High-performance materials New generation of stainless steels deliver longer tool life and consistent machining

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Swiss Steel Holding AG

AMPCO METAL Deutschland GbmH

Ramada Acos

The new Ugima-X stainless steels from Swiss Steel offer higher productivity, longer tool life, and greater process reliability. With up to 50 percent extended tool life and a sustainable Green Steel option, they set new standards in efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Swiss Steel Group has launched Ugima-X, the third generation of high-performance stainless steels that offer significant advances in terms of machining efficiency, tool life and process reproducibility. This advancement is the result of over three decades of application-oriented research and close collaboration with industrial partners.

The new generation focuses on three specifically optimised materials:

• Ugima-X 4021, a martensitic stainless steel for demanding mechanical applications with high strength requirements.

• Ugima-X 4028, a martensitic stainless steel with optimised corrosion resistance and improved dimensional stability for precision components.

• Ugima-X 4460, a duplex stainless steel combining excellent mechanical properties with outstanding resistance to corrosive environments.

According to the company, these new materials have an average productivity increase of 20 percent, increased tool life of 25 percent to 50 percent, optimised chip formation and exceptional reproducibility.

Innovative metallurgical optimisation for maximum efficiency

The development of Ugima-X is based on the precise modification of non-metallic inclusions, in particular through the introduction of oxides during the melting process. This adjustment results in improved chip formation, minimises tool wear and ensures excellent consistency of mechanical properties across different batches.

A decisive aspect of this new generation of materials is the significant reduction in quality deviations that previously occurred between different production batches of many stainless steels. Extensive scientific research, carried out both in the Ugitech research laboratory and in practical test series with industrial users, confirms the consistent performance parameters of Ugima-X.

A decisive advantage of the new Ugima-X materials is the significant increase in tool life by up to 50 percent. Thanks to the optimised composition and targeted control of chip formation, tool damage caused by chip impact is minimised. This reduces downtime, extends the intervals between tool changes and contributes significantly to cost reduction.

In addition to tool life, users benefit from consistently high reproducibility of machining properties. Quality deviations between different batches are significantly reduced, ensuring greater planning reliability and process security.

“The introduction of three new products to complete the Ugima-X range is an important step in our offering of unrivalled machinable grades. Ugima-X is the result of several years of intensive research and several thousand hours of testing, carried out in close collaboration with our customers,” explains Sandra Chedal-Anglay, CSO Chief Sales Officer of the Swiss Steel Group. “Our goal was to increase machinability by up to 20 percent, extend tool life by 25-50 percent and ensure even greater batch-to-batch reproducibility. With Ugima-X, we are setting new standards in stainless steel machining and offering a solution that combines sustainability, efficiency, reliability and cost-effectiveness.”

Sustainable material solution with ‘Green Steel’ option

The new Ugima-X materials are not only technologically optimised, but also associated with a sustainable production strategy. The Swiss Steel Group offers Ugima-X in an environmentally friendly Climate+ version, which is produced exclusively with electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro power.

The use of Green Steel significantly reduces CO₂ emissions from stainless steel production. This sustainable alternative enables companies to achieve their own environmental goals while benefiting from a technologically advanced material solution.

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