Swiss Turning Material Selection Guide

Free-Machining Brass (C360)

The gold standard for Swiss. C360 brass machines beautifully — excellent chip control, long tool life, superb surface finish. Cycle times are the fastest of any material. If your design allows brass, your Swiss costs will be lowest. Common for connectors, fittings, and electrical components.

303 Stainless Steel

The most common stainless on Swiss machines. Free-machining grade with sulfur additions for chip breaking. Holds tolerances well, good surface finish. Medical, food service, and general industrial applications. Slightly higher tool wear than brass but very predictable.

304/316 Stainless Steel

Significantly harder to machine than 303. Longer chips, higher cutting forces, more heat. Tool life drops 40–60% compared to 303. Used when corrosion resistance or biocompatibility requirements rule out 303 (the sulfur inclusions in 303 are a contamination concern for implants). 316L is the standard medical implant grade.

Titanium (Grade 2 & Grade 5)

Titanium runs well on Swiss when the shop knows what they're doing. Low thermal conductivity means heat stays at the cut — sharp tools, rigid setup, and flood coolant are mandatory. Grade 2 (CP titanium) machines significantly easier than Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V). Tool life is 30–50% of stainless. Medical and aerospace applications drive most titanium Swiss work.

Carbon & Alloy Steel (12L14, 4140, 8620)

12L14 is the free-machining champion among steels — leaded for chip control, machines almost as well as brass. 4140 and 8620 are common for automotive and industrial parts where heat treatment follows machining. Alloy steels produce good chips on Swiss but tool wear is moderate. Pre-hardened materials above 32 HRC are generally not run on Swiss.

Inconel & Exotic Alloys

Swiss can cut Inconel 718, Monel, Hastelloy, and similar nickel alloys, but at dramatically reduced speeds with carbide or ceramic inserts. Tool life is measured in dozens of parts, not hundreds. These materials are run on Swiss only when the part geometry demands it — typically small aerospace or chemical processing components where no other process works.