Material · Stainless Steels
Stainless Steel 440C
The hardest standard stainless: 58–60 HRC for wear parts that cannot rust.
Price index: $$$
Material properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | — (specified by hardness) |
| Yield strength | — (specified by hardness) |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC (hardened) |
| Density | 7.80 g/cm³ |
Choose it when
The combination nothing else standard offers: bearing-class hardness (58–60 HRC) with stainless chemistry. Machine annealed with allowances, harden, then grind or lap precision features.
Look elsewhere when
Hardened 440C is grind/EDM territory and brittle under impact — avoid shock loads and post-hardening machining. For better corrosion resistance at lower hardness, 420 or 17-4 PH are cheaper to process.
Compatible finishes
As-Machined
The baseline finish: straight off the machine, fastest and cheapest.
Passivation
Chemical hygiene for stainless: strips embedded iron so the steel can be as stainless as advertised.
Electropolishing
Reverse plating that brightens, deburrs and passivates stainless in one step.
Bead Blasting
The uniform matte look: erases tool marks, hides fingerprints, preps perfect anodizing.
Brushed Finish
The appliance-grade look: directional satin grain on panels, bezels and show faces.
Polishing
Progressive abrasives down to mirror: the finish for optics, molds and show surfaces.
Vibratory Tumbling
Batch deburring by the bowl-full: every edge broken, every burr gone, at volume prices.
Laser Marking
Permanent identification with zero dimensional change: serials, logos and codes burned in, not stuck on.
PTFE Coating (Teflon)
The slippery armor: fluoropolymer for low friction, non-stick release and chemical inertness.
Typical applications
- Precision bearing races and balls
- Valve seats and nozzles
- High-hardness wear bushings
- Premium knife blades
Compared with similar grades
| Property | Stainless Steel 440C | Stainless Steel 303 | Stainless Steel 304 | Stainless Steel 316L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | — (specified by hardness) | ~620 MPa (cold drawn) | 515 MPa | 485 MPa |
| Yield strength | — (specified by hardness) | ~415 MPa (cold drawn) | 205 MPa | 170 MPa |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC (hardened) | ≤228 HB | ≤201 HB | ≤217 HB |
| Density | 7.80 g/cm³ | 8.00 g/cm³ | 8.00 g/cm³ | 7.98 g/cm³ |
| Price index | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Machinability | 1/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
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