Material Selection Guide: Steels, Alloys and Plastics
Last updated
The material you pick drives cost, weight, strength, corrosion behaviour and how the part is machined. Here is a quick guide to the families we work with most often.
Carbon and tool steels
Mild steel is the most cost effective option for general fabrication. Tool steels suit jigs, fixtures and parts that see wear. Both can be heat treated for added hardness.
Stainless steel
304 and 316 stainless cover food, marine and architectural work where corrosion resistance matters. 17-4PH suits high strength shafts and aerospace parts.
Aluminium alloys
6061 is the all rounder for brackets, housings and structural parts. 7075 is the choice when strength to weight is critical.
Engineering plastics
Delrin, nylon, HDPE and PEEK suit bushes, rollers, wear pads and electrical applications. All machine cleanly on our CNC platforms.
Need help choosing?
Send us your drawing and target environment and we will recommend a material that meets spec without over engineering the part. See our CNC machining page for the full list of materials we run.