PRODEC Plate

PRODEC Plate Overview

PRODEC^® Plate  is a special quality stainless steel plate (and bar), produced for optimal machinability in code-quality plate.

• PRODEC plate is designed to give lower cost machined parts with better final surface and dimensional tolerances.
• PRODEC plate is a premium quality of stainless steel with consistent properties throughout each plate – from plate to plate, and from heat to heat.
• With PRODEC plate you’re assured of corrosion resistance equal or superior to conventionally  produced stainless steel of the same grade.
• PRODEC plate shows the same yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, hardness and toughness as conventionally produced plate.

Click here to review Outokumpo’s PDF for more information regarding PRODEC Plate.

Prodec Plate Benefits

BEST QUALITY PARTS FOR THE LOWEST TOTAL COST

Compared with conventionally produced stainless steel, PRODEC machinable stainless steel offers significant benefits to manufacturers, including:

• faster machining – allowing higher speed and feeds with either carbide or high speed tooling.
• longer tool life
• better dimensional tolerances in machined parts
• superior machined surface quality and integrity
• reduced scrap losses
• consistent performance, enabling on-schedule production

A Special Process for a Special Steel Quality

Using special ladle injection metallurgy and proprietary production techniques, the unique PRODEC process controls the composition, amount, size, shape, and distribution of the nonmetallic inclusions. PRODEC meets all ASTM and ASME requirements, as well as international standards and codes. And PRODEC plate requires no special handling with respect to forming, welding, or heat treatment. Our complete line of PRODEC quality stainless steel is available for delivery from stocking distributors across North America, in a full range of sizes in 304, 304L, 316, and 316L plate.

PLASMA CUTTING

PRODEC plate can be plasma cut, just like conventionally produced stainless steel plate. The exact results obtained in plasma cutting are dependent on the equipment and parameters used in each application. However, experience has demonstrated that the plasma-cut edge of the PRODEC plate is straighter (less “flare”) than that for conventional plate. Also, for each plasma cutting setup, the degree of oxidation and roughness of the edge are consistently less for the PRODEC plate. It has been shown that the PRODEC plate plasma-cut edge is readily machined with heavy roughing parameters. Significant savings have been achieved in production of some parts by using the plasma-cut shapes, where previously it was necessary to deal with the “hard edge” in more costly approaches.

BAND SAWING

Band sawing of conventionally produced stainless steel plate is often less than satisfactory because it is difficult to obtain high enough feed rates. So the saw blade steel is always cutting in the stainless steel that has been “smeared” by the prior cutting. The work hardening that is characteristic of all austenitic stainless steels causes this low-feed cutting to be highly abrasive to the saw blade, leading to both significant tooling costs and to “wander” in the cutting. However, PRODEC plate will cut better in band sawing. With a powerful saw that has good steadying of the blade and good coolant flow, the PRODEC stainless steel plate will cut more economically and with a significantly better straightness and final surface quality. Starting blanks may be band sawed more quickly and with better economy, and in some cases, band sawing has been sufficient to make an acceptable finished part size tolerance.

CARBIDE SAWING

Precision sawing of conventionally produced stainless steel plate, especially for larger pieces with long lengths of cut, has always been difficult because of the high work hardening response of stainless steel. However, with PRODEC plate and a powerful saw that has good rigidity in the presentation of the plate and cut part, it is possible to produce long cuts of excellent straightness and part width tolerance, such as 0.030 for standard cutting and 0.010 inch for specified precision cut parts. Such saws must be of rugged design to maintain saw presentation and must be capable of rigid clamping of both the plates and the off-cut piece to prevent vibration and tool wear. Particular success has been found for the MET*L® ferrous metals saw that is designed with a good clamping system and a rugged saw drive for an aggressive “climb” cutting of stainless steel. The edge quality produced and shape tolerance of parts that are precision sawed are excellent. Sawing has been accepted as an economical approach both to blanking and to producing the final part outer dimension.