The Art of Deep Drawing Stainless Steel

Corrosion resistant, strong, heat resistant and chemical resistant; it’s no wonder so many companies choose stainless steel as the material for critical components. And while stainless steel is ubiquitous in many industries, from aerospace and defense, to health care and power generation, forming and deep drawing stainless steel into frame parts, medical containers  or components for gas turbines requires a high degree of skill and deep base of knowledge.

Deep Drawing Stainless: How It Works

Through deep draw forming, stainless steel can be used to produce strong, corrosion-resistant parts for everything from fuel tanks to the kitchen sink. The process of deep drawing stainless steel involves applying pressure to stretch a flat piece of material over a form in a die. Depending on the depth and width of the draw, some parts must go through a series of stretches to meet desired specifications. A standard “pot” or “can” shaped part can be easily drawn 5 inches deep. To draw deeper, an in-process anneal is required to remove work hardening. Stainless steel is usually deep drawn at room temperature in what is called a cold-working process. It will work-harden at room temperature but can be heat-treated later for added strength.

Two types of stainless steel can be formed into deep drawn parts: 400 series (ferritic group) and 300 series (austenitic group.) 300 series metals are particularly suitable for deep draw forming due to their high nickel-alloy content. Nickel makes them ductile and ultra corrosion-resistant without compromising strength. 304 DDQ (deep draw quality), 304 EDD (extra deep draw quality) and 316 stainless steel are the best choices for applications that require severe draws.

Challenges Associated with Deep Draw Forming Stainless Steel

Because of stainless steel’s unique properties, it requires special handling during the deep draw forming process. For starters, stainless steel work hardens faster than carbon steel. Therefore, it requires nearly twice the pressure to be stretched and formed. It’s important to tailor this pressure to material type to prevent breakage or galling. Secondly, stainless steel’s chromium oxide surface film (which prevents corrosion) intensifies friction during deep draw forming, meaning that tooling must be coated and lubricated meticulously to minimize the cost of wear and tear. Lastly, the speed of deep drawing stainless must be optimized to account for high friction, high pressure, depth of draw and other factors. Failing to calibrate speed correctly can result in breakage or wrinkles. In general, the more severe the draw, the slower it needs to be.

Many metal stamping companies and tool shops – especially those that work primarily with carbon steel – find that their standard processes don’t produce adequate results when it comes to stainless steel parts. Customers should be careful to partner with deep draw forming vendors who routinely produce quality parts from stainless steel.

Jones Metal: Trusted Experts In Deep Drawing Stainless Steel

For decades, Jones metal has worked with customers from a range of industries to produce affordable, high quality deep drawn parts in a variety of metals, including stainless steel. We are widely recognized throughout the Midwest and beyond for delivering stainless steel parts of all specifications, on time and on budget.

For stainless steel and other metals, our deep drawing capabilities include stamping and hydroforming. Deep draw stamping is a cost-effective alternative to hydroforming for customers with larger production runs and smaller runs with long-term uses. We handle all metal stamping functions in house in order to minimize start-up costs. To further support our customers’ needs for customization and value, we offer deep draw hydroforming for stainless steel and other metals. Deep draw hydroforming stainless steel is best for complex shapes and applications that require flawless surface finishes.

Get In Touch

Whether you’re seeking a new deep draw metal stamping vendor or you’re looking to create a brand new stainless steel part, Jones Metal is a partner you can trust. Contact us today to learn more about our deep draw forming capabilities.