battleship81
Mechanical
Hello-
I am designing a series of inspection plates for a family of aluminum parts. Each inspection plate will hold an array of 25 machined, cylindrical (2-3 in. o.d., .375 in. tk.) aluminum parts. The plate will hold each part in a 3 pt. kinematic seat machined into the surface of the plate. The part will lay flat on the plate, and the kinemtic seat in the plate will hold the part on a critical (datumed) plane. The part will not be constrained diametrically, but will be loosely clocked using a locator pin to mate up into one of the tapped holes of the part. A bar will span the part, contacting the part near the "i.d." so as not oil can the bottom surface of the part as it will be constrained axially by a screw that runs through the bar and part and threads into a machined hole in the plate (not pictured).
I want the plate to be steel so that it won't wear when switching out batches of parts. I don't really need a super hard steel, just as long as it’s tougher than aluminum. I would like the steel to be stable when machined and magnetic, so that a grinder can be used to achieve the .0004in./3.0X3.0in. flatness tolerance that I need. Right off the top of my head, 416 SS is the only steel that would work, but its pretty pricey. I had considered 01 tool steel, but I couldn't confirm whether or not it is magnetic, and I know it would be harder to machined than the 416 SS.
What other steel is magnetic and will stay stable when machined?
The part in the picture is just a concept test that holds one of the aluminum parts.
Thanks!
I am designing a series of inspection plates for a family of aluminum parts. Each inspection plate will hold an array of 25 machined, cylindrical (2-3 in. o.d., .375 in. tk.) aluminum parts. The plate will hold each part in a 3 pt. kinematic seat machined into the surface of the plate. The part will lay flat on the plate, and the kinemtic seat in the plate will hold the part on a critical (datumed) plane. The part will not be constrained diametrically, but will be loosely clocked using a locator pin to mate up into one of the tapped holes of the part. A bar will span the part, contacting the part near the "i.d." so as not oil can the bottom surface of the part as it will be constrained axially by a screw that runs through the bar and part and threads into a machined hole in the plate (not pictured).
I want the plate to be steel so that it won't wear when switching out batches of parts. I don't really need a super hard steel, just as long as it’s tougher than aluminum. I would like the steel to be stable when machined and magnetic, so that a grinder can be used to achieve the .0004in./3.0X3.0in. flatness tolerance that I need. Right off the top of my head, 416 SS is the only steel that would work, but its pretty pricey. I had considered 01 tool steel, but I couldn't confirm whether or not it is magnetic, and I know it would be harder to machined than the 416 SS.
What other steel is magnetic and will stay stable when machined?
The part in the picture is just a concept test that holds one of the aluminum parts.
Thanks!
