Today’s manufacturers are on a constant search for savings. While most manufacturers quickly turn to material costs as a primary means of lowering their price, these short term accommodations are not always sustainable. The constant struggle to protect or win back business seems like a revolving door of competition. The introduction of PRODEC® Plate has become one solution for tangible cost reduction that is maintainable in the long run.
Produced exclusively by Outokumpu, PRODEC® Plate, which stands for production economy, is a premium quality of stainless steel designed for enhanced machinability and processed to provide uniform consistency of properties from plate to plate and heat to heat.
This unique version of austenitic stainless steel has provided significant manufacturing benefits for its customers. Meeting all the requirements of ASTM and ASME specifications, Outokumpu product literature states that PRODEC® grades maintain the same yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, hardness, and toughness as conventionally produced plate, while also providing corrosion resistance as good or better than conventional stainless steel.
Advanced ladle metallurgy allow for fine adjustments of the composition, amount, size, shape and distribution of the nonmetallic inclusions normally occurring within standard stainless steel. The company also states that the enhanced chemistry and treatment methods enable PRODEC® Plate to maintain tighter dimensional tolerances and produces a superior surface finish.
Compared with conventionally produced stainless steel, PRODEC® machinable stainless steel also offers manufacturing benefits through faster machining, allowing higher speeds and feeds of at least 25% over standard stainless steel. Consistent properties throughout each plate reduce wear and extend the life of carbide tooling.
PRODEC® 304P/304LP is a versatile, general purpose stainless steel with good resistance to atmospheric corrosion, to many organic and inorganic chemicals, and to foods and beverages. It has also been used in vacuum processing equipment and specialized instruments where high integrity is essential. PRODEC® 316/316L provides improved resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in environments containing chlorides and other halides.
PRODEC® Plate is designed to cut more economically and with significantly better straightness and final surface quality. Both the edge quality produced and shape tolerance of PRODEC® Plate parts that are precision sawed are above average and maintain standard tolerance of +.060-.000 or better. The outcome equals considerably longer tool life, increased productivity, better chip breaking, better dimensional tolerances, superior machined surface quality, reduced scrap losses, and consistent performance which translates to a reliable production schedule.
By including PRODEC® Plate in their portfolio, manufacturers are filling a niche of unique performance that may yield long-term rewards.