Stainless 304/316 — cost and pricing guide
Work-hardening stainless punishes weak setups: slower feeds, rigid fixturing, more tool wear - price all three in.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Material price | $4-8/kg |
| Density | 8.0 g/cm³ |
| Process | CNC Milling |
| Typical uses | food, medical, marine components |
What drives the real part cost
Material price is only one input. The full per-part cost adds machine time at your all-in hourly rate, hands-on labor, a failure or scrap allowance, and your margin. On most Stainless 304/316 parts, machine time and labor outweigh the material itself — which is why per-kg price comparisons alone mislead.
Pro tip
Quote stainless at roughly 1.5-2x your mild steel machining time for the same geometry.
Price a Stainless 304/316 part in seconds — upload your file to the CNC Milling calculator, set your material price at $4-8 and your rates, and get a defensible quote with a market comparison.
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