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NAT MAC Blog
Guides, comparisons and technical tips for your operation
Everything about steel, metals, engineering plastics, band saw blades, lubricants and measuring equipment, explained clearly and to the point.
PlasticsPlastic or metal? When to replace bronze, aluminum or steel with an engineering plastic
What a part gains and loses when switching from metal to plastic, with a density table and equivalents by part type.
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PlasticsHow much heat can a plastic take? Continuous service, HDT, Vicat and melting point explained
What temperature each plastic withstands and what continuous service, HDT, Vicat and melting point mean, with a comparison table.
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PlasticsWhat do the standards on a plastic data sheet mean? ISO 527, ISO 179, UL 94 and more
What each test on a plastic data sheet measures (ISO, ASTM, IEC and UL 94) and how to compare values correctly.
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PlasticsHow is plastic hardness measured? Shore D, ball indentation and Rockwell
What Shore D, ball hardness and Rockwell mean for plastics, and the hardness table for our twenty materials.
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MetalsHow hard are metals? Hardness of aluminum, copper, bronze and brass
How hard aluminum, copper, bronze and brass are, with a comparison table.
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MetalsWhat is brass and which one should you choose? C26000 and C36000 brasses explained
C26000 and C36000 brass: which one is for forming and which one for high-speed machining.
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MetalsWhat is bronze and which one should you choose? SAE 40, 62, 64, 68 and 660 bronzes
SAE 40, 62, 64, 68 and 660 bronzes: what sets them apart and which applications each one is right for.
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MetalsWhat is copper and which one should you choose? Electrolytic and alloy copper explained
Electrolytic and alloy copper: C11000 plus beryllium and chromium coppers, and what they are used for.
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MetalsWhat is aluminum and which one should you choose? 3003, 6061 and 7075 explained
What aluminum is and which to choose: 3003, 6061 and 7075, their uses and available forms.
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SteelWhy does the price of steel change so much? 20 years of ups and downs
Why steel prices swing so much: 20 years of market history with data and sources.
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SteelWhat heat treatments exist for steel and what is each one for?
Quenching, tempering, annealing, carburizing and more: what each heat treatment does and when to use it.
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SteelHow hard is steel? Rockwell, Brinell and Vickers explained
What hardness is and how it is measured: Rockwell, Brinell and Vickers scales explained simply.
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SteelSteel standards: SAE, AISI, DIN, EN and JIS explained
How to read SAE, AISI, DIN, EN and JIS standards and find the equivalent for your steel.
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SteelWhich carbon steel should you choose? Structural bars and plates
Which carbon and structural steel to choose: A-36, 1018, 1045 and more, in bar and plate.
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SteelWhich stainless steel should you choose? 304L, 316L and 420 explained
When to choose 304L, 316L or 420, how they differ and which applications each one is best for.
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SteelWhat are tool grade steels and which one should you choose for your job?
What tool grade steels are and which to choose for your job: D-2, H-13, A-2, O-1 and more.
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SteelWhat are machinery grade steels and how do you choose the right one?
What machinery grade steels are and what each grade is used for: 4140, 4340, 8620 and 9840.
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PlasticsWhat are thermosets? Bakelite, Celoron, G10/FR4 and G11: which one to choose
Differences between Bakelite, Celoron, G10/FR4 and G11, and which laminate is best for electrical insulation and mechanical parts.
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PlasticsWhat is polypropylene (PP) and when to use it? Chemical resistance and weldability
What polypropylene is, why it is the material of choice for chemical tanks and ducts and the advantages of its weldability.
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PlasticsWhat is industrial PET and when to choose it? Stiffness and precision in machined parts
What industrial PET is, why it competes with acetal in precision parts and when to choose it.
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PlasticsWhat is PETG and what is it used for? Transparency and easy thermoforming
What PETG is, why it is so easy to thermoform and how it is used in displays, guards and covers.
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PlasticsWhat is PEEK and when is it worth it? The highest-performance thermoplastic
What PEEK is, why it withstands up to 250 °C and replaces metal parts, and when its cost is justified.
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PlasticsWhat is polycarbonate and when to use it instead of glass? Guards and protective covers
What polycarbonate is, why it is virtually unbreakable and when to choose it over glass or PETG.
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PlasticsWhat is Teflon (PTFE) and what is it used for? Non-stick properties and chemical resistance
What Teflon (PTFE) is, why it is non-stick and chemically inert, and where it makes sense to use it.
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PlasticsWhat is acetal (POM) and when is it the right choice? Precision and dimensional stability
What acetal (POM) is, why it excels in precision parts and the difference between POM-C and POM-H.
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PlasticsWhich polyethylene should you use? HD PE 300, HMW PE 500, UHMW PE 1000 and Ceramic UHMW
How PE 300, PE 500, PE 1000 and Ceramic UHMW differ, and which one is right for each application.
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PlasticsWhat is PA 6 nylon and which one should you choose? Nylon M, SL, XL, HS and AL
What cast nylon PA 6 is and how to choose between the Nylon M natural, SL black, XL green, HS blue and AL red grades.
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MeasurementWhat are force and test systems and what are they used for?
What force and test systems are and what they are for, with the models we carry.
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MeasurementWhat are granite surface plates and what are they used for in metrology?
What granite surface plates are, why they are the standard in metrology and which ones we carry.
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MeasurementWhat is laser measurement and what is it used for?
What laser measurement is, what it is used for and which Starrett systems we carry.
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MeasurementWhat is an optical comparator (profile projector) and what is it used for?
What an optical comparator or profile projector is, what it is for and which Starrett models we carry.
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MeasurementWhat is a vision measuring system and when is it the right choice?
What a vision system is, how it measures without contact using a camera and software, and which ones we carry.
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MeasurementWhat hand measuring tools are there and what is each one for?
What hand measuring tools exist and what each one is for, including the ones we carry.
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Band saw bladesWhat tooth pitch (TPI) should you use on your band saw blade? How to choose
What tooth pitch or TPI is, the 3-tooth rule and how to choose it by material thickness.
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Band saw bladesHow to measure your band saw blade: length, width and gauge
How to determine the length, width and gauge of your blade so you order the right one to size.
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Band saw bladesWhich band saw blade to use for each material? Guide by application
Which blade is right for each material: steel, stainless, aluminum, tube and more, with an application table.
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Band saw bladesWhat is a carbon steel band saw blade and when to use it? NATCUT and Starrett
What a carbon steel band saw blade is and when to use it: NATCUT Carbon and Starrett Duratec.
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Band saw bladesWhat is a carbide band saw blade and when is it worth it? Starrett Advanz
What a carbide blade is, when it beats bi-metal and the Starrett Advanz lines.
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Band saw bladesWhat is a bi-metal band saw blade and which one should you choose? NATCUT and Starrett
What a bi-metal band saw blade is, M42 vs M51 and tooth profiles: NATCUT and Starrett.
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LubricantsCutting oil vs. soluble oil: which one should you choose for your machining?
Cutting oil vs. soluble oil: how they differ and which one is right for your machining.
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LubricantsWhat is soluble cutting oil and what is it used for?
What soluble cutting oil is, what it is for and how to mix it correctly.
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LubricantsWhat are machining lubricants and which one should you choose? CONDACUT, POLYBIO and MECAGREEN
What machining lubricants are and which to choose: CONDACUT, POLYBIO and MECAGREEN.
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LubricantsWhat are wire drawing lubricants or soaps? VICAFIL and STEELSKIN
What wire drawing lubricants or soaps are: VICAFIL and STEELSKIN.
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LubricantsWhat are cold forming lubricants and which one should you choose? EXTRUGLISS and EXTRUDEX
What cold forming lubricants are and which to choose: EXTRUGLISS and EXTRUDEX.
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LubricantsWhat are hot forging lubricants and which one should you choose? ORAFOR and CONDAFORGE
What hot forging lubricants are and which to choose: ORAFOR and CONDAFORGE.
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SteelWhat is 420 steel and what is it used for? Stainless steel for molds
What 420 stainless steel is: for molds running corrosive plastics and high-gloss parts.
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MetalsWhat is C18200 copper and what is it used for? Beryllium-free chromium copper
What C18200 chromium copper is: beryllium-free, high conductivity and strength for welding electrodes and wheels.
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MetalsWhat is C18150 copper and what is it used for? Beryllium-free chromium-zirconium copper
What C18150 chromium-zirconium copper is: beryllium-free, very high conductivity for welding electrodes.
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MetalsWhat is C18000 copper and what is it used for? Beryllium-free nickel-silicon-chromium copper
What C18000 nickel-silicon-chromium copper is: beryllium-free strength and conductivity for resistance welding.
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MetalsWhat is C17510 copper and what is it used for? Nickel-beryllium copper: strength and conductivity
What C17510 nickel-beryllium copper is: high conductivity with good strength, for welding electrodes.
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SteelWhat is 9840 steel and what is it used for? Complete guide
What 9840 Cr-Ni-Mo steel is: an alternative to 4140 and 4340, its properties and applications.
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SteelWhat is P20 + Ni steel and what is it used for? Steel for large plastic molds
What P20+Ni steel is, for large plastic molds and high-gloss finishes.
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MetalsWhat is C17200 copper and what is it used for? The highest-strength (beryllium) copper
What C17200 beryllium copper is: the strongest copper alloy (36–41 HRC), for molds and springs.
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MetalsWhat is C11000 electrolytic copper and what is it used for? High conductivity
What C11000 electrolytic copper (ETP) is: high electrical and thermal conductivity for bus bars and connections.
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MetalsHow to read metal standards: aluminum, copper, bronze and brass
How to read metal standards and equivalents: aluminum (4 digits), copper UNS numbers, SAE bronzes and brasses.
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MetalsWhat is 3003 aluminum and what is it used for? The sheet aluminum for forming
What 3003-H14 aluminum (Al-Mn) is: easy-forming sheet with excellent corrosion resistance.
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MetalsWhat is 6061 aluminum and what is it used for? The most versatile structural aluminum
What 6061-T651 structural aluminum (Mg-Si) is: a balance of strength, machinability and weldability.
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SteelWhat is P20 steel and what is it used for? Plastic mold steel
What P20 pre-hardened steel for plastic injection molds is: ready to machine.
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SteelWhat is A709 steel and what is it used for? Structural steel for bridges
What A709 structural steel for bridges is, with its grades and corrosion-resistant variants.
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MetalsWhat is 7075 aluminum and what is it used for? The highest-strength aluminum
What 7075-T651 maximum-strength aluminum (Zn-Mg-Cu) is: aerospace and high-stress parts.
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SteelWhat is A572 steel and what is it used for? High-strength structural steel (HSLA)
What A572 high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel is: microalloyed and lightweight.
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SteelWhat is A516 steel and what is it used for? Plate for pressure vessels and low-temperature service
What A516 steel is: for pressure vessels and low-temperature service, in grades 55, 60, 65 and 70.
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SteelWhat is 8620 steel and what is it used for? The carburizing steel
What 8620 carburizing steel is: hard surface and tough core, how it is treated and what it is used for.
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SteelWhat is 1.2714 steel and what is it used for? Tough tool steel for forging
What 1.2714 steel is: a very tough steel for forging dies and impact tooling.
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SteelWhat is A285 steel and what is it used for? Pressure vessel plate
What A285 steel is: plate for low-pressure welded pressure vessels.
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SteelWhat is A283 steel and what is it used for? Low- to intermediate-strength structural plate
What A283 steel is: low- to intermediate-strength structural plate with good weldability.
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SteelWhat is A36 steel and what is it used for? General-purpose structural plate
What A36 general-purpose structural steel is: composition, weldability and applications.
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SteelWhat is H13 steel and what is it used for? Hot work tool steel
What H13 hot work steel is: die casting, forging dies and extrusion.
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SteelWhat is 1045 chrome-plated bar and what is it used for? Hard-chrome plated ground bar
What 1045 chrome-plated bar is: hard-chrome plated ground bar for hydraulic cylinder rods.
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SteelWhat is 1045 steel and what is it used for? Medium-carbon steel
What 1045 medium-carbon steel is: higher strength and hardness, can be quenched and tempered.
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SteelWhat is M4 steel and what is it used for? High-speed steel (HSS)
What M4 high-speed steel (HSS) is: maximum abrasive wear resistance for long-lasting cutting.
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SteelWhat is 1018 steel and what is it used for? Low-carbon steel
What 1018 low-carbon steel is: good machinability and weldability, suitable for carburizing.
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SteelWhat is 4340 steel and what is it used for? Complete guide
What 4340 high-strength chrome-nickel-molybdenum steel is: its properties and applications.
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SteelWhat is M2 steel and what is it used for? High-speed steel (HSS)
What M2 high-speed steel (HSS) is: red hardness for high-performance cutting tools.
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SteelWhat is 12L14 steel and what is it used for? Free-machining steel
What 12L14 free-machining steel (resulfurized and leaded) is: composition, uses and available forms.
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SteelWhat is S7 steel and what is it used for? Shock-resistant tool steel
What S7 shock-resistant steel is: composition, hardness, heat treatment and applications.
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SteelWhat is 316L stainless steel and what is it used for? Complete guide
What 316L molybdenum-bearing stainless steel is: better pitting and chloride resistance than 304L.
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SteelWhat is O1 steel and what is it used for? Cold work tool steel
What O1 oil-hardening steel is: economical and easy to machine, for cold work.
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SteelWhat is 304L stainless steel and what is it used for? Complete guide
What 304L austenitic stainless steel is: composition, corrosion resistance, weldability and applications.
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SteelWhat is D2 steel and what is it used for? Cold work tool steel
What D2 high-carbon high-chromium steel is: maximum wear resistance for cold work.
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SteelWhat is A2 steel and what is it used for? Cold work tool steel
What A2 air-hardening cold work steel is: composition, hardness, heat treatment and uses.
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SteelWhat is 4140 steel and what is it used for? Complete guide
What 4140 chrome-molybdenum steel is: its composition, hardness, heat treatment and applications.
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MetalsWhat heat treatments exist for aluminum, copper, bronze and brass?
What heat treatments exist for aluminum, copper, bronze and brass.
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