Machinability as a lever for efficiency
Machining is one of the most important manufacturing processes in the metalworking industry. It includes processes such as turning, milling, drilling and grinding, in which material is mechanically removed in the form of chips. Its cost-effectiveness depends heavily on the properties of the material. Steels with optimized machinability reduce tool wear, extend service life and enable higher cutting speeds. At the same time, they improve surface quality and process stability – key factors for reproducible quality and reduced machining costs.
"Machinability is not a secondary property, but the factor that determines productivity," emphasizes Sandra Chedal-Anglay, Chief Sales Officer of the Swiss Steel Group. "With our specially developed materials, customers can make their machining processes up to 50 per cent more efficient – while maintaining the same precision and achieving greater sustainability."
Material development as a key discipline
Swiss Steel Group has decades of experience in controlling metallurgical processes across the entire value chain – from scrap utilisation and the melting process to hot and cold forming. The result is steels with homogeneous microstructure and defined inclusion behaviour, which are crucial for stable and reproducible machining processes.
Building on years of targeted research and material development, Swiss Steel Group has evolved into one of Europe’s key competence centres for machinability and machining-optimized steels. Its focus is on developing materials that enable precision, reliability and performance in every turn – empowering customers to achieve measurable efficiency gains and consistent quality in machining.
The focus is on the ETG®, HSX®, OPTICUT®, +BX, UGIMA® and UGIMA®-X product families, which have been optimized for various machining requirements – from high-speed machining to precision machining. By controlling the metallurgical processes throughout the entire manufacturing process, we ensure high quality and consistent properties across all batches.
Research in our own machining laboratory
At the Swiss Steel Group's research center, new alloys are systematically tested for their machining behavior. In addition to the chemical composition, the microstructure in particular is analyzed – i.e. the interaction between carbide formation, inclusion control and microstructure density.
"Our research aims to combine contrasting properties such as strength and machinability in a single material," explains Sandra Chedal-Anglay "This requires a deep understanding of the physical mechanisms involved in the chip formation process and precise control of steel metallurgy."
Practical cooperation with customers
Beyond material development, Swiss Steel Group works hand in hand with its customers to turn metallurgical potential into measurable performance. Its experts provide practical support – from the design of cutting parameters to tool selection and cooling lubricant strategy to process optimization. This close collaboration enables manufacturers to tailor their machining strategies specifically to the material, thereby significantly reducing overall process costs.
This hands-on partnership between material science and application know-how defines Swiss Steel Group’s leadership in machinability. The Group sees itself not merely as a steel supplier, but as a trusted partner in achieving precision, efficiency and sustainability – in short: in keeping the world turning.
Following its launch in France, the ‘The Next Turn – Machinability Experience’ event series will continue in Italy and gradually expand to other European markets in 2026. The aim is to promote expertise and current developments in the machining of stainless steel and engineering steels, and to set new benchmarks in machining together with customers.