17-4 Stainless Steel - All About Alloys

Alloy technology has been making strides for hundreds of years now

. It has been centuries since scientists first began experimenting with alloys and, since then, they have tried combining just about every metal on the face of the earth in different concentrations in the search for useful alloys. One of the most important discoveries in the history of alloys is the discovery of stainless steel. This combination of different metals can be heat-treated to strengthen molecular bonds, creating a strong, corrosion-resistant steel. 17-4 stainless steel is a variety of steel that performs well in a variety of environments and can be shaped using metal laser sintering.

17-4 stainless steel is a combination of copper and chromium that provides high strength, hardness, and moderate corrosion resistance. Its an extremely versatile alloy, and its one of the most common grades of stainless steel as a result of its valuable metallic properties. Because of its combination of strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, it is ideal for use in offshore applications, the food service industry, aerospace, the pulp and paper industry, nuclear waste casks, and in mechanical components. It can be manipulated for use in mechanical components by a process known as metal laser sintering.

Metal laser sintering is a process that involves taking powdered metal, including 17-4 stainless steel, and using a laser to heat the powder to form thin, strong layers of metal of about twenty microns thick. These metal layers are built on top of each other, and onto a support system, which is usually itself made from sintered metal. Once the metal has reached the desired thickness, the piece is then strengthened and shaped using heat treatment, support removal, and shot peening, among other processes. This process allows manufacturers an easy way to create durable prototypes to try out in their machines.

Using 17-4 stainless steel and metal laser sintering to make prototypes of parts is a great way to continue improving your equipment without bringing your current production to a standstill while you wait for a redesigned part to be formed. Because sintering can be so fast, you will get your prototype back in no time, and ready for use. It is also cost-effective, since it is relatively simple to do, as long as you have the right equipment for the job. Getting prototypes back quickly is key to keeping your production moving while still seeking solutions to making your manufacturing processes more efficient.

by: Robert Henson

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