QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
Is 303 stainless cheaper to machine than 304?
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For the two-inch turned part, 303 stainless is cheaper than 304 by $6.24 at one, $1.82 at 10, and $1.56 at 100 pieces ($295.52 vs $301.76 at one). 303 cuts more freely and starts with a lower bar price, while 304 may be required for corrosion or customer specifications.
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The 303 stainless example part
The reference is a two-inch pin with one drilled hole and one groove. It is not a pressure fitting or a sanitary component. 303 is free-machining and often chosen for general hardware; 304 is tougher and work-hardens, so a real 304 cycle may need sharper tooling and more conservative engagement than this first-pass model.
How the quantity break works
The fixed setup is identical in the comparison. The difference appears in the per-part cycle and stock line, then the 30% markup is applied to each route. That structure matters when a buyer asks for ten pieces: changing alloy does not remove the programming and chuck work already required.
| Qty | Setup min (lot) | Cycle min (part) | Cost / part | Quoted / part | Lot price | Lead days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 123.3 | 4.5 | $232.12 | $301.76 | $301.76 | 9 |
| 10 | 123.3 | 4.5 | $33.01 | $42.91 | $429.10 | 9 |
| 100 | 123.3 | 4.5 | $15.15 | $19.70 | $1970.00 | 10 |
What the material or process changes
The material grade alone does not settle suitability. Check corrosion, weldability, magnetic response, passivation and any customer specification. A 304 quote may also need a passivation line; that outside process should be modeled as an explicit finish rather than folded into a guessed percentage.
How to turn this into a firm quote
Give the buyer both numbers when substitution is allowed, then record the selected grade on the quote. Keeping the assumptions visible lets the shop rerun the estimate when bar pricing or the required condition changes.
Questions to settle before release
Ask the customer to confirm corrosion exposure, welding and any food or medical requirement before switching 303 and 304. Verify the bar condition and whether passivation is required after machining. Record the tool and coolant plan if the 304 route work-hardens. That information turns an alloy comparison into a production quote with a controlled process, rather than a percentage copied from a previous 303 job.
For this 303 vs 304 machining cost estimate, when the job is urgent, show the schedule impact separately from the price. A rush setup, outside-service expedite or second machine may change lead days and cost in different ways. Naming those choices lets the buyer decide what to trade. The base table remains useful because it records the ordinary US small-shop route before urgency is added.
Pricing engine output for the stated Stainless 303 CNC turning example part
- • Material: Stainless 303; the US catalog stores its small-lot price and machinability factor.
- • Process: CNC turning; setup, machine time, deburring and inspection are generated from the example-part geometry.
- • Markup: 30% default US catalog markup; quantities are 1, 10, 100.
- • Fictional 2 in turned part from 1.5 in bar; one drilled end hole and one groove.
- • No outside finish, tax, freight, or customer-specific rate is included.
- • These are computed examples, not supplier quotes or market averages.
| Qty | Setup min (lot) | Cycle min (part) | Cost / part | Quoted / part | Lot price | Lead days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 123.3 | 4.1 | $227.32 | $295.52 | $295.52 | 9 |
| 10 | 123.3 | 4.1 | $31.61 | $41.09 | $410.90 | 9 |
| 100 | 123.3 | 4.1 | $13.95 | $18.14 | $1814.00 | 10 |
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- The figures are computed from the stated example part and US catalog assumptions.
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