are electrical, automotive, and aerospace. Some applications include, heating elements turbine blades, and automobile bumper & wheel covers.

Now that you have an understanding about the various materials commonly used for precision machined parts at LPP, you can choose the material for your application confidently. If you would like to learn more about our materials, visit our highly detailed materials webpages here. Alternatively, if you have any questions, reach us by phone at (239) 643-LOOS (5667) or email at sales@loosnaples.com.