| Type | General Characteristics | Alloy | Common Applications | Tolerances for a 1/2" Dia. Bar | Material Cost Factor | Machining Cost Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Designed for machining | 2011 | Electronic hardware, endless commercial products | Cold finish +/-.0015 | 3.8 | .6 |
| Improved strength, high fatigue and cracking resistance | 2024 | Electronic hardware, aircraft components, automotive parts, structural applications | +/-.0015 | 5.8 | .7 | |
| Good formability, weldability, and corrosion resistance | 6061 | Electronic hardware, recreation equipment, piping, aircraft components | Cold finish +/-.0015 Extruded +/-.009 | 1.9 | .8 | |
| Higher strength | 7075 | Aircraft components | +/-.0015 | 6 | .09 | |
| Brass | Strength, corrosion and wear resistance, and excellent machinability | C35300 | Well suited for parts with knurling or threading | +0015 | 3.5 | .07 |
| Low cost, low strength, heavy, free machining | C36000 | Electronic hardware and contacts, fittings, numerous commercial products | +/-.0015 | 3.4 (High scrap return provides cost savings ) | .6 | |
| Copper | High corrosion resistance, conductivity, and finish | C11000 | Transformers, electrical contacts, fittings | +0015 | 3.4 | 3 |
| Excellent electrical conductivity | TeCu C14500 | Electrical contacts | +/-.0015 | 4.1 | .8 | |
| Non-magnetic and has a very low permeability | BeCu C17200 | Magnetic housings, Electrical contacts, Bushings, Bearings, Pump components | +.0015 | 21.6 | 3 | |
| Excellent electrical conductivity and the strength | BeCu C17300 | Marine environments, Electrical contacts, Fasteners, Valve components, Pump components | +.002 | 21.6 | 1 | |
| Excellent electrical conductivity and the strength | BeCu C17500 | Marine environments, Electrical contacts, Fasteners, Valve components, Pump components | +.002 | 21.6 | 1.5 | |
| Plastics | Similar to nylon, better machinability | Acetal | Insulators, bearings, gears, bushings | Ground | 4.4 | .7 |
| Similar to nylon, better machinability | Delrin | Insulators, bearings, gears, bushings | +/-.02 | 4.8 | .7 | |
| Good machining, high friction resistance | Nylon, extruded | Insulator, bearing, short runs of products that will be converted to injection molding | Ground +/-.002 | 6.7 | .8 | |
| High strength plastic resin, extremely high resistance to heat, moisture, and chemicals | PEEK | Bearings, Bushings, Pump components, Medical implants, Aerospace components | +0.004-0 | 71.6 | .9 | |
| High impact strength and durability, resistance to frictional wear, weathering, flame, heat, chemical, and radiation | PTFE and Teflon | Insulators, Bearings, Spacers, Valve components, low moisture absorption rate, making it suitable for use in wet environments | +0.005-0 | 12.1 | 1.2 | |
| Low cost, lightweight plastic | PVC | Insulators, fittings, bushings, pump and valve components | Ground +/-.003 | 32.8 | 6 | |
| One of the highest dielectric strengths of any thermoplastic | ULTEM | Aerospace and electronics components | +.002-000 | 16.5 | .7 | |
| Extremely high resistance to wear and abrasion, resistant to most corrosive materials | UHMW | Bushings, Bearings, Sprockets | +0.005-0 | 5 | .7 | |
| Stainless Steel | Designed for machining, non-magnetic | 303 | Electronic hardware, automotive, aerospace, medical instruments, and many applications requiring corrosion resistance | Cold finished +/- .002 | 1.9 | 2.7 |
| Better weldability and formability, slightly more corrosion resistant | 304 | Applications needing formability or weldability | Cold finished +/-.002 | 1.8 | 5 | |
| Better corrosion resistance | 316 | Medical implants and surgical instruments, aerospace | Cold finished +/-.002 | 2.3 | 6.3 | |
| Corrosion resistance and high electrical resistivity | 430 FR | Excellent corrosion resistance in fresh water, gaseous, moderately acidic, and low chlorine environments | +.002 | 3 | 2.7 | |
| High carbon, can harden to RC 60 | 440 | Applications requiring stainless steel with highest hardness | +.002 | 3.1 | 6.3 | |
| Excellent corrosion resistance and heat treatable | 17-4 PH | Medical, aerospace, applications needing corrosion resistance and hardness | +/-.002 | 3.5 | 5 | |
| Special Alloy | High magnetic permeability and highest saturation flux density | Carp 49 | Electronic components Instruments Communications devices | + .002 | -- | 6 |
| High heat resistance | Greek Ascoloy | Aircraft / Aerospace components | + .002 | 7.1 | 4 | |
| Resistance to pitting, stress, oxidation, chemicals, acids, and saltwater | Hastelloy | Oilfield parts, pipes, valve components | + .002 | 17.2 | 10 | |
| Maximum electromagnetic permeability and minimum hysteresis loss | Hymu 80 | Electrical components MRI equipment | + .002 | 32.3 | 10 | |
| Stress cracking, chloride pitting, seawater, and gall resistances | Nitronic 60 | Bushings, shafts, pins, pump and valve components MRI equipment | + .002 | 5.8 | 9 | |
| Steel | Moderate strength and low-stress applications. | 1008 | Good matte surface finish that makes it suitable for exposed parts | + .002 | 1.2 | 3.5 |
| Plain low carbon steel, poor machinability but good formability and weldability. Case harden only | 1018 | Rivets and parts requiring strong welds | Cold drawn 0 | 0.9 | 2.4 | |
| Strength, impact resistance and higher tensile strength. | 1045 | Responds to heat treatment extremely well, but it not recommended for case hardening | + .003 | 0.9 | 3 | |
| Higher carbon, higher strength, direct hardening | 1137 | Higher stress applications, gears, shafts, studs, etc. | Cold drawn 0 | 1.6 | 2.7 | |
| Strength and machinability | 11L37 | Easily machined and can be annealed, quenched, tempered, and heat treated | + .003 | 5.1 | 2.2 | |
| Strength and hardness and a more uniform surface hardness | 11L41 | Axles, shafts, bolts, and pins | + .003 | 2.5 | 2.3 | |
| Designed for excellent machinability. Case hard only | 12L14 | Endless commercial products; probably more pounds used in turned products than any other bar stock | Cold drawn 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Designed for good machinability. Case harden only | 1215 | Parts needing better formability or weldability than 12L14 | Cold drawn 0 | 1 | 1.2 | |
| Strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance | 4130 | Military and commercial aircraft parts | Norm AQ HT Condition F4 | 1.5 2 | 2.7 -- | |
| Popular general-purpose alloy. Direct hardening | 4140 or 4142 | Gears, shafts, pins, bolts and nuts, pump and valve components | Cold drawn 0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | |
| Designed for better machining w/lead additive; direct hardening | 41L40 | Couplings, shafts, tooling, bolts | Cold drawn 0 | 2.5 | 2.8 | |
| .55% Ni, .50% Cr, .20% Mo, heat treatable and case hardening | 8620 | Shafts, bushings, pins, gears, bolts | Cold drawn 0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | |
| Very high 1% carbon, .25% Ni,1.4% Cr, .08% Mo | 52100 | Bearing applications | Cold drawn Spheroidize annealed +/- .006 | 1.8 | 4.8 | |
| Titanium | High strength, light weight | Ti-6Al-4V | Aircraft and aerospace parts | Ground & polished +/-.002 | 21.3 | 6 |
| High strength, light weight, good bio-compatibility | Ti-6Al-4VEli | Medical implants | Ground & polished +/-.002 | 30.2 | 6 |