AMS 5638 - 303 Stainless Steel Bars & Forgings
AMS 5638 covers 303 Stainless Steel bars and forgings. These are easy to machine and work well for swaging or upsetting, as long as you solution heat treat them first. Type 303 gets its edge from added sulfur — that boost makes it much easier to machine, but you still get the classic 18-8 chromium-nickel stainless formula. Because of this, 303 is a great pick for precision parts that need to be machined fast and clean, like shafts, valves, fittings, and even aerospace fasteners.
When you solution heat treat AMS 5638 bars and forgings, they stand up well to corrosion, about on par with standard 304 stainless. Still, they’re not the best choice for high-pressure vessels, since the extra sulfur can cause trouble there. In the annealed state, this steel isn’t magnetic, but if you cold work it, you might notice a bit of magnetism showing up.
Typical Applications of AMS 5638
AMS 5638 is used in :
- Aerospace fasteners and high-precision shafts
- Industrial machinery components requiring swaging or upsetting
- Screw machine components, valves, and fittings
What is 303 Stainless Steel ?
Stainless Steel 303 is a free machining stainless steel. Due to the addition of sulfur this 18-8 chrome nickel stainless steel has enhanced machinability. Stainless Steel 303 is widely used in the screw machine industry, as well as for use in shafts, valves and fittings. Stainless Steel 303 is not recommended for vessels containing gases or liquids under high pressure.
303 STAINLESS STEEL SPECIFICATIONS
BARS & FORGINGS
High-strength bars and forgings for precision-machined parts.
Certified Material for Critical Service
303 Stainless Steel is available as certified material for critical service applications. This means that every batch is tested and documented to meet aerospace, defense, and industrial standards, ensuring compliance with chemical composition, mechanical properties, and dimensional tolerances.
Certification typically includes:
- Mill Test Reports (MTRs) verifying chemical and mechanical properties
- Compliance with AMS, MIL, and QQ specifications
- Traceability from raw material to finished product
- Assurance for use in high-performance, safety-critical components
By using certified 303 Stainless Steel, manufacturers and engineers can ensure reliable performance in critical applications, from aerospace fasteners to precision machinery, where material integrity and consistency are essential.